Pca first diagnosed 2018

Hello this is not real news as I've been posting quite extensively one might say too extensively. I've had recently posted about my Greenlight laser treatment for example.
I asked at my TRT clinic when I first started there and it was November 2018
I did not seek out a TRT clinic until months after my doctor stopped writing for testosterone because of the Pca. So I'd guess late Summer because it took months of no testosterone injections before I could no longer take the emotional pain and sought a clinic.
Not debating hypogndal disorder and TRT in Pca just dating back to the start of the diagnosis and it is a bit scary but since the RO is awsre of my TRT and I've started EBRT and will begin again after I heal from Greenlight, I suppose it's still treatable.
My point is I did not realize how long I've had this.
I'll ask before I begin treatment again how they know it's the correct treatment. I'll also ask as some have suggested if HDR brachdytherapy may work
I think they will repeat the CT Scan to check for changes.
Amazing how long we can have Pca with no apparent symptoms.

Glen Heinsohn

As with most cancers, by the time you have symptoms, you are toast.

F8 BTW enjoyed the photo gallery.
The internet can become addictive for me as I love photo and videos.
Spend too many hour's viewing nature, animals trains trolleys and such

G

theswan said...
F8 BTW enjoyed the photo gallery.
The internet can become addictive for me as I love photo and videos.
Spend too many hour's viewing nature, animals trains trolleys and such

G

thanks man!

Glen, at this point, it doesn't really matter what your G score is. The treatment wouldn't be all that different. Get your healing from the laser finished, and then get the cancer treatment done. What happens next...a year or two from now...it will be what it is.

Glen, I think your case is rather typical. Most men with PCa have G6 score at the first biopsy. Many of those use AS, which you have been doing. Some of those develop or discover G4 in subsequent biopsies, showing some cores as G7 score. Probably G4 was present at the initial biopsy but wasn’t found. When the G4 is found It usually prompts treatment at some point.

The G3 grades did not become G4 as it is nearly universally held that doesn’t happen. But if you are affected by PCa you are very likely to develop higher grades over time. Further, the G3 grades rarely cause real problems as they do not metastasize. They can grow and cause local issues, but not cause distant Mets that become deadly. The G4 grade will invade the body. It will also continue to mutate to ever more aggressive and difficult to control strains. The G4 grade will cause real problems for many men. For some, this may not be a problem, for others it will be debilitating and deadly. While many different tests attempt to define the probability, they can’t tell what precisely will happen to you. So, better safe than sorry, it appears it is time to treat.

As to IGRT or IMRT, they are one in the same, except that IGRT embeds three gold fiducials to help guide the computer controlled IMRT radiation beam. SBRT is IMRT that uses fewer but more intense applications. The same machine can be used to treat one person with 45 daily fractions of 1.7 by and the very next with one fraction of 5 gy to spot radiate a bone met. Same machine, different volume control to meet the need of the individual. 10-15 years ago some held IGRT as an advantage over regular IMRT that at that time used X-ray to position the beam. Now, the CT guided alignment systems used in current IMRT machines now negate any advantage that IGRT might have had. Today IGRT is uncommon. Why have another penetrating procedure to implant the fiducials if it is not an advantage? And some 5 years ago Elekta, one of the main manufacturers of Linac machines, introduced a machine that integrates MRI in the radiation procedure. So, you can get such treatment modality, if that is what concerns you.

All forms of radiation therapy currently in use for PCa are amazingly precise in delivering the dose providing very effective cancer control with very little negative treatment side effects for most men. The most significant developments improving accuracy and efficacy have been IMRT, HDR brachytherapy and more advanced scanning techniques that better identify the target and helps guide the radiation to conform both in shape and intensity to match the target.

Just an addition: I see the Greenlight doctor tomorrow afternoon.
Friday will be 3 weeks since surgery.
Hate to harp on this but the blood thinner is I believe, slowing the healing. Still a lot of blood and clots and scab tissue (for lack of a better term)
Clears up after about a gallon of water but starts anew a couple of hours after I take my Xaralto.
I'll discuss options such as a couple to 3 days off the blood thinner.
I expect he'll refer me back to the cardiologist but I'll still ask if those days off the blood thinner will aid the healing.
If cardiologist bounces it back, I'll just risk a couple of days off. After all I did take 7 day's off pre surgery.
Tired of the blood loss and actually feel an effect such as being very tired. Fell asleep watching TV last night for example and that is extremely rare for me.
In any case I look forward to getting this treatment over and done.

Glen

Well, 4 weeks from now.....that's a date.....it's a thing you can hang your hat on. And then, let's hope it all is good by then and you can get back in the prostate roaster. Before you know it, it will be in your rearview mirror.

Did not want to post because all that needs to be said has been posted however, today was different.
Took my blood thinner Xaralto at 9am it's now 7:30pm and not a drop of blood in the urine!
Maybe it's healed. Still some mild achy discomfort but good urine flow and it's yellow to clear with zero blood or clots.

Yea!

Glen

"To infinity "

Yep feeling good. Still pushing the water to be safe. Feels good being able to use the stsnd up urinal

G

Could not get an appointment until June 23rd. I have a feeling they may want to squeeze me in before then. I'll call again and see if there are any cancellations. Seems the radiation clinic is very busy.

Blood and some clots and debris returned but stopped again today.
On a sensitive note but still kind of important to me; I "tested" the "equipment" and all systems were go!
had a semi-hard erection and did not have a retrograde ejaculation and it was better than it had been.
Got to admit I was scared but thus far there has been no pain or blood.
So it is obvious the Summer will be confined to the weekend's as I'll most likely begin radiation early July. I suppose we can get a day or two at the beach on the Hudson river in Kingston NY. We like to go Monday's or Tuesdays because the lifeguards are on duty Wednesday through Sunday and inner tubes and float devices are not allowed. We love to swim, do exercise and then lay in the tubes. We tie them to the boundary ropes so we do not drift across the river to Rheincliff.

Glen

No blood today and took my blood thinner Xaralto.
Two days ago had unusually long blood clots. Today clear!
I'm healing but it's just unusual how each day is different. Tomorrow's 5 weeks since surgery.
Do not see the RO until June 23rd
As I said I'll discuss HDR brachdytherapy but think it's going to be back to regular radiation.
I'm ready for it.

Still very tired and achy not sure why.

Glen

Colic is gone and the urine is clear but I did take my blood thinner.
I chickened out being afraid of the stroke possibility.
It may bleed but it clears up so no point in complaining.
Still have weeks before radiation treatment begins

Glen