What questions should I ask my radio oncologist as we finish up radiotherapy for oligo metastatic prostate cancer Which included radiation of distant metastatic lymph nodes, as well as the prostate and local pelvic lymph nodes? Also should I expect him to recommend a follow up psma pet-ct scan?
Thanks for all your support
PJ
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pj1121
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You should if possible know that there is a guidelines "document" (which changes frequently as treatments evolve and are approved) NCCN.
If you name trials of interest to your case and ask about NCCN treatment options when you see your MO/RO, you will have a very high quality conversation. If you wander in with random things found on the Internet, you will be discounted and treated like a doddering 75 year old. When I first met with my RO and MO with Internet stuff, it was made clear that it was pretty much worthless. I learned from that and became familiar with key relevant trials and the NCCN. When I next met with them it made a night-and-day difference. I was no longer a confused 69 year old. They are very busy professionals juggling a wide variety of cancers. You need to become up to speed on your cancer and your case details viz a viz realistic (ie approved and insured) treatment options.
Speaking of that, get a DEXA scan if you are put on Lupron. Start frequent exercising.
Depending on your insurance company a PSMA/PET right after your radiation may or may not be an option. It is also unnecessary IMO as at least initially your treatment plan has somewhat just began. Right now you need time to see results. Maybe your insurance is better than mine but I was not able to access a PSMA until recurrence (BCR) and a PSA of 2 after initial therapy with curative intent and I had radiation upto my aortic bifurcation. Perhaps your distant LN will change things but if PSA is low and stable and you on ADT and 2nd gen hormonal for 2 years or longer it will be awhile before a PSMA is needed. We have similar dx but your PSA was a bit higher than mine. Was you tx with curative intent?
Thats what I did but I would not call it a vacation in my case. I was seeing if my tx worked. If I were to stop again it would be a vacation but that is unlikely.
How many grays total dose to each location? How much dose did organs nearby experience? How confined were each location? (My node was constrained to about 1cm diameter spheroid with limited dosage at 2cm diameter).For me, they'll check PSA at 3 months to see what effect on that, psma scan at 3-6 months.
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