IMRT Sucess rate

muckdown
muckdown Member Posts: 27
in Prostate Cancer #1
I had my prostate removed two years ago The PSA was undectable for a while and went back to a 3(June 2011) from being undectable.The Uro sent me to a radiation specilist. So I agreed to adjuvent therapy 39 times to hopfully get teh psa dpwn what gets me is the doctor in the radiation clinic said there would be a 50 to 40 percent chance of geting any cancer cells.So its hit and miss.(hopfully hit) So the big question is for those who have done this prostate bed radiatione did it bring down your PSA.

2nd question is would it be fesable to get another biopsy of the prostate bed.I think its a waste of insurance and copay money if you really don,t know if cancer cells are present.No one can tell you while your getting IMRT treatment if its really sucessful or not .

Dave

Comments

  • Kongo
    Kongo Member Posts: 1,166 Member
    #2
    Post RP PSA
    Dave,

    I expect that they told you there was a 40-50 percent chance because once the PCa is out of the prostate it can (and often does) go to other parts of the body. Do you recall what the pathology report was after your surgery?

    There is more than likely some cancer in the prostate bed. Radiation will get that butif it has gone somewhere else as well, eventually thePSA will start rising again.

    I have never heard of a biopsy of the prostate bed. Maybe some else has had it done. Perhaps an MRI might show where it is.

    Good luck to you.

    K
  • califvader
    califvader Member Posts: 108
    #3
    IMRT
    i recently completed IMRT in June. i had a r/p in 2003 with psa recurrence. i had my first psa check two months after completing IMRT. i was very happy with the results as my psa dropped 50%. my oncologist wants me to get a psa check every two months now. so, hopefully my psa will continue to drop and settle down to the nadir, whick i hope will be 0.
  • nuclearduck
    nuclearduck Member Posts: 9
    #4
    IMRT success rate
    Dave,
    I had a RP in 2001 and had essentially a zero PSA for nine years. Then last October it showed up as a .52 PSA. I had IRMT (39 treatments) and then waited for three months after completion to get another PSA. They want the time lag so that the cells impacted by the radiation have a chance to die off. When they finally took another PSA it was 1.72! That's right. It went up. I waited another month and took another PSA, 2.52. Clearly, the IMRT had missed some or all of the cancer. I have just finished a CAT Scan and a bone scan. They did not show any 'hot spots' so its anybodies guess at this point where the cancer is. It is unlikely it is in the prostate area as that's where they focused the IMRT. I will be proceeding with Hormone Therapy after I figure out which type.
    Tim

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