Radiation treatments.

[GoEZ]

I will be getting radiation treatments on L5 vertebrae. Was told that 30% of the bone is cancer. Once the treatments are done will the bone regrow and heal itself or will it just stop the cancer and 30% of the bone be missing. Any thoughts on the matter. Thanks

[Hidden]

I have the same problem. They are watching my L5 closely and when "it's time", a neurosurgeon is going to fuse my L5 to my S1. This has been going on for 3 years. They told me as long as it's stable they are advising against fusion.

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Wow! I’m told from L-5 that I had a discectomy on and down that the disc don’t exist . Don’t know what future that spells for me ? Due to treatments , my hips knees and SI joints are all diminishing rapidly . Ouch . I feel it in all of my joints . Though I thank God that I’m not in any brutal pain . Good luck with your back . Take care .🕊🕊🙏

[GoEZ in reply to Hidden]

Right leg is getting worse everyday. Dr said there was a chance of complete compression of L5. Thanks

[Hidden in reply to GoEZ]

My L -5 is gone also .. I’m 59 soon . How about you?

[GoEZ in reply to Hidden]

I’m 59 also. Been fighting this for 10 years now. This last month has been nothing but bad news. So how much has this changed your life. I’m getting warnings about doing too much. The simple pleasures are starting to get out of reach. I was told to limit lifting or moving to actively now.

[Hidden in reply to GoEZ]

10 years? Sh@@! Limited capabilities for sure . I’m a newbie in comparison. Although I’m ground down pretty well., I still love life . Even in this altered state of affairs. You must adhere to no lifting and get out of the pain zone . Be easy like Sunday morning.

[GoEZ in reply to Hidden]

Thanks

[GoEZ in reply to Hidden]

Thanks

[GoEZ in reply to Hidden]

Thanks

[Hidden]

Hey Guy! Good questions . I too await some answers from the crew on this one? All I know is that I’ve seen it done to many a guy here and most got out of the related pain . This is one draconian disease . I hope this Rt helps you out.. Good luck Scott

[GoEZ in reply to Hidden]

Thanks

[LearnAll]

How were they able to measure that 30% of bone is cancer....How tests or scans ?

[GoEZ in reply to LearnAll]

Dr was looking at my bone scans.

[Tall_Allen]

Bone invasion by prostate cancer is almost always osteoblastic (bone overgrowth) rather than osteolytic (bone erosion). That means there is usually more bone tissue rather than less. However, the osteoblastic tissue is unstable and can readily fracture. A bone-strengthening agent (Xgeva or Zometa) can help prevent fractures and spinal compression. If the bone cannot be saved, they can fuse the vertebrae or attach a rod.

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

I've said this before....." it's a blessing that you're here". Thanks....

Good luck, Good Health and Good Humor.

j-o-h-n Friday 05/08/2020 6:44 PM DST

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

Straight forward info .👏🏼

[Steve507 in reply to j-o-h-n]

👍 TA

[j-o-h-n in reply to Steve507]

👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍TA

With his knowledge and my humor we can go places.... Like Seattle or Portland.....

Good luck, Good Health and Good Humor.

j-o-h-n Wednesday 07/29/2020 8:55 AM DST

[William123Cooper123 in reply to Tall_Allen]

Tall Allen:

After reading the many posts, I always look forward to your input. Information that I feel can be trusted.

Just a thanks for helping so many men ... and thus giving me valuable (another person’s) experience.

Take care, and again: Thanks!

William Cooper

[treedown in reply to William123Cooper123]

DITTO

[Hidden in reply to Tall_Allen]

Me too, thank you for the sharing of your knowledge

[GoEZ]

So after the treatment the bone will not heal itself. Will the bone always be weakened? I have been given Zometa. Maybe I’m not hearing what I want to hear. So this treatment is a delaying action rather than a fix for that spot? It’s been a bad month cancer wise.

[Hidden in reply to GoEZ]

Don’t take it too had. All treatments for #4 are palliative . I’m in osteopenia and taking prolia. One of our members said he’s been on it seven years. They told me just two for me . I hear that these bone meds first strengthen then make the bones brittle and prone to fractures. It’s damned if you do , damned if you don’t . In my unprofessional opinion none of these drugs are perfect without complications later . We live for relief for today . All treatments are just kicking the can down the roads. For how long? Only God Knows. Not trying to be morbid. There is already enough of that going around in this world today . This bone stuff scares the bejesus out of me . I’m still walking and talking so no room at the inn for complaints . We do what we think is best for us to survive. The psychology of APC is brutal . Hang in there brother. Fear is the real enemy . Take care .

