Questions :)

[ODave]

How soon after SBRT can you have a colonoscopy (the fun of it all) I’m overdue for my 5 year follow up more like a few years late. So they keep calling to schedule.

Also I kept reading about ejaculate would either decrease or go away all together after radiation I’m almost 2 months out of treatment and it still seems normal?

Thanks!

[6357axbz]

1 year

[Tall_Allen]

I had mine done before SBRT. You have to weigh the danger of tearing the tissue against the danger of not having the colonoscopy.

I'm very jealous of your ejaculate.

[ODave]

Yeah tough call, if I still have ejaculate is that any indication treatment didn’t work all the way?

[Don_1213 in reply to ODave]

You haven't done ADT obviously.. that's what stopped mine. And the pills I take to pee a bit easier.

I imagine if SBRT was done as a focal treatment (targeting the tumor not the entire prostate) it's possible some prostate still exists - enough to provide a feeling of satisfaction.

It also does take some time for the radiation to do its thing (I've heard as much as 6 months), so you may also find the ejaculate may start to disappear as the irradiated prostate cells die off- enjoy it while you can.

Have you had a PSA test lately?

[ODave in reply to Don_1213]

No ADT thankfully but they did treat the entire Prostate. I’m thinking at some point it will diminish. Yes one month after treatment PSA 2.7

[Don_1213]

Consider the crap in a bucket test - about 95% accurate. Cologuard. My urologist accepts it without nagging me to go full bore (pun intended) and my GP thinks it's fine. Medicare pays for it no problem.

[lavis in reply to Don_1213]

Be careful.

I also had the Colorgard Test but it did not catch the 13 questionable Pollups that the Colonoscopy discovered and were removed.

[Don_1213 in reply to lavis]

True - it can't detect polyps - but it beats doing what most guys do - nothing at all.

[tsim]

I have a suggestion but you said "followup", family or personal history?

[ODave in reply to tsim]

Personal history I had one about 7 years ago. They found one small polyp and removed it and it was benign

[tsim]

You'll have to check with your doctor but you could try having a colonography (aka virtual colonoscopy) The prep is the same but they just pump a little CO2 in to inflate intestines, colon and rectum (not uncomfortable at all and is re-absorbed in a short time) and then take a minimum 64 slice CT scan, no sedation required. This can identify polyps down to 5-6 mm and also gives a general look see in the peritoneal cavity. Mine took 9 minutes from start to finish. I chose it because I didn't want any tears or infections (rates are surprisingly high for general colonoscopy) screwing up my HDR brachy schedule. I also had the Cologard screening which together give a pretty good level of assurance. This is generally not covered by insurance or Medicare but if you can get your Onc to sign off as medically necessary because of your radiation treatments you should be able to get it covered. Mine did. Even so, the out of pocket cost is only between 400-500 dollars.

[redonthehead]

I know this is an older thread but I was clicking around - my RO said I could have a colonoscopy 6 months after SBRT. What did you learn or do?

[ODave in reply to redonthehead]

I still haven’t had it, I figured I’d give it a year from when I was treated then get it done. So Septemberish this year