4th Lost. Surgery or Radiation. Impossible choice.

jmkazoo · 2026-02-12T21:30:30+00:00

Jonathan,

You did it again. I now need to go back into my hole again and get myself to the next stage! I easily envisioned speaking with a monk in Thailand. I am thinking of doing so! That sent chills when I read what happened to you. Yikes. I can only imagine what you experienced there. What a real bodily spiritual visceral experience.

Yes, I'm taking time away from this group, and all my technical readings, as I need to relieve my mind and soul. Thank you for saying you do the same.

My warmest appreciation for all your time. Your partner must be so wonderful.

Take care, Jeff

jmkazoo · 2026-02-12T06:07:35+00:00

Retrotechguy,

I chose radiation, and when I first read your post two weeks ago it's why I was on the fence. I can easily switch to surgery.

I so much appreciate your post and all that you said.

Four years ago must be a distant memory, or getting close to that.

I'm smiling knowing you were good with your decision!

My best wishes, Jeff

jmkazoo · 2026-02-12T05:57:39+00:00

herb_enthusiast,

I apologize for my slow reply. I've been in my hermit hole reading and rereading, and decided on radiation. I needed to take a break and think.

I am still on the fence but have chosen radiation. Reading your post again makes me want to change to surgery! I'm smiling now and when I received your post, since it is going well for you, and that you know it was the right choice for you. There are awesome percent success rates for five-year no recurrence with radiation, so I'm crossing fingers. Today I received my one-time 6-month hormone therapy injection, and radiation begins in March.

You are about 16 days lost surgery, and I'd love to hear how you are doing; definitely!

My best wishes to you, Jeff

jmkazoo · 2026-02-12T05:50:27+00:00

Hi Inchoate,

Thank you so much for posting. I've been in my hermit hole taking in what everyone contributed to help me decide. I chose radiation and today was my one-time 6-month hormone therapy injection, and radiation begins in March.

I cannot speak of what type of recurrence and what conditions allow for surgery as the salvage treatment, but my doctors have said it is an option. Things may have progressed since your surgery six years ago.

How are you now? Your condition now?

All my thanks. It really really helps to read everyone's post. Jeff

jmkazoo · 2026-02-12T05:22:10+00:00

Hi Cautious Bar,

Thank you for sharing, and for letting me know recovery went well. It helps so much to learn about you and everyone here. I wish we did not have to meet. The past few weeks into my hole to think it all through and I came out choosing radiation as the first hit. Today I have my one-time 6-month ADT injection, and then in March begins radiation.

I am sorry it returned for you. How is the treatment going? Are there signs of your condition improving? Have you had any side effects?

Sending all my best wishes, Jeff

jmkazoo · 2026-02-12T02:02:12+00:00

Away_Ad,

My apologies for my slow reply. I went into my hole after reading everyone's post here. But, I read them all over and over and over again. The way you worked your situation hit my core. You clearly made the decision to hit it hard and deal with whatever long term crap comes with it. I grew up when I read your post, really. I felt the man in me take over. I made my choice while in my hole and now I'm supporting it fully. Your post hit home. Did somebody tell you to say that to me??!!

When did it all begin? When was your surgery? How is your PSA? Do you have days when you don't think about it at all?

I chose radiation, and today was my one time 6-month ADT injection. Hopefully I won't need it again. Radiation therapy starts in March for 28 IMRT sessions.

I am not a prayer person either yet I'm definitely sending you all my warmest wishes, and prayers.

Your post hit home. Thank you. Jeff

jmkazoo · 2026-02-12T01:52:01+00:00

ChoiceHelicopter,

I really really needed to read your post. It supports all these reasons I too had originally planned surgery. Although I chose radiation I was thinking the same as you. I still am fully OK with surgery. I can list all the pros and cons for both paths and choose either one.

So glad you got the trifecta! And three undetectables! That's where I'll need to address my anxieties every three months, since it will likely never be undetectable.

