Radiotherapy side effects

How long have you been on hormone therapy?

Which hormone therapy specifically have you been on?

How old are you?

Have you had a MRI performed?

May I ask why you didn't have surgery?

While I cannot answer your question, answering the above questions will aid  others in replying accurately to your question.

as for me, I had surgery.

Yes I am wondering why you went straight to HT when the cancer is contained in the prostate...unless it isn't of course. My MRI said T1, then the biopsy said T2 then after surgery it went to T3 coz the base of the seminal vesicles were affected. I have to decide when to have RT, if at all. My first PSA is < 0.02 which is perfect so I am not rushing into anything as I may not need it. I'm just surprised you had HT first as that also has side effects. Best of luck.

Hi Barry,my hubby had Radiotherapy last year,I can honestly say it had no side affects on him.  The hormone treatment,changed him though,he's been off it now for about six mths,he has hot sweats,not to bad now,and he got very emotional,and tired. But there still with him,but not so bad,but he don't have much energy.  He's going to see his GP about some vitamin tablets.

But all in all he's come through it all plain sailing. But of course we're all indervidual.  Good luck. Talk to people who are having the same as you.

Barry, on September 8th I will be getting my whole prostate remove... My doctor stated that I will never have to worry about cancer in that area any more... Good luck

I don't understand why you were offered hormone treatment if the cancer is just in the prostate. I am having my prostate removed on August 30th and was told that if the cancer was contained to just the prostate that this would cure it for good. You need to know that if the radiation therapy does not work that there is a good chance that you cannot go back and have the surgery because of reasons your doctor could tell you. I would rather not have the side effects that come with the Cure of the cancer. I would rather not have prostate cancer at all so I wouldn't have to deal with any decisions like this. Research research research ask questions is my advice to you. Good luck

Hi, my other half brachytherapy and wishes he hadn't due to severe side effects still 18 months on. His consultant did suggest active surveillance, we are wishing he'd taken that advice. But treatment would have been needed eventually anyway.

There are many treatment options available today. Do some reasearch to see which treatment may work best for you in your situation. I found several websites that give pros and cons of treatments. My PSA went down from 5.3 to 2.0 after taking antibiotics for prostatitis and also taking Avodart to shrink my prostate. Treatments that I was considering needed the prostate to be within a specific size. Mine was slightly larger than it should be. According to my urologist, it was on the larger side of normal. The Avodart helped shrink it to an ideal size. I researched this website:  http://www.pctrf.org/    and it gave me some good information on various treatments. I opted for the Brachytherapy. It has been nearly 6 months since I had the treatment, which is a one time out patient procedure. There are some side effects, but nothing really bad. I am going in for my 6 month follow up this next week. My urologist told me that since my PSA had gone down to a low level, and my prostate cancer was contained, and with gleason score of 6, I could do the active survailence for the time being. I felt like I didn't want to do that and know I had prostate cancer. I wanted to deal with it now and get rid of the cancer while I am still young enough to recover from side effects and I don't have any other serious health conditions to deal with at this time. Everyone has a different experience with treatments. One thing to consider with any treatment is to choose a doctor that has performed that particular treatment successfully many times.

I wish you the best.

Charles

Many thanks to those who replied to my post. The oncologist told me that they do not remove the prostate due to the chance that some cells may be left and that the hormone treatment would keep the cancer under control for up to 12 years. As I am 78 now it appealed to me as I would not have to risk the side effects. Others have said that they would have it zapped by the radiotherapy to completely kill it. The only side effects I have had from the HT are hot sweats and the inevitable shrinking of the genitals. I have been on HT for six months.