Do Seeds Have Less Harmful Side-Effects Than Prostectomy?

Is it true that Theraseed radiation implants cure PC with less harmful side-effects than radical prostectomy?My insurance covers surgery or seeds.It's hard to decide which.

Thanks to Joe on here for the info on Da Vinci surgery which I'll look into. HIFU sounds great but I don't think I can get it (too expensive).

 I met a guy who had the theraseeds and he's happy, his PSA is now below 2. I read Theraseed Co's literature claiming they produce far less of these negative consequenses, but after evaluating me as a candidate for the seeds the seed implant surgeon recommended prostectomy. He added that the company claimed lesser side-effects because they're selling a product, basically recommending another surgeon's procedure over his own. He said radical prostectomy & seed implants both have equal risk of negative side-effects like incontinence or impotence. There seems to be a lot of conflicting info.

I was diagnosed w/ prostate cancer over a year ago w/ psa = 7 and gleason = 6. Age 56. My doctor recommended removal but advised me to check out the other various treatments. After much confusion 2 urologists, a nurse, my mother, a friend who had prostectomy + 45 radiation treatments, a psychiatrist AND the seed implant surgeon  himself ALL recommended prostectomy ! I'd rather not be incontinent or impotent but I'd take that any day over cancer & death.

Any advice greatly appreciated - goods

hi goods I look into the Da Vinci surgery they said I was to over weight to have the suragery and my insurance would pay for  the seeds or the HIFU  I tryed to get an RP bur  a uro  told me six months later after I had the biopsy  because I left it to long to get treatment I would have advanced prostate cancer by now. He was right my PSA was only a PSA of six but a bone scan found I had the start of prostate bone mets in my Ribs and my Lower back I ened up seeing a naterpath who advise me to go onto liquid celular Zeolte, ( 15 drips four  time a day) High dose of vitamin C,  Zinc, and no sugary foods or drink. A bone scan a year later found no prostate bone mets or any bone cancer what Im saying is for you its been  a year so be just be carfull please as it may not work.  to be sure have an MRI bone scan what ever. before you do any thing Im on hoistic alterative treatment and  Im now glade I went down this road my PSA went as high as 13.8 its now about 8 but I feel better then I felt in years I have more energy and I seem to think better any way take care Ray   

Thanks Ray, I'm glad you are feeling better.I have fatigue a lot now,& some pain stiffness in joints.

If your insurance covers HIFU, is that in USA?

What symptoms were you having?

Best Wishes,John

I don't know what Theraseeds are. There are Iodine 125 seeds and Paladium 105 seeds; these are the most commonly used. Is Theraseeds a brand name for these?

There is no question that seeds have the least side affects of all the treatment options.

In surgery you are incontinant for months and slowly get urinary funtions back. There are many patients still on pads after a year. Some incontenance is permanent. Surgery is a major operation and results in a couple of days of pain and discomfort and 2 to 4 days of hospitalization. You are at least out of work for a minimum of two weeks and the average is more like a month. ED is certain after surgery if nerves are spared and slowly erectial function returns taking up to 3 years with the help of mediations like Viagra. There are complications that can occur in any major surgery. You have to wear a cathether for at least a couple of weeks. Ejaculation of urine is common during sex. Your Penis will be about 1/2 inch shorter.

Seeds are a 45 min procedure with no pain. You can resume normal activities the next day. You are as potent as you were before the procedure, but my lose potency in 3 years. In 3 years the potenancy is the same between seeds and surgery with meds. There are no bowel issues with seeds as there might be with external beam radiation. There is some urinary frequency and urgency for anywhere from 4 weeks to 12 weeks with seeds. This is not uncomfortable and can be controlled with FlowMax, Incontenance is rare.

The cure rate for a Gleason 6 is the same with surgery, seeds, HUIF, or external radiation.

Seeds can only be used for a prostate that is under 60mm.

I had the seed procedure 3 months ago. There was no pain, only frequency and urgency for about 4 weeks that didn't affect anything I wanted to do. Other than that no side affects. I was golfing the next day.

The above are averages for both procedures. In certain cases better or worse side affects may occur. In either case the doctor doing the procedure must have the experience of at least 500 procedures, 1,000 is better,

Johnt

John my wife just said our insurance dos not cover HIFU or the seeds, I use to have like you have now " fatigue a lot now,& some pain stiffness in joints." I feel that the cancer causes some sort of an imbalance in our body, one of my treatments is the budwig diet, Ive been on the budwig diet for a while now, 11 months, it take time but I know Im get ing better, I even think more clearer, I have more energy, I remember back, I was on the budwig diet for just 4 weeks, it had nearly no efect, but I stuck with it, I know now it helping, I feel my body repairing  it self, I look back now and I can see how ill, I realy, once, was. I still think when we have cancer, the whole body sick, not just one or two parts of it, take care and God bless Ray   

http://www.cancertutor.com/Cancer/Budwig.html

The only treatment with a better than zero chance of having side effects is HIFU.

There are in clinical trials ~ FREE ~ have you phoned to look into them?  maybe one is near you??

Call 888-874-4384 for Sonablate trials (the best)

Call 866-650-4466 for Ablatherm trials

I went to Mexico, It's the best money I ever spent.

They're Palladium based radioactive seeds.

Thanks for the encouraging info - John

On 8/19/2009 ohnoo wrote:

The only treatment with a better than zero chance of having side effects is HIFU.

There are in clinical trials ~ FREE ~ have you phoned to look into them?  maybe one is near you??

Call 888-874-4384 for Sonablate trials (the best)

Call 866-650-4466 for Ablatherm trials

I went to Mexico, It's the best money I ever spent.

 

Thanks I called both numbers.The Sonablate trials are full at the moment for HIFU they need more Brachytherapy participants for comparison. The Ablatherm (testing HIFU in Milwaukee) began screening me on the phone, but said I'm not eligable as my biopsy was over 6 months ago. If I have another biopsy I could continue with the screening process.

If continue watchful waiting they say I can check periodically to see if they start needing HIFU subjects for the Sonablate. A good plan is for me to enquire further about the Sonablate trial requirements as I don't want another biopsy.

Thanks for the info - goods

We the success that I have had with Brachytherapy(seed implants) with Iodine 125 on November 29, 2007 I highly recommend it.  Of course, everyone is different.  I was 68 at the time with a PSA of 4.39 and Gleason score of 3+4=7 and a stage T1c so I opted for that.  Someone as young as you are it would be a hard decision to make.  I figured at my age it was best for me.  I have a nephew that was in his early 50s and opted for the surgery.  He felt he wanted to make sure he got it out.  

I have had very little side effects after the procedure.  Nothing that was long lasting. 

Good Luck,

We just got home from the University of Florida Proton Therapy Institute.  My husband was diagnosed in June and had a friend whose father had the proton treatment and was sold on it.  We went down for his consultation visit and I can not tell you how impressed I was with the facility and the procedure.  Our insurance will pay for the treatment but we live in VA so will have to stay for 2 months in Florida for the treatment.  I was not convinced this was the best treatment until after we had the tour and learned about the precision of the protons as opposed to radiation with x-rays.  The protons don't release their energy until they reach the prostate so there is not as much collateral damage.  I haven't seen much on here about the protons and my husband hadn't had the treatment yet, but we talked to a lot of people who had success with this treatment.  Good luck with whatever you choose.

-Anne