Incontinence after External Radiation Therapy

Sorry to hear your news. My
Sorry to hear your news. My husband had a RP in 4/08 and now his PSA is beginning to rise. He is 49 years old, had clear margins and a low gleason scale so I am trying to make sense of this whole thing. I'm sure that you thought that you had closed this chapter in your life. Why do you need to radiation for an entire year? May I ask what your PSA was when radiation was suggested? Have you considered hormone therapy? Be strong. Mrs129

rolf5 said:

Radiation after RP
Hello mrs129

Thank you for your thougths. I'm sorry to hear about your husband at his early age and I'm sure he'll overcome the challenge with your help and his med team. FYI My PSA before RP was 10.5, Gleason 7. RP was done Jan.06. Subsequently PSA was <0.1 hoorah! Lately however it started creeping up from 0.2 to 03. to 0.5 within 8 months. I'm a very active A type guy and am really concerned about the side effects of radiation i.e. incontinence. I plan to get a second opinion before jumping up on the table. My Oncologist does not recommend hormone therapy, thinks he can focus radiation better. Any thoughts are most welcome.

Thanks.

rolf5</p>

EBRT/IMRT with ultrasound imageing
Aloha Rolf5,
A PSA of less than 1 should not mean you should start treatment. PSA's do rise and fall after treatments. Please see
http://www.yananow.net/
for guidelines as to whether treatment is even needed. You sound like watchful waiting would be a very good choice.
I went through EBRT/IMRT with ultrasound in Sept/Oct 07. I felt like I did not have a choice due to the advanced nature of my cancer, all 12 cores 5 to 70% cancer. My first half of treatment was the whole pelvic cavity, and the second half was postate centered. I am still suffering from the after effects of my treatment. I was in the 10% group that sorta get burned. Before & If you begin treatment, make sure you do not have any strictures in your uretha and get any hemorrhoids removed. It would have save me lots of pain & suffering.
Many-Many men go through this treatment and have no problems. With the current technology you should have no bladder problems and no incontenance problems. Your gut/rectum will get some radiation, but if normal (no hemorrhoids), it should be ok. I got a bad ulcer in the rectum and my anis was dammaged, which means it is very difficult to hold anything back. I needed a toilet very close for over a year.
JoeMac