Hi All. Not sure if I should start a new thread. Will do so if you think I should!
Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy and Covid-19
I think our figures below represent a doubling time of 10 months if one can base it on so few readings...yet the 0.4 in April 19 was still only 0.6 in January 20 so we will see in April. Our window of treatment before we reach 1.0 is shrinking.
Finally saw our Surgeon on 28th February....what a long wait from our diagnosis in mid January and made worse by the fact that my husband misread the letter and we hightailed up to his unoccupied rooms on the 28th of January, not having slept well and all jizzed up with worry to know what was going to happen....only to have to wait another 4 weeks!
He was quite reassuring regarding the single lymph node recurrence and bearing in mind my husband's complete antipathy to androgen deprivation therapy, plus the fact that we had a definitive PSMA scan, suggested that he though he would be suitable for Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy. He was to refer him to a radiotherapist in Dublin; The only place that does it in Ireland and about a 2.5 to 3 hour drive each way from our house.
We went away quite pleased with this outcome but with no information only that there are fewer sessions and its more targeted so will protect the other areas in the Pelvic Region, that normally suffer the side effects of RT. We also told the kids that night that the cancer had come back but that there was great treatment and prognosis was good. (They are 22, 19 and 15 all still studying and living at home)
Since then we haven't heard back from the radiotherapist yet and they have not heard from the Urologist who did the original surgery yet! I phoned his secretary for the 2nd time today....:-(
I don't think anybody can answer definitively whether we should go ahead now or wait with Covid-19 all around us but if you have been there you might have more of an inkling whats involved generally. My friends are all stressed about their jobs and elderly relatives and the economy generally, not to mention being stuck in our houses with our kids all day! I want to scream at them that I have all that AND am wondering if my husband is going to die from cancer much younger as a result of this because his radiotherapy is put off, or die from Covid-19 because it isn't!! But I don't because he is self employed and we don't talk about it outside the family. (Which is why this site is great!)
-Has anybody here had Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy?
-How many sessions are normal and how far apart are they?
-Any idea if it would put him at serious risk for complications with Covid-19?
-Which might be the greater risk, having it or not having it? (Assuming they are even able to go ahead with new patients!)
I have laid out the progression below. So far we think we have a doubling time of approx 10 months
Thanks in advance!!
Misty
Brief History of Progression
PSA of 4 Jan 2016, 4.8 in February 2016. Biopsy May T2C. Gleason Score 6. After RP in September 2016 revised to Gleason 7 (don't know which way around 3+4 or 4+3) Margins Clear (Supposedly!)
Post Op PSA was <0.1 (They don't seem to do it as precisely as the 0.01 at our hospital which could have masked rises right from the start)
PSA <0.1 every 3 months until June 2018 and then he missed the next one (despite my continuous nagging for 6 months. Any other men on here have "I am invincible syndrome"??) :-)
PSA January 2019 0.3. Same in February 2019.
PSA April 2019 was 0.4 PSMA scan in April was negative (They did 2 just in case)
PSA in August 0.4
PSA in November 0.6
PSA January 0.6 PSMA reveals cancer in one pelvic lymph node.
Edited by member 19 Mar 2020 at 01:19
| Reason: Doctors name removed