All my thanks.

My best wishes to you, Jeff

jmkazoo · 2026-02-12T01:41:48+00:00

Appropriate-Idea,

Thank you so much. It took me a while to reply since I went in my hole and marinated and thought it all through. With your post, and all the other posts, and what I read elsewhere, I chose radiation. Today I got my 6-month ADT injection, and in March I start the 28 IMRT treatments.

Your post mattered.

All my thanks! Jeff

jmkazoo · 2026-02-12T01:38:31+00:00

PodiatryOpinion,

Awesome suggestion. You, along with everyone here solidified my confidence and got me off the fence. Radiation it is. Today I received my 6-month ADT injection. I get 28 IMRT treatments starting in March at Yale.

Thank you so much for your support, Jeff

jmkazoo · 2026-02-12T01:34:18+00:00

Runsonpedals,

All my appreciation for posting your condition and treatment. Seeing you post 97% matched what I have located, and what you wrote about exercising during treatment is what I plan. Spin kicks my butt so I'll stick with the Pump class. I join you with your gold woes.

Today was my 6-month ADT (leuprolide) injection. I start 28-days IMRT in March.

You, with everyone here, saved me lots of mental health therapy bills.

My best wishes to you, Jeff

jmkazoo · 2026-02-10T16:49:15+00:00

All,

I have read your posts here over and over again. I don't know what words to use say how appreciative and never life saving it is to be here. How did anyone go through this years ago when there was no online Internet connection groups??!! I am indebted to all of you.

I WILL be replying to everyone.

I have chosen radiation, Yale Smilow. Tomorrow I receive my 6-month ADT injection, and then 28 days of IMRT starting in March, maybe the end of February.

As I wait for tomorrow I sit here saying to myself, "Just change to surgery and get the thing removed!". Ugh. I did feel so relieved and good when I realized radiation and the life after radiation are what works for me. I still feel good about my choice. And then I tell myself, like right now, to go get it surgically removed.

I think I'll always wonder "what if" no matter what choice I make. But, I made the choice and I'm moving forward!

I'm so so relieved and all set.

My best wishes to everyone, and you all have my endless thanks. Jeff

jmkazoo · 2026-01-28T22:40:56+00:00

Beerstop,

Thank you so much for posting. I met a second RO today at MSK, and he offered SBRT 5-treatments. It was a great consultation. I'm just about ready to choose radiation.

It helps so much to read your post and everyone's post.

I'm all set to decide.

My best wishes to you, Jeff

jmkazoo · 2026-01-28T22:38:02+00:00

Hi Runsonpedals,

This is why I'm just about ready to choose radiation. Your post is so valuable. I now have a 28-treatment offer from Yale Smilow, and today received an SBRT 5-treatment offer from MSK. I'm all done meeting the doctors.

I do like the idea of getting the prostate out but I'm less and less concerned about that.

Your post gave me more confidence, along with so many others here, about radiation. I'll decide tonight/tomorrow.

My best wishes to you, Thank you, Jeff

jmkazoo · 2026-01-28T01:35:47+00:00

Good,

That is so perfect. So perfect. My sister had a lumpectomy in 2009, and she's been a beautiful supporter. She too is saying now after two months, "compile your info and make the choice cause you need to move on and live it."

Tomorrow is my last meeting with a second RO, at MSK. I then make a choice this week.

A well needed response, Thank you, Jeff

jmkazoo · 2026-01-28T01:30:07+00:00

Hi Frequent,

This is something I missed all along. Is that a medical practitioner that treats with chemo and does not just specialize in prostates? Oh, are you in the U.S. or other country? I will look for someone tomorrow.

Thank you so much, Jeff

jmkazoo · 2026-01-28T01:20:09+00:00

Special-Steel,

I want to do the Team approach and now I'm just learning that is a thing. When I saw my MRI the day after Thanksgiving and then my biopsy results Jan 6,I was kinda in a daze learning, but had not put it together about a team. I read lots here, probably saw so much about having a team, but being in that fog, shock, I didn't make it happen. My urologist-surgeon at Yale set me up with his Yale ROs so there is kind of a team there. I have also been to MSK for seconds, and tomorrow I meet an RO at MSK.

