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HIFU Treatment didn't work

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Davey22
Davey22

I had HIFU treatment in March 2015. At that time, my psa was 7.31. The biopsy showed 9 samples out of 12 had a gleason score of 7 and 8, and a tumor grade T2C. I had the whole gland ablated.

After the treatment, the psa was close to 0. Two and a half years later, it climbed to 5.5.

HIFU could work on patients who only need a partial ablation. But in my case, the whole prostate had cancer cells. Another thing that I should mention. I ended up having impotence.

So for the men who have prostate cancer in the entire gland, HIFU treatment might not be the best choice of treatments.

0 likes, 9 replies

9 Replies

  • barney34567
    barney34567 Davey22

    Posted

    I am sorry to hear your treatment didn't work so well. Have you had any recent scans to determine the extent of the PCa?

    • Davey22
      Davey22 barney34567

      Posted

      I'm getting another PSA test in a couple of months. If the reading is higher, I need a Axumin PET Scan to determine if the cancer hasn't spread beyond the prostate gland. If the test is negative, I need another biopsy done with the assistance of a 3T Multi-Parametric MRI

    • barney34567
      barney34567 Davey22

      Posted

      Two things come to mind.

      1. Look into undergoing a PSMA PET CT rather than an Axumin PET scan as I believe the PSMA has far more documented history as to the quality of the imaging. I had three such scans in a year.

      2. It may be the case the the PSA rises even if there is nothing visible on a scan. That means that the PCa is microscopic and is too small to image.

      3. If you ever need a biopsy then I agree a 3T MRI before the biopsy is vital. And the iopsy should be an ultrasound guided transperineal biopsy, which has a much lower risk of sepsis than the common trans rectal biopsy.

       

    • Davey22
      Davey22 barney34567

      Posted

      Thank's for all your info barney. I wasn't aware of a PSMA PET scan.

      I'm getting in touch with a couple of doctors for their opinions and comments. I'll let you know the outcome

  • billwill
    billwill Davey22

    Posted

    I am 66 yrs old and live in Canada. I was diagnosed with Prostate cancer almost 7 years ago after my family doctor noticed my PSA had begin to rise. It was 2.8. I had a biopsy done and it showed low grade cancer in 3 different areas. I opted for HIFU treatment on the entire prostate. What I had read was that it was the least evasive. Well what ever could go wrong did. I had incontinence, impotency, and pelvic pain. I also had times during the first year where I had to self catheter and had to have scar tissue removed from my urethra.

    Pills helped to get a reasonable erection. A penis pump and a c**k ring helped even more. The thing that helped the most was penile injections as it gave me more girth, length and firmer erections that any of the other things I tried. Still I have definitely lost length and girth compared to before HIFU

    As time went on I was able to handle the incontinence with one pad a day.

    My psa started to rise gradually over the last 2 years and was up to 1.6, An MRI on June 11/2017 showed abnormal looking tissue on the anterior of the prostate. The tissue was removed July 14/2017 during a mini TURP as my doctor called it and was shown to be cancerous with a gleason of 3+4. I will be having another PSA test within a couple of weeks to see if it has gone back down  to near zero. If it has great. If not radiation.

    Since this mini turp I am used 4 pads or more a day or 2 if I use the penis clamp. As for an erection not so good.

    • Davey22
      Davey22 billwill

      Posted

      Could I ask where and who did the treatment?

      I went to Can-Am HIFU in Toronto,

      Procedure done by Dr. Barkin

  • billwill
    billwill Davey22

    Posted

    I had it done at Maple Leaf HIFU in Toronto by Dr. William Orovan. I was in a study group to see if HIFU would be a good alternative for prostate cancer. I got the treatment free agreeing for a two year followup. I still see Dr. Orovan in Hamilton or Toronto and I have a local Urologist in Ajax where I live.
    • Davey22
      Davey22 billwill

      Posted

      I remember talking to him on the phone before I decided who would be doing my procedure.

      They use the Ablatherm and Can-Am uses the Sonablate 500. In my case, I believe that some was missed in my treatment, now I have to go through the whole process over again. Now I have more knowledge and I'm getting the 3T Multi-parametric MRI fused with the biopsy which I didn't receive before. I'll see what the doc recommends for treatment. 

       

  • billwill
    billwill Davey22

    Posted

    I had that special MRI and when they did the mini Turp? Dr. Orovan said he cut out the suspicious and hopefully the PSA goes down. I will not have another HIFU or operation. I will opt for radiation or hormone treatment
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