Salvage radiation for SVI

I had the DaVinci RP in January.  Post op pathology showed seminal vessicle involvement.  My PSA never got below 2.1 six weeks after surgery.  My doctor immediately put me on Lupron and I have been on it ever since.  Now he is recommending radiation, but all of the literature points to no real change in outcomes if you have svi.  I know if I take the radiation I will have side effects. 

Has anyone else been presented with this dilemma?

Jonar, I went back and read your previous posts and I'm not sure how I missed your joining us back in March.  And wouldn't you know it, I'm on a self imposed vacation from HW and I look in tonight and see you posting.  First off ~ Welcome.  This group is the best on the internet for helping each other.  You and I are very close everywhere, and we have only a few 3b peers here.  I, too, had bilateral SVI, but also I had margins consistent with carcinoma.  I am a year ahead of you.  I was fortunate to achieve an undetectable PSA, but like you, my doctors did not expect it to hold up.  So I immediately went with HT, I declined a 6 round dose of Taxotere, and I debated with my medical oncologist, and my radiation oncologist at the same center on whether radiotherapy was beneficial.  Eventually, I went with my RO after he produced the following study: Stanford Study on WPRT Post RP in High Risk Patients I studied  RTOG 94-13 in detail and the arm that still shows the most promise is Whole Pelvic Treatment with HT when performed as in the Stanford study post operatively.  Even my medical oncologist said the 6 year numbers do show improvement in biochemical relapse rates.  He remains skeptical for the long term rates, but I went with it anyway.  I had IMRT with the WPRT method and I am in good shape a year later.  My worst side effects are the games that HT plays with my mind.  The radiation was a relative breeze.  Some have not fared as well.  A year and a half later, and three of four options selected, fatigue and depression are present but they both are more from the HT.  Aside from, what I beginning to believe is permenant ED, all else functions well.  I would not change the treatment modalities I selected.  And as long as I can stay undetectable while on HT, I can avoid that talk with my oncologist. Back to my vacation. Tony

I would say give the radiation a shot.  There is alot of research lately pointing to the fact that even though radiation may not cure the prostate cancer it does seem to impede metastes, I think that makes it worth doing.  Good luck.

Thank you for the replies.
I appreciate the article from Tony on whole pelvic treatment. I will make sure I take a copy when I meet my RO next month to plan treatment.
Best of luck to all of you.