Opinions re: CyberKnife

Opinions re: CyberKnife


Just had a consultation with my Urologist.

PSA was 3.7 a month ago and had been increasing the last 2 years from
1.8-2.7.

DRE showed nothing . Had trans-rectal ultrasound with biopsies taken.
Detected Prostate Cancer. Have Gleason of 6 and TNM of T1c.

Dr. explained various approaches, rad. prostactectomy (no way!),
hormonal, radioactive seeding, radiation treatment and CyberKnife. He
is a surgeon by trade but says if he were in my situation he would take
the CyberKnife approach. Says it is very highly accurate and has
virtually no side-effects.

Anyone have experiences with CyberKnife treatment?

Thanks in advance.

Sy

Re: Opinions re: CyberKnife

"Sy" <stuttgart6@lycos . com > wrote in message
news:240820071501413926%stuttgart6@lycos . com ...
>
> Just had a consultation with my Urologist.
>
> PSA was 3.7 a month ago and had been increasing the last 2 years from
> 1.8-2.7.
>
> DRE showed nothing . Had trans-rectal ultrasound with biopsies taken.
> Detected Prostate Cancer. Have Gleason of 6 and TNM of T1c.
>
> Dr. explained various approaches, rad. prostactectomy (no way!),
> hormonal, radioactive seeding, radiation treatment and CyberKnife. He
> is a surgeon by trade but says if he were in my situation he would take
> the CyberKnife approach. Says it is very highly accurate and has
> virtually no side-effects.

Sy,

Welcome the club no one asked to join.

'Tis time for you to take the bull by the horns and do some.... no, a lot!
... of research. We have a great bunch of guys here who will answer any
questions you put to us, but your life is in your hands and you will have to
be making a huge decision soon.

Some the of criteria that goes into such a decision includes your age and
physical well-being. If you are older than 70, maybe that prostatectomy is
'no way.' If you're less than 50, prostatectomy is WAY! There is a good
age range for brachy and there is an age at which you probably can only
consider hormones.

Personally, if my body could take it (and most can now up to 75), I would
opt for the robotic laparoscopic prostatectomy, but we don't have enough of
your stats to even come up with an opinion.



--
PSA 16 10/17/2000 @ 46
Biopsy 11/01/2000 G7 (3+4), T2c
RRP 12/15/2000 G7 (3+4), T3cN0M0 Neg margins
PSA <.1 <.1 <.1 .27 .37 .75 PSAD 0.19 years
EBRT 05-07/2002 @ 47
PSA .34 .22 .15 .21 .32 PSAD .056 years
Lupron 07/03 (1 mo) 8/03 and every 4 months there after
PSA .07 .05 .06 .09 .08 .132 .145 PSAD 1.4 years
Casodex added daily 07/06
PSA <0.04, <0.05, <0.04 (06/12/2007)
Non Illegitimi Carborundum

Re: Opinions re: CyberKnife


Thanks for the welcome to the "club".

I am 59 years of age and in good health otherwise. Am impressed with
what I've read about the CyberKnife approach. The Urologist said that
if I were to choose the CyberKnife treatments I would need to go on
hormones two months beforehand. Anyone have any idea what type of
hormones (brand name?) would be required?

I have read a plethora of articles. Gotta watch out for Manufacturers'
web sites masquerading as some "prostate information" site.

What other "stats" would I need to supply to be a "'member' in good
standing"?

Thanks,

Sy


In article <46d09625$0$16439$4c368faf@roadrunner . com >, Steve Kramer
<skramer@cinci.rr . com > wrote:

> "Sy" <stuttgart6@lycos . com > wrote in message
> news:240820071501413926%stuttgart6@lycos . com ...
> >
> > Just had a consultation with my Urologist.
> >
> > PSA was 3.7 a month ago and had been increasing the last 2 years from
> > 1.8-2.7.
> >
> > DRE showed nothing . Had trans-rectal ultrasound with biopsies taken.
> > Detected Prostate Cancer. Have Gleason of 6 and TNM of T1c.
> >
> > Dr. explained various approaches, rad. prostactectomy (no way!),
> > hormonal, radioactive seeding, radiation treatment and CyberKnife. He
> > is a surgeon by trade but says if he were in my situation he would take
> > the CyberKnife approach. Says it is very highly accurate and has
> > virtually no side-effects.
>
> Sy,
>
> Welcome the club no one asked to join.
>
> 'Tis time for you to take the bull by the horns and do some.... no, a lot!
> ... of research. We have a great bunch of guys here who will answer any
> questions you put to us, but your life is in your hands and you will have to
> be making a huge decision soon.
>
> Some the of criteria that goes into such a decision includes your age and
> physical well-being. If you are older than 70, maybe that prostatectomy is
> 'no way.' If you're less than 50, prostatectomy is WAY! There is a good
> age range for brachy and there is an age at which you probably can only
> consider hormones.
>
> Personally, if my body could take it (and most can now up to 75), I would
> opt for the robotic laparoscopic prostatectomy, but we don't have enough of
> your stats to even come up with an opinion.

