51 years old starting my journey
I had a physical in October and my PSA reading was 25 and was referred to a urologist. I had another PSA reading 2 months later and it was up to 27, so the Urologist ordered an MRI.
The MRI came back with a lesion on each side grade 3 and 4.
This prompted a Biopsy & Cysto which I had on Monday.
I get the results on this Monday evening of the Biopsy... But I am guessing with the 2 lesions and a rising PSA of 27 at age 51 there is little doubt.
Been reading a ton on the treatment options, but I guess the first question I have to get answered is if it would be nerve sparing? Being only 51 I guess also raises more questions... /sigh
Hi, CM72! I too am just starting my journey, so I empathize deeply-- and painfully-- with your situation. Good luck-- to both of us!! I have a comment on treatment options.
Assuming the cancer has not spread, I think you might very well be a candidate for a treatment that is not only nerve sparing but pain and anxiety and side effect sparing too! A friend of mine underwent it recently and I think it's offered at many locations in the US and is fast-becoming the treatment of choice-- and with good reason. It's called stereotactic beam radiosurgery (or some variation on that name), and uses a very clever idea: Picture a basketball with the prostate cancer as a golf ball in the center of the basketball. Now imagine many radiation dispensers on the surface of the basketball, each directing low dose radiation toward the golf ball in the center. All these rays don't damage healthy tissue because they are low dose. But they deliver a high (and hopefully lethal) dose to the prostate cancer in the center -- and ONLY the prostate cancer in the center. This has proven to be a very successful treatment-- only a few sessions are required, and it has such minimal side effects that you can't even create a good story about heroic you were to have braved the treatment! I guess that's its only drawback!
Anyway, don't lose hope, the future is brighter for us new prostate cancer patients than ever!Thank you for the information. I will look into that and ask for sure!
Ahh ok, looks like they call that CyberKnife here.
Stereotactic body radiation (SBRT) delivers multiple radiation beams via computer-controlled robots. After some research I learned that the long-term effects of SBRT (10 years or longer) were not well known at this time. Personally I decided to go with the better known IMRT which is a form of shaped radiation vs the TomoTherapy or Cyber Knife etc.
If you are considering multiple options you may want to look into Proton therapy -- yet another treatment for prostate cancer. I had surgery in 2013 and did the radiation in 2018 when the cancer returned - So far all is good 😀Hi Dennis! You say, "Stereotactic body radiation (SBRT) delivers multiple radiation beams via computer-controlled robots. After some research I learned that the long-term effects of SBRT (10 years or longer) were not well known at this time."
As I interpreted your comment, in 2018 when your cancer returned, the long-term effects of SBRT were not well enough known for you to be confident you'd have a good ultimate outcome, and so you opted for IMRT. May I ask you, in 2022 has the state of knowledge about the long-term effects of SBRT improved to the point that you yourself would now choose it over IMRT if faced with your 2018 situation? And more generally, am I mistaken in thinking that SBRT is an incredibly clever idea that has so much theoretical appeal that it would be shocking if, empirically, it failed to produce impressive results, both in terms of arresting a cancer's progress and avoiding the side effects of many other therapies?Thanks for reaching out ... I find the best way to make a decision is based on current knowledge, access to treatment options and where I happen to be on a cancer journey. Radiation and surgery have been around for a long time so there is comfort in projecting what the future might hold. Today I would be asking my radiation oncologist for stats on what has been happening with patients who opted for SBRT.
I definately would explore Proton. Apparently the beams stop in the target vs passing through and that sure sounds like a benefit. In theory the treatment is effective and will not impact other sections of your body. Folks are currently reporting positive outcomes so far as well.
In the end the best any of us can do is to make a choice, hope your body reacts correctly to a particular treatment and then look forward to the prospect of a long term positive outcome. 👍
Few things in life come with a 100% success guarantee including which form of radiation is best. Dennis(ProstateCancer.net TEAM)
