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Recommendation for second opinion on prostate MRI scan?
Prostate Cancer | Last Active: Sep 27, 2023 | Replies (55)Comment receiving replies
Did you ever consider brachytherapy? Spoke with someone who had High dose (two treatments) and he had minor and temporary side effects. Also in contact with someone who had good results (4 years out) with low dose brachytherapy. I was leaning to Proton treatment at UF but to hear about a 2 treatment approach with no ADT is certainly appealing since I will have to relocate to JAX for the 8 week treatment time.
I've been back and forth on the options and I would certainly welcome any thoughts about your decision making process.
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Merwether, I would hate to guide you wrong as not a doctor or knowledgeable about your specific case. I do know that doing your own research with major providers and getting second and even third opinons is what most of us recommend.
I was never offered Brachytherapy at either Mayo Jacksonville or UFPTI. Quite frankly don't know what it is so cannot provide any feedback on that. I do wish I lived close to Phonenix or Rochester as Mayo Clinic there offers the 5 treatments high dose proton therapy. I know a lot of the people on Mayo Clinic Connect had their treatments at Mayo Phoenix and Rochester which to have robust proton radiation treatment plans
Are you in south Florida. I am told there are proton treatment centers there. I also aware there is a private proton provider also located in Jacksonville. I am not sure but heard there was a proton center in Orlando area but not sure about that one. I know Mayo Jacksonville is building a new cancer center that will have proton radiation therapy but that is years away.
What did your oncologist/radiologist suggest? I would get a second opinion even a third to help you with decision making. I know a lot of people come from other countries and states to UFPTI. That have been doing proton radiation treatments there since 2006.
UFPTI gets a lot of referrals from other radiologist/oncologist for other type cancers such as eye because proton pencil beam can control the radiation damage better than Photon. They have a specific radiologist/oncologist that does thoes type treatements. My radiologist/oncologist advised me he does 50% of all prostrate cancer treatments. I think they have about a dozen specialist there with individual teams.
I think UFPTI offers accommodation help. Did you ask for a informatino package from them? In that there is a ton of research, information, specialist, books, and overall information on the insititute.
Was your cancer confined to prostrate? What was you gleason score? I do know UFPTI has a physics department and expert specialist that come up with best treatment based on the tests results and any other information which affects your treatment options. How about PET Scans and bone scans?
I did the pencil beam proton and my plan was 30 treatments which were over a 6 week time period. I am having my first follow up appointment in October with my UFPTI radiologist/oncologist along with my first PSA test since end of treatments. I am keeping my fingers crossed.