Re: Opinions re: CyberKnife

"Sy" <stuttgart6@lycos . com > wrote in message
news:250820071842062972%stuttgart6@lycos . com ...
>
> Thanks for the welcome to the "club".
>
> I am 59 years of age and in good health otherwise. Am impressed with
> what I've read about the CyberKnife approach. The Urologist said that
> if I were to choose the CyberKnife treatments I would need to go on
> hormones two months beforehand. Anyone have any idea what type of
> hormones (brand name?) would be required?
>
> I have read a plethora of articles. Gotta watch out for Manufacturers'
> web sites masquerading as some "prostate information" site.
>
> What other "stats" would I need to supply to be a "'member' in good
> standing"?

Ha! There are no minimum qualifications.

Other Cyberknife patients that have visted here include:

rk012d1307@blueyonder.co.uk RAYMOND KING
taz92652@yahoo . com taz92652

ellis@invalid.jps . net Ellis


I don't know what HT they used. I think Raymond had Zoladex. Lupron or
Casodex are other possibilities, I guess, but I don't know.

At 59 and in good shape, I think you can consider the whole spectrum of
treatments. Surgery seems to have a slim advantage over radiation.

--
PSA 16 10/17/2000 @ 46
Biopsy 11/01/2000 G7 (3+4), T2c
RRP 12/15/2000 G7 (3+4), T3cN0M0 Neg margins
PSA <.1 <.1 <.1 .27 .37 .75 PSAD 0.19 years
EBRT 05-07/2002 @ 47
PSA .34 .22 .15 .21 .32 PSAD .056 years
Lupron 07/03 (1 mo) 8/03 and every 4 months there after
PSA .07 .05 .06 .09 .08 .132 .145 PSAD 1.4 years
Casodex added daily 07/06
PSA <0.04, <0.05, <0.04 (06/12/2007)
Non Illegitimi Carborundum

Re: Opinions re: CyberKnife

On Aug 24, 2:01 pm, Sy <stuttga...@lycos . com > wrote:
> Just had a consultation with my Urologist.
>
> PSA was 3.7 a month ago and had been increasing the last 2 years from
> 1.8-2.7.
>
> DRE showed nothing . Had trans-rectal ultrasound with biopsies taken.
> Detected Prostate Cancer. Have Gleason of 6 and TNM of T1c.
>
> Dr. explained various approaches, rad. prostactectomy (no way!),
> hormonal, radioactive seeding, radiation treatment and CyberKnife. He
> is a surgeon by trade but says if he were in my situation he would take
> the CyberKnife approach. Says it is very highly accurate and has
> virtually no side-effects.
>
> Anyone have experiences with CyberKnife treatment?

I am one of the very few here that has cyberknife equivalent (Elekta
Synergy S) and high-dose too. I enrolled in a treatment study and so
far so good. The only SE is grade 1 rectal bleeding (ocasional and
persistent (6 months, and still have occasional blood stripped stool).
No problem with urinary or erection. PSA slowly going in a downward
trend, and I did not use any hormone treatment.

Re: Opinions re: CyberKnife

On Aug 24, 3:01 pm, Sy <stuttga...@lycos . com > wrote:
> Just had a consultation with my Urologist.
>
> PSA was 3.7 a month ago and had been increasing the last 2 years from
> 1.8-2.7.
>
> DRE showed nothing . Had trans-rectal ultrasound with biopsies taken.
> Detected Prostate Cancer. Have Gleason of 6 and TNM of T1c.
>
> Dr. explained various approaches, rad. prostactectomy (no way!),
> hormonal, radioactive seeding, radiation treatment and CyberKnife. He
> is a surgeon by trade but says if he were in my situation he would take
> the CyberKnife approach. Says it is very highly accurate and has
> virtually no side-effects.
>
> Anyone have experiences with CyberKnife treatment?
>
> Thanks in advance.
>
> Sy

Listen, read and consider all of this information. These guys have
been the most helpful resource to me over the past several months.

Re: Opinions re: CyberKnife

"El Woody" <beckett@gkbaum . com > wrote in message
news:1188215317.982484.177280@r34g2000hsd.googlegroups . com ...


