I would appreciate a referral to a doctor at Stanford or USF

[jcrand1950]

My local MO in the "small town" of Santa Cruz, CA has said the best way to combat rising PSA after IPRT (protons at MAYO, AZ) is a team approach which would include a doctor from one of the University hospitals. The closest is Stanford, then USF. Has anyone got a good tip?

[Stickingaround1]

I initially went to Stanford to begin treatment for advanced prostate cancer. I decide to also check out UCSF for a second opinion, and was entirely overwhelmed, with in my opinion by the drastic difference in expertise of the urologic oncologists at UCSF vs Stanford. I have been treated for well over two years at USCF by an entire team (Medical, radiation, and surgeon), and credit their approach, flexibility to my current well being. Please let me know which type of specialist you are looking for and I will send you more detail.

[MichaelDD]

I am doing exactly what your oncologist (local) has suggested you do. I am in the East Bay area. Have an incredible local oncologist. He works closely with the one at UCSF. Last 2 weeks I spent 3 days total in review and scan at UCSF. Next Tuesday and Wednesday local.

The praise I have for UCSF can't be stated enough. Incredible everyone and everything.

[Tall_Allen]

UCSF has been a leader in the use of salvage focal treatment after radiation failure. Joe Hsu would be a good person to talk to. Also, NIH is running a free trial of salvage SBRT after radiation failure, and they give the best known PET scan with it (DCFPyL). You can call them yourself:

clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show...

I'm not a big fan of a "team" approach. I think you are fully capable of making your own treatment decisions, and too many "experts" with no specific knowledge of those treatments often get in the way.

[j-o-h-n]

Hello Jcrand1950

Would you be kind enough to furnish us with more info about yourself. Age? Scores PSA/Gleason? All info voluntary. Thanks...

Good Luck, Good Health and Good Humor.

j-o-h-n Monday 05/20/2019 7:04 PM DST

[jcrand1950 in reply to j-o-h-n]

Gleason score in June of 2017, 3+4=7 PSA 9. Nadir .45 rising to .84 in 3 mos.

Mayo neglected to insert the promised Space Oar....rectal spacer, and I got Radiation proctitis. I have almost finished 40 days of HBOT (hyperberic 02) and it is working well at stopping the bleeding. I am watching the PSA monthly to see where it goes. I had a terrible time with Lupron and even after 1.25 years am still feeling the effects, though it is getting better. I don't think I will ever go back on Lupron, for any reason, but never say never.

[jcrand1950 in reply to j-o-h-n]

forgot, I am 71, was a pilot, but never again thanks, I think, to Lupron.

[j-o-h-n in reply to jcrand1950]

Thanks for your response.

Mayo? Even the best medical facilities "fuck up". A lot of guys here recommend the Space Oar (which I call a Paddle). We understand the side effects of Lupron but we are all different, some tolerate it more than others. We have other pilots here.... Me... I'm just a passenger who hates to fly since planes are merely Greyhound buses in the sky.

So keep on keeping on....

Good Luck, Good Health and Good Humor.

j-o-h-n Tuesday 05/21/2019 12:11 PM DST

[jcrand1950 in reply to j-o-h-n]

Yes they do! I took a 2 month "vacation" to phoenix so that I could get the "best". I was in bed most of the time (Lupron) and I definitely did not experience what I expected of Mayo.

[MJCA]

Hi

I live in San Jose and am going to the new Stanford Cancer Center in the South Bay. My MO is Sumit Shah, he's young, personable, approachable and quite smart. I like him. Stanford uses a team approach as well. He attended Stanford Medical School and and his Residency was at UCSF - best of both worlds.

[ctarleton]

If you are looking for the next level up from a local oncologist for on-going advanced prostate cancer consultation, here's the UCSF link. They can also help you with referrals within the UCSF system for radiation or other specialists.

ucsfhealth.org/clinics/geni...

Charles

[DaC00tie]

I originally started with Dr Shah at Stanford. Him and I just didn’t seem to click. It seemed as if I had to drag information out of him, and some of that information was important and I felt he should have volunteered without being asked. As a result, I got a second opinion from Dr Borno at UCSF. She’s very knowledgeable and professional with a personal personality. Hence she is now my oncologist. I do recommend her. She’s been very thorough.

[jcrand1950 in reply to DaC00tie]

Thank you for the feedback..