Prostate Cancer

[Kilmorna]

I am recently diagnosed as having Gleason 8 Prostate Cancer and scheduled to commence a Hormone Treatment programme in advance of receiving 7-8 weeks of radiography, and as all of this is new to me I wandered if anyone else has experience and/of thoughts about'High dose-rate (HDR) brachytherapy' and/or 'High energy ultrasound beams to destroy prostate cancer tumours' and which I think may be titled 'Focale.' I am reading there may not be many side effects with either of these, but I don't know yet as I have only entered the arena very recently and want to find out more. Many thanks in advance.

[Tall_Allen]

With high risk PC, HDR brachy is given as a boost to external beam radiation, not instead of. There have been some clinical trials of the monotherapy, but it is not a standard practice for high risk. The combination has better oncological results than the external beam monotherapy that you are planning.

Focal HIFU is strictly experimental, especially for high risk. IMHO, it would be a poor choice for you.

[Kilmorna in reply to Tall_Allen]

Dear Tall_Allen, The combination; that's good and something I shall follow up. Many thanks.

[arete1105]

If you wanted to go with HIFU, the doctor to consult is over at Los Alamitos Hospital. He in fact teaches others how to do it. When I first got Diagnosed in 2013, I talked to him and he said "sure, I will get my team together and will meet you in TJ. It will cost $30K". I don't recall his name. The HIFU treatment is common in both German and TJ alternative cancer centers. BTW HIFU is only good if the Ca hasn't spread outside the cap.

It is a one shot treatment.

SBRT(Cyberknife) is 5 sessions

EBRT is 7-8 weeks.

[Kilmorna in reply to arete1105]

Dear Arete 1105, Many thanks for the guidance. it happens I am in Ireland and the HIFU treatment clinic I am consulting is in Switzerland and presently we haven't got to determining final costs, so I still have my fingers crossed.

[Don_1213]

You might also read: ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...

This is about equal in results to the HDR-Brachy/IMRT. In this case the "boost" is applied using the linear-accelerator used for the IMRT, but it's done with enough precision that the radiation treatment dose mapping is almost identical to HD/Brachy. It requires a modern machine (mine was done on a Varian Edge) that does daily image targeting of the treatment area just before actual treatment commences (it was about 45 seconds between the imaging and my exposure).

It also has notably low incidence of side effects, particularly any at Grade 3 or above.

[Kilmorna in reply to Don_1213]

Many thanks

[Magnus1964]

HRT before external beam radiation seems to be the standard in Pca. A good way to go.

[Kilmorna in reply to Magnus1964]

Many thanks

[j-o-h-n]

To Kilmorna. Would you be kind enough to tell us Your Age, Location, Treatment center, Doctor(s) name(s). Your info is voluntary but it helps us help you and helps us too. If you wish to respond please respond in a future post and not to me. Thank you.

Good Luck, Good Health and Good Humor.

j-o-h-n Friday 03/15/2019 2:51 PM DST

[Kilmorna]

Dear j-o-h-n, Yes, I am 65 and live in Ireland. Best regards.