Prostate Brachytherapy

[joseinCA]

Looking for honest feedback on prostate brachytherapy

[AlanMeyer Moderator]

If the question is, does it work, the answer is, yes IF the cancer has not already escaped the prostate and IF the doctor who applies it is good. The exact same caveats apply to surgery, external beam therapy, proton beam therapy, and possibly others.

I had "HDR" brachytherapy in 2003 + Lupron + EBRT to the area around the prostate. I have never needed any treatment since then. Mine was done by doctors I respected in a clinical trial at the National Cancer Institute.

If you decide on low dose rate brachytherapy, the most common type of treatment, the advantages are that all of your treatment is done in one day. You'll probably leave the hospital the next day or maybe even the same day. Your perineum will be sore for about two weeks and you might want a doughnut cushion to sit on during that time. You may see some blood in your urine for a few days. But all in all, the treatment is easy to take.

I had my treatment on a Thursday, took Friday off, and went back to work on Monday - sitting on a doughnut cushion at my desk and running to the bathroom to urinate more frequently than usual.

If you find a good doctor, I think it's a good treatment. If you find a bad doctor, he can screw you up just like every other bad doctor can.

Best of luck.

Alan

[Kcusn1974]

Yes if the cancer is limited and contained within the prostate. My was contained in the Apex and I was treated with 100 titanium Palidum 103 radiation seeds. My PSA has remained .01-.02 since. Make sure you go to a reknowned treatment hospital as I think that has a lot to do with outcome. My was great!

[aksns61]

I had my low-dose Brachy, 37 Palladium implants, both lobes, done in March. It was fast, very little pain and I was back to work in the afternoon. No side effects other than some blood in urine and ejaculate. My GL score was 6 and 7, in 7 of 12 cores. I also had a 3rd step of therapy with 25 EBRT low dose treatments. I highly recommend Brachytherapy. I am in rural Massachusetts (USA)

Hope this helps.