robotic surgery for prostate cancer

sbenjmn55

I had the robotic laparoscopic removal of my prostate in 2010 and it went fantastic. I was 58 years old and some doctors had recommended radiation but on a second opinion, they said I was too young for radiation when I was done everything worked. No ED no incontinence. No bowel problems 10 years later, it has come back a small spot and I believe I am going to go with the cyber knife and I want to get opinions on the side effects as opposed to the other radiation treatment I can only say, do not go with the hormone treatments. They will leave you suicidal acting like a woman in menopause. You are more than likely have to take them for the rest of your lives. Read a book called what I know about prostate cancer and what I wish I would’ve known, it will definitely keep you away from the hormone treatment. I’m glad I read it.

On_A_Journey

"They will leave you suicidal acting like a woman in menopause."

Come on man, there's no need for that.

If menopausal women commit suicide, it would be to get away from their obnoxious and misogynistic husbands!

Steve1961

really let that be they say that about every single anti depressant as well if that were true. It’ll be a lot of suicides they have to list that is one of the side effects thoughthey are nasty that’s for sure.

sbenjmn55

https://csn.cancer.org/discussion/comment/1714332#Comment_1714332

I didn’t mean that menopausal women commit suicide. I meant that it gives you hot flashes. It makes you cry, for no reason your mood change abruptly I don’t know why everybody has to jump on the bandwagon about political correctness for lack of a better word not what I meant at all. I’m trying to tell you I started out on the hormone treatments and they are no fun and they don’t tell you that you will probably have to take them the rest of your lives and they do put you in a completely down mood

sbenjmn55

it’s not just that they leave you having suicidal tendencies they change your whole mood I took them I know what they’re talking about. They give you great mood swings they make you cry at the drop of a hat of Just trying to tell you from personal experience, I didn’t take them long enough to feel suicidal, but I can definitely see where it could lead you in that direction. You have hot flashes and mood swings.

sbenjmn55

so after 14 years my prostate cancer has returned. It is a small spot. They say they have caught it early. I want to know if anybody has experience with the cyber knife approach as opposed to the proton beam therapy. Have you had any bad side effects with CyberKnife and or the proton beam just looking for help. Trying to decide which one I should use.

Josephg

@sbenjmn55 I've been on ADT twice, once for 6 months, and once for 2 years, and I'm still here. I never had any suicidal thoughts. Yes, with estrogen being your dominant hormone during ADT, you do and say some things that you would never believe that you would do or say with testosterone being your dominant hormone. Yes, I shed some tears during movies, something I've never done since childhood, not even with the passings of my mother and father. And, in the big picture, though my quality of life was altered during ADT, it was never reduced to the point of where it became an issue.

In addition to ADT, I've had surgery, IMRT, and SBRT. My PCa is locally metastatic, and it is currently in remission. If you wish to see my PCa journey, you can see it at this link:

https://csn.cancer.org/discussion/327562/january-2024-check-up

Regarding your original question, SBRT is a nothing burger. I had SRBT on a lesion on my pubic bone in 2021, which required 3 treatments, and I had no adverse effects at all, not even fatigue (common in IMRT). If you are thinking of going in that direction (CyberKnife), my non-medical opinion is that you should have no concerns at all.

sbenjmn55

https://csn.cancer.org/discussion/comment/1714341#Comment_1714341

thanks that’s what I’m looking for is just somebody that’s had an experience with the cyber knife and of course every drug doesn’t give you every side effect but the hormone treatment for me definitely was a mood changer. No I did not want to commit suicide but it left me in a downer mood, I’m just saying it’s something to avoid in my opinion

On_A_Journey

@sbenjmn55 , sometimes I write in a brusque manner. It's just the way it is. I should have placed a 😉 at the conclusion of my previous post.

Thank you for fleshing out your story.

Any hormone imbalance, whether naturally occurring or caused by treatment, will have an effect on our minds and bodies. To think that it won't is fallacy, but it affects different people in different ways. Crying like a baby isn't even a side effect in my books. It is a natural human characteristic and I simply cannot stand the Big Boys Don't Cry brigade - all they're doing is displaying their toxic masculinity. Yes, ADT might make things worse, but so what.

Going back 50 years, when one of the standard treatments was ADT via estrogen, not many of the side effects experienced with the more modern ADT hormone medications were common. Estrogen was equivalent in its effectiveness to reduce testosterone to castrate levels compared to the modern agonists and antagonists, but it also eliminates hot flashes and prevents osteoporosis. It did lead to increased cardio issues, but that was when taken orally. Nowadays it is taken trans dermally and there are no issues in that regard. It must be safe; look how many menopausal women take it! It should make a comeback as the main form of ADT in my opinion.

I found this book to be full of good information too: https://www.springerpub.com/androgen-deprivation-therapy-9780826184023.html

sbenjmn55

still looking for more survivors, who have had the cyber knife treatment for prostate cancer

Old Salt

I had SBRT (on Cyberknife equipment) , 3 sessions of 6.5 Gy, about ten years ago. It was part of a 'triple play' which included IMRT and ADT because of several Gleason 9 sites within my prostate.

I was advised to take alfusozin to help with urinary flow, but I didn't really need it. I was also told about fatigue after the third session. No big deal, really.

As must have been mentioned before, it's super important to have SBRT in a setting with lots of experience.

rel8services

https://csn.cancer.org/discussion/327845/robotic-surgery-for-prostate-cancer

This is so helpful. I'm 53 with high grade prostate cancer, but fully contained still. I've been searching for other options because I'm freaked out about surgery and haven't heard of everything working still afterwards. I've been so stressed about sexual issues, incontinence and scars on my stomach looking crazy forever. How did you choose your surgeon for the procedure, some seem to be much more effective than others (and where did you end up going)?

sbenjmn55

https://csn.cancer.org/discussion/comment/1714410#Comment_1714410

I had my surgery done at Big Barnes in St. Louis. The doctor at the time was a Doctor Strope. I just looked for reviews on best radiation on colleges in the area and his name came up. I went and talked to him and he convinced me that the robotic surgery was the way to go, and it was very, precise simple minimal side effects. I have three little scars and everything is done wonderful up until now 14 years later I have recurrence and now I’ve decided that I’m gonna go with the cyber knife solution because it is in one spot and from what I’ve read it seems like the cyber knife is the way to go , I wish you good luck whatever you do, don’t let them give you the radiation pellets or even radiation treatment at your age. If you can find that book it’s called what I know about prostate cancer and what I wish I would’ve known it will open your eyes up.

sbenjmn55

once again I am still looking for anyone who has had their prostate removed and then has had cancer come back and whether they treated it with cyber knife therapy or traditional radiation therapy. I’d like to pros and cons of each if anybody’s out there.