I had 37 treatments , but it missed the cancer

@rogerembry4777 not good!

It can be difficult to do a prostatectomy but it is sometimes possible

Sir what are the life changing side effects. Please inform me.

@@markbrown5117. No reply yet is there.

@@markbrown5117 the bad one is proctitis.

Couldn't agree more.... in the spring of 2023 I came within 18 hours of chemical castration (aka ADT, which they euphemistically like to call "hormone therapy") which is typically done in conjunction with external beam radiation. Neither my urologist nor my radiation oncologist ever suggested that avoiding chemical castration via brachytherapy might be an option. Via lots of research, I cancelled the hormone shot and now am scheduled for HDR brachytherapy. Luckily for me, my caner is small enough and localized enough that this has a good chance of being a successful monotherapy. For those out there who have been told they need external beam radiation with hormone suppression, I urge you to investigate the long term effects of chemical castration..... from what I can tell, you will never be the same. Logically, brachytherapy (either low dose permanent seeds which deliver a higher dose in the long run, or high dose which is a quick but very strong 2-session exposure) makes a lot of sense as it delivers radiation most directly to the location of the cancer. There are also side effects to brachytherapy, of course. These include urinary problems (relatively short term) but these side effects PALE in comparison to chemical castration. PLEASE do your own research and do NOT just accept what the first doc says. A doctor is very likely to recommend the thing that they are specialized in, be it surgery, external beam radiation with chemical castration, or brachytherapy. This is not like being treated for a broken leg where the solution is a no-brainer.... YOU MUST DO YOUR OWN RESEARCH.

Hormone therapy for my prostate cancer was not fun, but was not as horrible as you suggest. I started it very shortly after learning of my Gleason 3+4=7 prostate cancer. On its own, it lowered my PSA from 10.1 to 2.0 before my 45 radiation treatments even started. Yes it gave me multiple hot flashes every day and night, significantly reduced libido, and caused hair-trigger emotions (especially sadness). I got a second 4-month shot shortly before my treatments ended. My PSA is now at a “cancer undetectable” level. The hormone therapy weakened the cancer cells and the radiation killed it (hopefully, all of it). At my urology appointment to get a third hormone therapy shot, I begged to stop. The hot flashes were ruining my sleep and creating embarrassing work situations. I also wanted to avoid further sexual limitations after finding out radiation treatment stops ejaculation (just like prostatectomy does). My urologist agreed and I have been off hormone therapy for about two months now. I was on it for 8 months. The hot flashes are starting to subside and every morning I can see evidence of my libido and sexual function coming back…..as I was told it would. ADT hormone therapy to me was a necessary evil. Prostatectomy wasn’t a great choice for me and neither was brachytherapy or focal therapy. It did the job it was designed to do and gave me the side effects I expected. Fortunately for me, those side effects appear to have been temporary.