My Last Radiation Therapy Treatment

17th June 2022 prostate cancer Journal Update

On Tuesday 14th June I undertook my last SBRT radiation therapy treatment, hopefully my last one ever.?I have to say that the weekend leading up to my last treatment was very uncomfortable as the impact of my previous treatments stated to accumulate. As previously mentioned, I made two very good friends, Ural and Nurofen.?My advice to anyone undertaking radiation therapy of the prostate: don’t be a hero and take some pain killers and use Ural when necessary. You might be inclined to drink less water than normal because of the mild discomfort you have but believe me when I say it is better for you to keep topped up. Drink plenty of water, steer clear of caffeine and alcohol.

It was the Queen’s birthday long weekend before my final treatment, and I took the time to reflect on how lucky I have been to pick this diagnosis up early and have all options for treatment open to me. Many men don’t get checked until it is too late, and I often think of my late brother Seamus who we lost to this terrible disease. As I have said many times: Get your bits checked!

My last treatment was in the afternoon and the Royal Adelaide Hospital was very busy. Each radiation therapy suite was being used and there were plenty of patients moving through their treatments. I ran into a young indigenous man who was waiting for his treatment, and we had a chat. He was from northern South Australia, and I asked him whether he found the whole process of coming to the city and facing treatment a bit over whelming. He said ‘mate I was scared shitless at first, but had got used to it and everyone had been very good to him, but I am still scared shitless’. He wandered off after his treatment to the nurse station for a follow up consult.?I wished him well and pondered that cancer does not discriminate! Rich, poor, tall, short, man, woman, any colour any gender and any sexual preference: we are all on the same playing field. It has been quite a humbling experience.

The Radiation Therapists as usual were very friendly and welcomed me like an old friend. They were excited for me that it was my last treatment. The skilled technicians and nursing staff could not have been more helpful.

All my prep was right, a quick ultrasound to double check, up onto the machine and a very thorough check and line up of my tattoos and 15 minutes later I was fully cooked and ready to serve!

What is next?

Cancer cells take some time to die after SBRT radiation treatment. ?It theoretically could take up to 18 months for the tumor to shrink in what is called ‘mitotic’ death (of the tumor). This mitotic death occurs when the cell attempts to divide. If the cell can’t divide it will die (this is good), if it divides then the tumor grows (this is bad). So, I will have some follow up consults and scans in a couple of months and then again sometime after that to satisfy my Radiation Oncologist that the SBRT has worked with some intermittent follow up scanning and PSA blood tests for a period into the future.

In the short term I am likely to experience some discomfort mainly in the nether regions, but with some pain killers and this should last no more than 6 weeks. I am 3 days after my last treatment, and I am feeling a bit fatigued and have mild symptoms that are only bad when I think about it and go to the bathroom. But I am comforted by the fact that many, many men have run this race before me and come out well the other side.

Over the last week I have spoken to two men that had their prostate removed over 10 years ago. The chances of Cancer coming back after surgery is quite low but, in both cases, both guys have had it return. The good thing is that they now have the option of radiation therapy and with the aid of PET scans their doctors can be specific about where the hot spots are.

Cross your fingers for them and for me as it is my hope that this treatment will be deemed successful and I won’t need to concern myself (or you the reader) again in the future.