>
> Listen, read and consider all of this information. These guys have
> been the most helpful resource to me over the past several months.
>

Buenos dias, Sr. Woody.

When last you checked in, as I recall, you had yet to select a treatment or
treatment date. Have you yet? Or are you waiting to see if the Phillies
can make up those five games first.

--
PSA 16 10/17/2000 @ 46
Biopsy 11/01/2000 G7 (3+4), T2c
RRP 12/15/2000 G7 (3+4), T3cN0M0 Neg margins
PSA <.1 <.1 <.1 .27 .37 .75 PSAD 0.19 years
EBRT 05-07/2002 @ 47
PSA .34 .22 .15 .21 .32 PSAD .056 years
Lupron 07/03 (1 mo) 8/03 and every 4 months there after
PSA .07 .05 .06 .09 .08 .132 .145 PSAD 1.4 years
Casodex added daily 07/06
PSA <0.04, <0.05, <0.04 (06/12/2007)
Non Illegitimi Carborundum

Re: Opinions re: CyberKnife

Like you, my reaction to surgery was "no way". I had once had a
botched knee surgery that left me in pain for years and my
emotional reaction to another surgery was - never again would I
let someone put me to sleep and then cut me open, unless there
was no other choice. I opted for a combination therapy in a
clinical trial including ADT, high dose rate brachytherapy, and
external beam radiation.

So far, 3-1/2 years later, I'm satisfied with my treatment. That
might change if my PSA goes up. However I've learned a lot more
since then and I no longer have the same visceral reaction
against surgery that I had at the beginning. Unfortunately,
there are butchers in every field, radiation oncology as well as
surgery. So you could have a bad experience with any treatment
modality. There is also a certain element of luck in any
treatment. That too can lead to unfortunate results.

In my (in this case informed I think) opinion, the experience,
skill and commitment of the practitioner is every bit as
important as the specific treatment modality. I think I'd rather
have a very good surgeon than a mediocre radiation oncologist,
and vice versa for a good radiation oncologist and a mediocre
surgeon.

You've got some time. Your PSA and Gleason ratings are still in
the "low risk" category and may not become dangerous for as long
as several years (but heed Steve Jordan's advice about a second
opinion on the Gleason score.) This doesn't mean you shouldn't
get treatment because, at your age, it's very likely that the
cancer WILL become dangerous before you die of something else and
the chances of successful treatment are generally higher with
early treatment than late treatment. However you do have time to
research and think out the options.

I think you have two areas of research to pursue. One is to look
at treatment modalities - various types of surgery vs. various
types of radiation (of which Cyberknife is one) or possibly even
other alternatives like HIFU or cryosurgery. The other area of
research is to find the best practitioners available to you.

I would look for a doctor that specializes in treating prostate
cancer (not a urologist whose specialty is female incontinence,
or a radiation oncologist whose specialty is brain cancer.) I
would want a guy who answers questions patiently, plausibly and
honestly, not one who gives glib answers like "None of my
patients develop incontinence", "My cure rate is 99%" or "Don't
worry about impotence, it won't happen".

Talk to doctors and nurses in your area if you can and find out
who they would send their fathers or husbands to. Make
appointments for consultations with the best people you can find.
Prepare a ton of written questions and bring your notebook with
you when you go to see them.

Best of luck.

Alan

Re: Opinions re: CyberKnife

I can't say a thing about cyberknife for PC but I had it done for something
entirely different. I had neurosurgery this spring and they used cyberknife.
You are welcome to email me about what I had done as it would be off topic
for this group.

I do know that cyberknife for PC is new. Real cutting edge technology (LOL)
there's no cyber or knife in cyberknife. It's about the same as looking for
the ham in hamburger.

I'll stand behind brachytherapy 100%. I know it works.
Bev


"Sy" <stuttgart6@lycos . com > wrote in message
news:240820071501413926%stuttgart6@lycos . com ...
>
> Just had a consultation with my Urologist.
>
> PSA was 3.7 a month ago and had been increasing the last 2 years from
> 1.8-2.7.
>
> DRE showed nothing . Had trans-rectal ultrasound with biopsies taken.
> Detected Prostate Cancer. Have Gleason of 6 and TNM of T1c.
>
> Dr. explained various approaches, rad. prostactectomy (no way!),
> hormonal, radioactive seeding, radiation treatment and CyberKnife. He
> is a surgeon by trade but says if he were in my situation he would take
> the CyberKnife approach. Says it is very highly accurate and has
> virtually no side-effects.
>
> Anyone have experiences with CyberKnife treatment?
>
> Thanks in advance.
>
> Sy