This is an informative video that would benefit the newly diagnosed prostate cancer patient.
It talks about some of the more recent advances in radiation therapies that really should be considered when making a treatment decision.
This is an informative video that would benefit the newly diagnosed prostate cancer patient.
It talks about some of the more recent advances in radiation therapies that really should be considered when making a treatment decision.
Dan's Journey through Prostate Cancer 
Thanks for finding this Dan, the summary of the doctors remarks is that surgery will be replaced by vastly improved RT which sounds amazing. Down here in OZ we are seeing patients elect RT over surgery.
Dan did you get a clear answer yet on how long post the RT it is before a valid PSA test can confirm the status of the PCa?
Cheers,
Peter.
Australia.
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Hey Peter,
How’s your SRT going? Getting near the end? Or is it done already?
My RO said it would be a minimum of a year (or more) before we had any insights on whether the SRT was effective.
All the best,
Dan
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Hi Dan So sorry to hear about your setbacks. I wish you a speedy and full recovery. Interesting video by Mark Scholz. I know he was a proponent of brachytherapy but I have never seen such a strong endorsement of radiation over surgery. It appears that the video was released yesterday and it will be interesting to hear the response from the urologists. I had my consultation with my oncologist last week and although pleased with the undetectable PSA; he indicated that it is too early to know whether it is the SRT or the ADT that is keeping it undetectable. Gary
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Hi Gary,
Thanks. You’ll see in tomorrow’s monthly post from me that things are pretty much back to normal across the board.
Regarding the video, my take-away was that, as technology changes and treatments improve, we have to reevaluate the old paradigms to see if they still hold. If I were 52 years old and diagnosed today, I’m not sure I would have made the surgery decision knowing what I know now. That doesn’t mean I have regrets about it—I made the best choice for me with the information available at the time.
Congrats on the undetectable PSA. My RO said it would be at least a year, minimum, before we know if the SRT had an effect. So more testing and waiting ahead.
All the best,
Dan
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A good video but I elected full removal like you 2 years ago. I have friends that have done seed implant, radiation, thermal ablation, etc. but for me, I did not want a bad tissue lingering around in my body. It might decide to wake back up in the future. I asked my surgeon if you could do radiation first and then removal later if the cancer came back. He explained it like if you had a box of crayons and melted them (radiation) then all the colors had run together and were now stuck all over the surrounding organs. It was possible, but now you were trying to separate the blue and yellow from the green in surgery. I chose surgery first and radiation as a backup plan.
He mentioned strictures where the scan tissue heals around the urethra at the base of the bladder where you are sewn back up. I had this issue about 4 months after surgery. I was in a chair pulling myself down holding onto the arm rest while they were pushing up with a bunch of different size wires. Once they reamed me out and hit pay dirt, I was as good as new. Everything was flowing again.
A recent CT scan has revealed a 2.1 x 2 cm growth in my left kidney. How long has it been there, who knows. It is stable in size for the last 6 months but I am electing to have it removed as soon as I get over a knee replacement that is scheduled on Dec 20. Hopefully I can get it done in March. No other issues revealed anywhere else so I think it is contained. They cannot tell if it is benign or cancerous until they get in there and take a look. I am not a “watch as see” person. Get it out. I hope it is not related to the cancer in my prostate. My PSA has been nil.
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Hi James,
Thanks for your comment and sharing your story. My thought process was pretty much the same: Get it out of me as quickly as possible. In the 12 years of dealing with this and the advances that have been made in treatment options during that time, I’m not sure I would have made the same decision given where I was at going into this. But, I made my decision based on the best information available at the time, and here I am.
I hope the growth in your kidney is benign and wish you continued undetectable PSA results for years to come!
Dan
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As I told you in prior emails, my symptoms were identical as yours, down to gas pains in the hospital. I know I made the correct decision. Nothing good can come from a foreign object growing in your body.
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Hi Dan I just realized that there is another Dan Cole who has started a blog that is posted through the Prostate Cancer Foundation Facebook page. My reference in the above email to your setbacks was triggered by his first post on Dec 8th. followed up by more doom and gloom yesterday which didn’t sound like the Dan Cole I have been following.
In any event, I wanted to wish you a Merry Christmas and all of the best in the New Year as we proceed on your journey. Gary
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Hey Gary,
Thanks. No problem. I’ve been following Dan Cole’s website for some time now, and his post about entering hospice certainly moved all of us who read it.
Wishing you a Merry Christmas and a wonderful 2023.
Dan
P.S. My last name isn’t Cole. It’s Zeller. 🙂
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