[GoEZ]

Thanks, I should know this stuff already. It’s just this month has been brutal. Ever time I go to an appointment all I get is bad news. I was just hoping for a work around or maybe I missed something. As for the can, can’t kick as far anymore (bad back) and it’s turning to lead. Thanks for your words. Still hanging.

[Hidden in reply to GoEZ]

I’m not making light of the seriousness of it all . 10 yrs later and still

A brutal ride of what’s next? I’m pulling for you to get to a better place . 🙏

[maley2711]

GoEZ -

That is discouaging!! Your Doc(s) won't answer your reasonable, simple question??? If so, new Docs maybe?

[tallguy2]

I find it interesting that the only bone met that's ever been spotted in me on a scan is also the L-5 vertebrae, which happens to be the site of two laminectomies on the L5-S1 disc, one in 2001 and the other in 2016. Is there a correlation between surgery and PCA mets? No one seems to know.

Thanks Tall_Allen for sharing the effects of radiation to these bone mets.

[AlanLawrenson]

It might be time to consider Veyonda, a new late stage PCa drug that is the subject of a FDA Investigational New Drug application. the company Noxopharm based in Sydney, Australia are offering the drug on compassionate grounds to late stage men. My brother qualified for this free drug with it being made available after a request to the company by a MO. Sadly, my brother's MO team were absolute sticklers for SOC, and rejected his access to the two week therapy which starts with SBRT to one of the tumours to 'condition' the body before the 10-14 day course of Veyonda.

Results of their DAART 1 trial were released recently to the ASX (Code: NOX). Sadly, the DAART 2 trial has been delayed to next year due to the COVID 19 thing. By the way, the active component of Veyonda kills the COVID 19 virus. An application is in with FDA to start treating COVID 19 patients.

[GoEZ in reply to AlanLawrenson]

Thanks

[tom67inMA]

I'm under the impression the bone can regrow after treatment if it gets rid of the cancer. I had radiation to my spine (not sure which vertebrate) and a later CT scan noted that there was some improvement in the area IIRC, but didn't note any improvement in any of the other areas with mets that didn't receive radiation (and there's so many to choose from!)

Of course, Zometa and Xgeva complicate things. My understanding (which could be wrong) is that bones heal in two stages. First they rapidly build new bone material to restore strength, then they "remodel" the bone by tearing down and rebuilding the bone. Since bone strengtheners stop the tearing down process, they interfere with this remodeling process. My guess is bones can be cancer free and strong enough, but still look awful on a CT scan.

I've had bone involvement all the way up and down my spine, in my hips, and most of my ribs. I asked my oncologist about limiting activity, and he said go by feel. I do lift heavy objects, including chainsaws and firewood. They seem more concerned about me nicking myself with the saw during chemo and either bleeding excessively or getting infected.

By now I've had enough slips and falls (thanks to ice and slimy rocks) to know that my bones aren't going to shatter on the first impact.

[GoEZ]

Sounds like you’re looking at my scans. Thanks for your knowledge on the subject. Like you l’m trying to stay active. This is new to me with radiation to the bone. Thanks

[immunity1]

Bone does repair after treatments be they chemo or RT. Healing looks somewhat like sclerotic lesions in radiographs. I have had radiation (20Gy) to my pelvis and L5 - which has a large-ish met. R

[GoEZ in reply to immunity1]

Thanks, good to know. Did you have to take precautions after the treatments? Does it limit your activities? I’ve broken 1 rib twice right, 1 rib left side, and L5 is compressed which is affecting my ability to walk. All this is happening since January. Any advice helps.

[immunity1 in reply to GoEZ]

I have just finished 7 cycles of chemo (docetaxel) which muddies the water re side effects, that plus a met in my femour; so activities limited. However, solely radiation effects over past 1-2y have been minimal re activities, following 8Gy radiation in 2018 and 20Gy in 2019. I would support your EBRT but good RO advice important here. R .

[GoEZ in reply to immunity1]

Thanks