Hi SRabb3, and a warm welcome to the forum, though sorry to hear of your diagnosis, my friend stage 2 prostate cancer is almost 100% curable, your hormone therapy HT and radiotherapy RT are being done with the intent to cure you, I have been through HT and RT and if you would like any advice I would be happy to help, but please don't worry about life expectancy it's not relevant to your cancer.
Hi, I was diagnosed with Prostate cancer back in February/ March this year. I am taking Decapeptyl by injection every 3 months. My original PSA count was around 47. Since taking Decapeptyl my PSA is 0.4. I was due to have Radiotherapy last week but I know a few friends that have had Radiotherapy with results such as wearing nappies indefinitely and catheters. On going to hospital on Wednesday last week, I broke down and it was decided to cancel my 30 appointments and see my Oncologist. I am petrified of having Radiotherapy and have been told by my Consultant (a personal friend) I could stay on Decapeptyl indefinitely instead of having Radiotherapy. While I understand Decapeptyl is not a cure, I feel safer and more in control of my emotions. I handle the hot flushes and also have no pain and since last Wednesday sleep through the night. Can you offer any advice? I really don't want to go down the Radiotherapy road, it really petrified me. Thank you ??
Hi Pete, and welcome, if your consultant friend has said you can stay on Decapeptyl indefinitely and your PSA is already down well over 99% you could consider stopping on it as long as your PSA stays low, regular3 monthly blood tests will be needed to monitor it for any rise, Pete I am not an expert, but I know people who's cancer has been kept in check years by hormone therapy HT injections and when the first one stops working there are 2nd generation HT treatments to take over, but HT wont last forever and you will have to think of a more effective treatment that is going to get rid of the cancer, I had radiotherapy RT, 73 gy about the largest amount you can have with minimal side effects but with good results, and though most people I know who had RT got through side effects well, a few didn't, there is a new RT treatment up to 6 sessions only using much more accurate equipment which has dramatically reduced side effects but is just as effective as the more usual 20 or 37 sessions it's called SBRT, though not yet available at all cancer hospitals if you talked to your consultant and thought it an option, you could be referred to a hospital that does SBRT should yours not, my best wishes with your HT, I hope it remains effective for many years.
