Brachytherapy? Anyone have thoughts?

Posted by stevenp @stevenp, Aug 9, 2024

Hi all. I have been on active surveillance for two years but psa is up to 6.49 so we did a second biopsy. Gleason 7 (3+4, 3+4, 3+3, 3+3). Just recieved Decipher score .29. I’m 65, still working and physically active. I know 2 men who did the low dose Brachytherapy with good success, but I don’t know what their numbers were. Any anecdotal experience with, or info about, that treatment path would be appreciated.

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capatov | @capatov | Oct 16 5:33pm

In reply to @islander2025 "@capatov hi Í saw your post and am facing brachy +lupron and VMAT. I am assuming..." + (show)

@islander2025 - I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers.

I am not an MD but my best advice is find your way to an academic center of excellence (major multidisciplinary university medical center) that deals with a lot of PC.

I was lucky my son works as an anesthesiologist at such a place and found me the best surgical urologist and radiation oncologist both willing to treat me.

Wishing you only the best!

islander2025 | @islander2025 | Oct 16 4:56pm

In reply to @clandeboye1 "Was your solo treatment ( Monotherapy ) HDR or LDR ?" + (show)

@clandeboye1 that is what scares me I’m at a loss totally mine is a moderate high risk thou

islander2025 | @islander2025 | Oct 16 4:47pm

In reply to @capatov "With the understanding that nothing is for certain and no treatment protocol is 100% guaranteed....I had..." + (show)

@capatov hi Í saw your post and am facing brachy +lupron and VMAT. I am assuming you didn’t have prostectomy ? I was told I would need a urologist that could do the surgery cause my robotic urologist won’t due to proximity to rectum. There is one that can. Have not seen him was just informed today of him. But in discussion with intake specialist that would be my choice. I would rather not but I’m still trying to figure out how successful is the alternative no surgery, I read a lot that new studies show not much difference? I’m up and down the scale on Gleason from 6 to 8 last PSA 9.8. Started on bica 50mg a day lupron starts next week and im still at a loss .
Thanks for any input

capatov | @capatov | Oct 13 9:40am

With the understanding that nothing is for certain and no treatment protocol is 100% guaranteed....I had one core 4+3 with PSA 7.1 and chose three pronged IMRT + one HDR brachytherapy "boost" and 6 months Orgovyx ADT. I am now 4 months post treatment expecting my second post treatment PSA in January. Prayer my PSA remains low.

I found the outpatient high dose brachytherapy procedure to be far less scary than I expected. I trusted my multi-disciplinary team at a university Center of Excellence and believe this three pronged approach gave me my best chance at a cure.

In summary, I did not want 70 radioactive seeds left in my body nor did the RO recommend low dose LDR. The one time high dose HDR was quite tolerable for me and hopefully did the "boost" trick on top of the other two therapies

Good luck with your decision and prayers for a cure for you as others on this forum

tk192 | @tk192 | Oct 12 10:30am

In reply to @ksellers3 "My RO recommends Brachy HDR. Any experience out there with this form of therapy?" + (show)

@ksellers3 same for me, consult coming up. There is a lot of good stuff on YouTube.

ksellers3 | @ksellers3 | Oct 11 7:52am

My RO recommends Brachy HDR. Any experience out there with this form of therapy?

tk192 | @tk192 | Oct 10 4:50pm

In reply to @dirtdancer "After 12 years of dealing with cancer doctors, I have found very few that I trust..." + (show)

@dirtdancer I'm finding that whatever their personal specialty is, is almost always the best treatment.

edinmaryland | @edinmaryland | Sep 9 3:05pm

In reply to @mcmcmc1 "Has anyone had Brachytherapy/Seeds nd was it successful?" + (show)

I have a 95 year old uncle who has had the seeds for probably 40 years. He is living independently (tells me he and my aunt are bumping into each other with their walkers)
sure worked for him

steve4566 | @steve4566 | Sep 9 12:27pm

In reply to @mcmcmc1 "Has anyone had Brachytherapy/Seeds nd was it successful?" + (show)

Just got my PSA result - 0.19. Looks like the SBRT and Lupron did the job.

steve4566 | @steve4566 | Sep 8 3:42pm

In reply to @mcmcmc1 "Has anyone had Brachytherapy/Seeds nd was it successful?" + (show)

The good thing for me is I’m in Canada so everything was paid for under our Government health insurance. I feel sorry for the people in the US who are in my position and need thousands of dollars worth of Cancer care and don’t have insurance or are losing their insurance.