Procedure Complete

Kongo
Kongo Member Posts: 1,166 Member
edited March 2014 in Prostate Cancer #1
I finished the last of my CyberKnife treatments today, met with the doctor, and went back to work (as I have done after each of my treatments). The only side effect I have noted was more frequent urination than normal in the last 24 hourse but I've been drinking a lot of water so that may be part of it.

I had five radiation sessions, each lasting about 40 minutes on a schedule of Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Monday, Wednesday. Total dosage was 36.25 Gy delivered in five fractions with an average of 40 Gy delivered within the prostate capsule.

Follow up consists of a series of telephone interviews about side effects for the next few weeks and an in-person interview and check-up in a month. The first post-procedure PSA test will occur in 3 months. The will also check testosterone levels.

I am part of a large, multi-institution study that involves Stanford, George Washington Medical Cener, Harvard, and some CyberKnife sites in Florida and Texas. My CyberKnife center is affiliated with Scripps Hospital here in San Diego.

Was given a perscription for Flomax and Cialis if I need it, although after looking at the price of Cialis (about $10 a pop) I might just buy my wife a pair of knee-length leather boots and some skimpy black lingerie! So far, I don't need either medication.

Am looking forward to getting back to my normal travel schedule and will be up in the air for the next three weeks.

I would not hesitate to strongly recommend this procedure for men with similar pathologies (see below). Although some CyberKnife centers will treat men with intermediate stage PCa with a Gleason of 7 and PSA < 20, I understand that the few failures of the 4000 some patients who have had this procedure came from the intermediate risk group.

It's nice to have this in the rear view mirror and thanks all for the strong support.

=========================================

59 Years old. Dx PSA was 4.3 and dropped to 2.8 before treatment (eliminated dairy)
Biopsy: 1 of 12 cores showed adenocarcinoma with 15% involvement. Gleason 3+3=6. No evidence of perineural invasion. Biopsy confirmed with a second opinion. Stage T1c. Prostate volume 47 cc. DRE normal. No physical symptoms. Bone scan, chest x-ray, and blood panel were negative for PCa.

Comments

  • hopeful and optimistic
    hopeful and optimistic Member Posts: 2,339 Member
    #2
    Horray!!!!
    I'm glad every thing went well........Ira
  • HeartofSoul
    HeartofSoul Member Posts: 729 Member
    #3
    Im so happy for you and your
    Im so happy for you and your family. Great job in giving us a play by play narrative of your journey. Its was clear, detailed, and direct. Many can learn what questions to ask their DR and become educated in following your open book.

    Now is time to collect those frequent flyer mileage miles and live everyday to its fullest as you fly like an Eagle again
  • lewvino
    lewvino Member Posts: 1,010
    #4
    Congrats Kongo on finishing
    Congrats Kongo on finishing your treatment. Also thank you for providing a very balanced viewpoint. As you know many will sugar coat what they offer or not tell all the facts. Each person has to decide for themselves. I had looked at many different treatments and as you noted: "Although some CyberKnife centers will treat men with intermediate stage PCa with a Gleason of 7 and PSA < 20, I understand that the few failures of the 4000 some patients who have had this procedure came from the intermediate risk group" is one reason with my Gleason 7 that I ended up choosing surgery.

    You mentioned you will be up in the air for the next three weeks? Are you a pilot? Just curious.

    Larry
  • Kongo
    Kongo Member Posts: 1,166 Member
    #5
    lewvino said:

    Congrats Kongo on finishing
    Congrats Kongo on finishing your treatment. Also thank you for providing a very balanced viewpoint. As you know many will sugar coat what they offer or not tell all the facts. Each person has to decide for themselves. I had looked at many different treatments and as you noted: "Although some CyberKnife centers will treat men with intermediate stage PCa with a Gleason of 7 and PSA < 20, I understand that the few failures of the 4000 some patients who have had this procedure came from the intermediate risk group" is one reason with my Gleason 7 that I ended up choosing surgery.

    You mentioned you will be up in the air for the next three weeks? Are you a pilot? Just curious.

    Larry

    Not a pilot
    Hey, Larry. No, not a pilot although I do know a lot. I'll be in my usual cross-country office seat...4B... flying to another meeting or presentation. Thanks for your support.
  • randy_in_indy
    randy_in_indy Member Posts: 496 Member
    #6
    Kongo said:

    Not a pilot
    Hey, Larry. No, not a pilot although I do know a lot. I'll be in my usual cross-country office seat...4B... flying to another meeting or presentation. Thanks for your support.

    Way to Go Kongo!
    I'm sure you will keep us all up to date on the developments or lack there of (non-event side affects)as well as test results. How often will you be testing the PSA?

    I was a 100K flyer with United way back for 5 straight years. I calculated my ticket cost at roughly $80,000 per year when I was traveling tons. You must have seen the movie "Up In The Air" sounds like you could relate like I did. I also had my favorite seats depending on the type/model of plane. I was saddened one day when the wife (ex now) told me my daughter was outside and heard and saw a plane in the sky and pointed and said "daddy". Traveling comes with a cost - missing loved ones - but also with many rewards...learning new places to visit, go and see and meeting new and interesting people.

