I am SO happy I just had to share this with all my brothers

Kentr

Here's my story.

8/10/07 PSA 4.8 Biopsy revealed cancer
11/9/07 PSA 3.5 Brachytherapy "scheduled" for Kaiser in Roseville, CA
01/4/08 PSA 3.4
1/10/08 Brachythrapy actually performed
4/10/08 PSA 1.1
7/09/08 PSA 0.4
10/7/08 PSA 0.2
01/8/09 PSA 0.4
07/2/09 PSA 0.5
8/31/09 PSA 0.7
12/7/09 PSA 0.8
7/14/10 PSA 1.0 Starting to get a little more concerned
11/17/10 PSA 1.3
3/17/11 PSA 0.3 Hooray! Never give up guys, NEVER!

3/19/11 @ 1:59 pm - I've edited the bit about brachtherapy to clarify the situation for those wondering why there was confusion.

VascodaGama

PSA bounce is common after radiation therapy
Ken
PSA bounce is common after radiation therapy. You may have more experiences where you see your PSA go up and down along periods (3,4 years) after treatment. In some cases the PSA bounces to hight levels of 2.0 to 4.0.
Here is an explanation of the bounce by Frank A. Critz, M.D., medical director at Radiotherapy Clinics of Georgia in Decatur, says "the bounce is thought to be due to inflammation of the prostate, a condition that causes PSA levels to rise independently of any possible cancer. Men who undergo brachytherapy and have a bounce also experience symptoms of an inflamed prostate, such as a burning sensation during urination."
Have a look in this site;
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/11/061108154629.htm

Wishing you a continuous recovery and PSA's in the zeros.
VGama

Kongo

Question
Kent,

I'm happy your PSA scores are headed south. That's great news.

I do have a question based on the statistics you posted. You indicate that you had BT through Kaiser in Northern California in November 2007. Then you indicate that you had surgery in January 2008. Did you have RP two months after BT and if so, why did your doctors recommend that you have your prostate removed so quickly after having brachytherapy? Just curious.

Best wishes for continued good numbers.

K

tarhoosier

?What happened?
Kent:
I am completely confused by your report. It says "Brachytherapy scheduled". Did it occur?
Then you report "Surgery performed". Did it occur? Perhaps what you mean is that brachytherapy radiation was scheduled; and then administered (rather than surgery) which took place on the date that you use for "surgery".
Your psa history appears to be that of a man with radiation treatment, a radiation "bounce" and then a settling of psa after cell apoptosis (cell death).
Your happiness is justified, and perhaps in euphoria you mis-typed. I can fully understand.
Congratulations on your success.

Kentr

Kongo said:

Question
Kent,

I'm happy your PSA scores are headed south. That's great news.

I do have a question based on the statistics you posted. You indicate that you had BT through Kaiser in Northern California in November 2007. Then you indicate that you had surgery in January 2008. Did you have RP two months after BT and if so, why did your doctors recommend that you have your prostate removed so quickly after having brachytherapy? Just curious.

Best wishes for continued good numbers.

K

Kongo. tarhoosier, Vasco and others
Kongo Sorry for the confusion! I've only had brachytherapy. Brachytherapy was "scheduled" on 11/9/07 but not performed until 1/10/08. I didn't want go through brachy that close to Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Tarhoosier I guess "administered," or maybe "procedure" is a more appropriate word than "surgery" but when they knock you out, take you to an operating room, do weird stuff to you and then you wake up in a recovery room, it's surgery to me. LOL

Vasco Thanks for your input as well. I am aware fo the bounce situation and actually experienced the uncomfortable urination issue quiite awhile ago - it lasted about two months and it cleared up on it's own.

Thank you all for your wishes and support.

Kent

ProfWagstaff

Congrats, Kentr
Best wiahes for many more zeroes!!

hopeful and optimistic

yes, yes,yes
YES

Kentr

Update on PSA
Hi everyone!

I haven't been posting much but thought I'd give you an update on my PSA journey. Had the test done yesterday and it's now dropped to a 0.2.

As I said on 3/17/11, Never give up, NEVER!

Now that this appears to be under control, I'll probably get hit by a truck. LOL

robert1

Great story
Kentr:

Thank you sharing this great story.

Best wishes!

robert1

VascodaGama

robert1 said:

Great story
Kentr:

Thank you sharing this great story.

Best wishes!

robert1

Congrats
Is so nice to read of Zeros.
Hope for many more identical reports.
VG

Note; regarding medical terminology, barchy is in the group of surgery. Read this;
"...Surgical treatments for prostate cancer include open radical prostatectomy, brachytherapy or robotic-assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy...". Your term for surgery was correct.