Starting SBRT advice

[twoodogs]

The markers were inserted in my prostate on 7/17 just waiting on a MRI probably start treatment in a week. It will be cyperknife with Dr. Debra Freeman. Any advice on diet ,exercise ,ejaculation or anything else that might help me through the process. Hoping for the best. Thanks

[ToolBeltZia]

Please take a look at my profile for posts. I finished SBRT in December.

Stay Strong Brother, we got this.

[PrettyUnhappyGuy]

The treatments themselves are easy. By the end of the last one, you may start to feel tired. For me, the tiredness lasted a couple weeks after treatment ended. I took a nap in the afternoon for 60-90 minutes (no more) and that helped.

Also starting the second week, I had trouble urinating. It took a long time. The doctor prescribed Flowmax which fixed it. I stopped it a couple days ago and so far so good.

Are you doing ADT with SBRT? The side effects from that are far worse than from the radiation IMO.

[Tall_Allen]

Exercise may help radiation work better. I increased my cardio during treatments.

Ejaculate as frequently as possible -use it or lose it!

Follow whatever diet Dr. Freeman recommends. No supplements or vitamins, of course.

[PT49 in reply to Tall_Allen]

In all of my research I must have missed this one--why no supplements or vitamins?

[Tall_Allen in reply to PT49]

Because they may interfere with what the radiation is trying to accomplish.

[PT49 in reply to Tall_Allen]

Is there research that supports that. I think what you are saying is that radiation kills the cells and supplements and vitamins try to repair the cells. Is that an accurate assessment?

[Murk in reply to PT49]

Tall_Allen, is there irrefutable proof that vitamins / supplements interfere or is it just good practice or speculation?

I asked my Doc (Collins) and he saw no impact.

[Tall_Allen in reply to Murk]

The irrefutable proof has to be the other way - that vitamins/supplements do not interfere with radiation. It would be unethical to run a trial in which patients are given an antioxidant and radiation. One would be idiotic to go to the trouble of having radiation therapy and potentially undo the benefit by taking a vitamin/supplement. There are no vitamins/supplements that have any proven benefit for prostate cancer.

The SELECT trial proved that antioxidants (Vitamin E and Vitamin E+Selenium) cause prostate cancer.

[Tall_Allen in reply to PT49]

No. Many vitamins (e.g., E and C) and supplements (e.g. sulforaphane, EGCG) are antioxidants. Radiation kills cancer by inserting Reactive Oxygen Species into cancer DNA. Antioxidants interfere with that.

[PT49 in reply to Tall_Allen]

Thank you. That makes sense.

[PrettyUnhappyGuy in reply to Tall_Allen]

I would add a qualifier to your statements about vitamins. If you are on ADT, you should ask your doctor about taking a Calcium and Vitamin D supplement to protect your bones. My doctor recommended it and I was told to continue taking it during radiation therapy.

[Tall_Allen in reply to PrettyUnhappyGuy]

Your doctor was wrong. Calcium and Vitamin D serve no purpose in "protecting your bones" unless your serum levels are insufficient. A simple blood test will tell you if you have inadequate levels. Too much Vitamin D robs calcium from bones. Too much Calcium is harmful to the heart and kidneys. You can get all the calcium and vitamin D you need from diet and sunlight.

prostatecancer.news/2018/07...

[PrettyUnhappyGuy in reply to Tall_Allen]

Yikes, if he's wrong about something so basic it makes me wonder what else he might be wrong about.

[PT49 in reply to Tall_Allen]

So I never stopped taking my daily regimen of vitamins and supplements during my SBRT and 6 mo. Lupron (August 2023). I never read about this prior to treatment. Part of my regimen includes Vet C, E, and L-Lysine. I have Gleason 7 (4+3) 4 lesions all on the left side (lateral, base, medial, and apex; all 4+3--highest was 45%) A year out from treatment my Testosterone is 500 and PSA is .05. SO MY QUESTION IS: Is there still a benefit to me by stopping my vitamin /supplement regimen NOW and what is the probability that I have compromised my treatment?

[Tall_Allen in reply to PT49]

Since there was never a prostate cancer benefit in taking those supplements (you may be taking them for other purposes), your question makes no sense to me. Vitamin E has been proven to cause prostate cancer. The oxidative damage to cancer DNA from your treatment is a lot stronger than any oral supplements you probably took.

[Chasbearcat999 in reply to Tall_Allen]

My RO advised against supplements aside from Vit D, which was low. He stated antioxidants aren't doing the radiation any favors.

[mijona in reply to Tall_Allen]

Wow. Just opened a pandora box. Thru all my investigations, Dr discussions and these posts, never saw any mention/discusiion of all supplements and vitamins being detrimental to RT. I have always respected your ( Tall Allen ) comments. So this is new and important obviously to everyone. Everyone takes some sort of vitamins and/or supplements for one reason or another. We also list all these vitamins and supplements everytime we go to the Dr. or MO or RO. Surprised NO ONE ever said anything until now. This needs to be discussed in detail much further. Any one with any specific knowledge about which vitamins and supplements are specifically detrimental ( with proof/studies, etc) to RT, prostate cancer recovery, please, please post. This is eye opening.

[Tall_Allen in reply to mijona]

Anyone with any knowledge of radiobiology knows this. This isn't news, except to you apparently.

[mijona in reply to Tall_Allen]

I think I misspoke and mislead you. Sorry. During the SBRT treatment I did not take vitamins and supplements. Now I am after treatment, I assumed you were saying to not take vitamins and supplements also ongoing and I was inquiring. So basically I was asking , if supposedly the radiation continues working long term AFTER treatment, do you still abstain from taking vitamins and supplements long term ?

[Tall_Allen in reply to mijona]

You can go back to them afterwards. None are proven to provide any benefit for prostate cancer, but there may be other reasons.

[PT49 in reply to Tall_Allen]

Obviously there are many of us out here (me included) that are dealing with prostate cancer who have no knowledge of radiobiology. So for us it is news. I find it interesting that none of my doctors said anything about it. They also said nothing about the side effects of lupron, specifically those dealing with cardiac issues since I am a cardiac patient. I experienced arrhythmias, SOB, syncope, anemia, and lengthened QT interval. After 7 months post lupron they are finally subsiding.

[Mgtd in reply to mijona]

I do not take any supplements so I guess “everyone” might be a stretch. Try to eat a balanced diet and get out in the fresh air daily.

[pd63]

Swimming 2K, 4 times a week helped during my 5 SBRT sessions last April, I'm back to baseline urinary and no rectal issues, I didn't have ADT as I'm low risk intermediate gleason 3+4.Ain't got a crystal ball but I firmly believe I made the right decision, started mindfulness and still practising with it and it helps my mood.

Maybe things will go belly up down the line but odds are in my favour

[Laguy01]

i was told to eat vegan

[mac-12]

youtube.com/watch?v=BIcDLlD...(Not working as expected?)

[mac-12]

youtube.com/watch?v=mmgi1Q5...(Not working as expected?)

[mark17]

During the SBRT treatment and after on 6 months on ADT i become vegetarian ,cut sugar of my diet ,i do cardio and weights 5 times a week so far no any side effect.