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I had a consultation today to discuss a possible combination therapy in Leeds. We're considering a single-dose of HDR, followed by 15 low dose IMRT sessions. I forgot to ask about ED risks, but it seems like incontinence and bowel problems are rare.
Does anyone know of any ED rates with this rather new approach?
Also, with regard to the thread on ADT as a monotherapy, I did not intend to be bad-mannered to fellow posters - if it was interpreted like that I apologise profusely. FWIW, the consultant felt that hormone therapy alone in a man of my age was likely to lead to the elimination of the less-aggressive cells, but over time, the cancerous cells which remain are likely to become more aggressive, so therefore he didn't recommend it in my case.
It sounds like good advice and I'll take it.
I have a further meeting with Mark Emberton planned in January to discuss full-gland HIFU (and the ED rates for that) and then will finally make up my mind after that!
There was tremendous support for this procedure - which is brachytherapy and EBRT - on one Forum, which has now closed, so I am not aware of what, if any changes they may have made to their equipment or protocols.
They claimed very low side effects - and certainly took a good deal of care in collecting data. I am not sure if this has been published, but I'm sure they'll tell you if it has.
The men who went to Atlanta for the treatment were pretty unanimous in their praise.
Terry,
It looks as if the single-dose treatment of HDR followed up with IMRT 'lite' is still fairly new, but I'm hoping that it may offer a good 'belt and braces' approach without putting too much strain on the gentlemen's private areas - maybe not the best metaphor.