    Speaking of traveling, in 6 hours I leave for Panama City Beach to get an advanced wreck diving certification on Sat and Sun with my sweetie and two of her girls..all divers.

    Again, good hearing it all went well, keep us posted!

    Randy in Indy
  • Trew
    Trew Member Posts: 932 Member
    #7
    I'm a bit disapointed that I
    I'm a bit disapointed that I didn't get to try this procedure, too.

    Nice to hear so far so good.

    I am so much into sympathizing with those who have pc.
  • Swingshiftworker
    Swingshiftworker Member Posts: 1,017 Member
    #8
    Great, Kongo! I have my
    Great, Kongo!

    I have my first appt at UCSF in 2 weeks on 7/13 and am still expecting to get my CyberKnife treatment sometime in August.

    Keep us posted about your post-treatment reactions and test results -- frequent urination, PSA tests, etc. -- but if what we've read is correct, everything should work out fine.
  • Kongo
    Kongo Member Posts: 1,166 Member
    #9
    Trew said:

    I'm a bit disapointed that I
    I'm a bit disapointed that I didn't get to try this procedure, too.

    Nice to hear so far so good.

    I am so much into sympathizing with those who have pc.

    Trew
    You certainly have had more than your share of procedures. It seems that capping the BP oil spill is going to be easier than the task you have ahead. I do hope all this electrical torture thing starts to show some benefit...otherwise it just seems like something straight out of One Flew Over the Cookoos Nest. All the best.
  • Kongo
    Kongo Member Posts: 1,166 Member
    #10
    Swingshiftworker said:

    Great, Kongo! I have my
    Great, Kongo!

    I have my first appt at UCSF in 2 weeks on 7/13 and am still expecting to get my CyberKnife treatment sometime in August.

    Keep us posted about your post-treatment reactions and test results -- frequent urination, PSA tests, etc. -- but if what we've read is correct, everything should work out fine.

    Hey, Swing
    One day out and nothing. Had some frequent urination yesterday after the last treatment and dropped a Flomax perscription off...but the urges went away today. No problems at all now and I haven't taken any medication. Will keep the Flomax handy if something comes up in a week or so which my doctor said might happen but he opined that based on my progress so far, he doubted there would be anything. Hopefully it stays that way.

    A couple of things that I would recommend you talk to your doctors about at UCSF is the Stanford protocol where they do the treatment every other day instead of consecutively. I'm convinced that has a lot to do with the lack of side effects. The only other thing I would suggest is that when you have the fiducials implanted that you have them done via the paraneum vice trans rectally like they do on the biopsy's. I had much less pain and no spotty bowels as I did after the biopsy. Many doctors insert the fiducials trans-rectally but you can have them do it the other way. Other than that...sit back and relax. Hope it works well for you.
  • Kongo
    Kongo Member Posts: 1,166 Member
    #11
    randy_in_indy said:

    Way to Go Kongo!
    I'm sure you will keep us all up to date on the developments or lack there of (non-event side affects)as well as test results. How often will you be testing the PSA?

    I was a 100K flyer with United way back for 5 straight years. I calculated my ticket cost at roughly $80,000 per year when I was traveling tons. You must have seen the movie "Up In The Air" sounds like you could relate like I did. I also had my favorite seats depending on the type/model of plane. I was saddened one day when the wife (ex now) told me my daughter was outside and heard and saw a plane in the sky and pointed and said "daddy". Traveling comes with a cost - missing loved ones - but also with many rewards...learning new places to visit, go and see and meeting new and interesting people.

    Speaking of traveling, in 6 hours I leave for Panama City Beach to get an advanced wreck diving certification on Sat and Sun with my sweetie and two of her girls..all divers.

    Again, good hearing it all went well, keep us posted!

    Randy in Indy

    Randy,
    They do PSA tracking every three months for two years then if everything is OK the go to once a year. I did 250K miles on Delta last year and I do relate to the Up in the Air movie quite well, thank you. While hanging around doing all the appointments and treatments I went through airport withdrawl. I'm happy to be firing up the roll-aboard again.

    Hope you have a great time in Panama City and that the hurricane didn't blow any tar balls your way that could spoil the diving.

    Best,
  • Trew
    Trew Member Posts: 932 Member
    #12
    Kongo said:

    Trew
    You certainly have had more than your share of procedures. It seems that capping the BP oil spill is going to be easier than the task you have ahead. I do hope all this electrical torture thing starts to show some benefit...otherwise it just seems like something straight out of One Flew Over the Cookoos Nest. All the best.

    Two treatments- so far no
    Two treatments- so far no progress. I"m working down to gettng the AUS installed. the sooner the better.
  • griff 1
    griff 1 Member Posts: 114
    #13
    done
    all of us are glad for you, you sound like a great guy and i hope the best for you. all of your posts have helped me thats for sure and i am sure alot more have been helped. take care. griff

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