Beginning SRT...

[spinosa]

Just got back from MSTI (Mountain States Tumor Institute) here in Boise - had the "planning" CAT Scan this morning for SRT.

I debated 1.) whether to have this or not - but, at age 64 (65 in March) I owe myself the chance, however slim; and, 2.) where to have it...

For several reasons, I decided on MSTI (only 2 major medical centers in and around Boise - St. Luke's MSTI and St. Al's)... but, discovered equipment may make a difference. MSTI has the Variance Truebeam, a more accurate, focused machine and software than many places have/may have. Of course, most of the effect relies upon the physicist and dosimetrist - so, fingers crossed, there. We'll know in a few weeks, won't we?

Supposed to begin next Wednesday - 8 weeks and a total of 81,000 rads... fingers crossed...

[JimVanHorn]

Hello Spinosa, I had 42 radiations in 2007 (they put in 3 gold flecks to follow the radiation beam in case my prostate moved) and my PSA went from 72 to zero. Then 4 years later my PSA jumped up to132, because they did not know I had two types of PCa, fast growing and slow growing. The slow growing was gone. I then had 30 more radiations and started Lupron (Eligard is generic form) along with Casodex for 6 weeks. I am starting my 7th year of Eligard and my PSA has been 0.00 for all of this time. I am very lucky.

By the way when I started my first radiation I had no health insurance and the hospitals wanted to charge $130,000. for 42 radiations. I found a urologist with the exact same machine who charged me what Medicare paid them, $30,000! So ask a lot of questions before you start. I had CAT scans and x-rays before they started and that was included in the price. Medicare paid for my second set of radiations. I am 72 years old now. I had very few side effects of the radiation. Good luck my friend and have a wonderful life!!

[spinosa in reply to JimVanHorn]

Thanks for reaching out, and I am very glad you are doing so well!! Our situations are slightly different...

I had a Radical in December 2002 - results were...no seminal vesicles; no lymph node, negative margins. But, Gleason 4+3 = "bad" 7, and stage T3a (penetration of capsule).

I was CLEAR for 12 years, then PSA began to rise: .06; .08; .12; 1.5, and sawtooth around there until last month, when it finally went to .2 - which, as we know, is the failure/relapse point for those with radicals.

So, hopeful this will work - if not, the literature 10 years. The clinic I'm at says, at LEAST, and pain-free...

My Blue Cross will cover most -it's about $8-10,000 out of pocket to me - right now, I'm still working (64, can't retire until I am 66), and have insurance.

Stay well!