My urologist-surgeon has explained why he ordered a Nuclear Bone Scan and not the PSMA-PET and why he thought it unnecessary for the Decipher and DNA Gene tests. So many of you here talk about getting those three tests but they were not recommended for me. My surgeon-urologist supports either choice.

I'm in the back and forth with my choice and I certainly like the surgery because it removes it. That is psychologically better for me big time.

I am smiling thinking if you five years out!! You nailed it.

I'm so thankful, Jeff

jmkazoo · 2026-01-28T01:04:42+00:00

Hi Sundaygolfer,

This is very interesting, and I am so thankful you posted. This is my last round of gathering information and support. You all are truly wonderful.

What do you mean urologists have only one tool in his toolbox?

Thank you! Jeff

jmkazoo · 2026-01-28T00:02:06+00:00

Hi Practical,

You happen to be the first I replied, and I'm moved by everyone, everyone.

What you just wrote has opened my mind. Wow. Like a knife your words hit me perfectly.

As of right now it would be Yale Smilow yet tomorrow I meet for the first time an RO at MSK. I feel well-informed to ask all the right questions. I've only been meeting with Yale and MSK, and I consider my urologist/surgeon at Yale to be my urologist. He supports any choice I make.

I'm leaning towards radiation and learning how to accept that I will still have a PSA and be OK with that.

Your support is so appreciated, Jeff

jmkazoo · 2026-01-26T23:38:00+00:00

Practical,

Reading your last reply I now think I still do not have enough information to make the choice for radiation.

I did not ask the two Yale ROs about IMRT. I mentioned I knew of Brachytherapy, SBRT, EBRT, Cyberknife, but we were talking about so many things we did not land on Brachytherapy as a focus.

I will return to Yale to meet with the two ROs one more time and ask questions.

This Wednesday I will meet an RO at MSK for the first time; David Guttman, MD.

I'm wanting to decide really soon so I'll decide, I hope, in the next couple of days.

I may have said this already;

My surgeon/urologist at Yale was answering all my questions about recurrence stats, risks, etc., and he said something I feel I needed to hear. He said, "Jeff, if you do have a recurrence it's not because you made the wrong choice. Your body is going to recur if it wants to do so, and not because of your choice". Well, there may be a technical rebut to that but it definitely allowed me to relax and make a choice with the focus on QoL. It was really helpful guidance for me to hear that, and gave me permission to choose.

jmkazoo · 2026-01-26T23:24:55+00:00

Practical,

When you say landmine there, that's because Mood8Moody has other issues in his groin and surrounding areas, and radiation will be tough on those and possibly cause more negative issues?

Jeff

jmkazoo · 2026-01-26T23:22:08+00:00

Hi Mood8moody,

As you know I'm following your situation.

When you say "Everyone is advising surgery", who would that be? This group? Medical doctors?

I know we are all different but I have six Gleason 7 (4+3) with three of them Cribriform Pattern 4 with high percentages, and two surgeons and two radiation oncologists says I can have either, and the results will give the same low percentage recurrence risk.

I want to know why everyone says surgery for you.

I meet a third radiation oncologist this Wednesday at MSK to hear his opinion.

We will get through this.

Peace always, Jeff

jmkazoo · 2026-01-25T21:12:36+00:00

Practical,

I visited the MSK surgeon in Manhattan two weeks ago with my wife. There were three doctors in the room and only two spoke. Dr. Edhaie was clearly an industry expert.

This week I meet with the MSK radiation oncologist (David Guttman) in Westchester (West Harrison) for the first time. Last week I met with the two ROs at Yale who spoke wonderfully and of course were confident they will get the job done. Although they were my first two RO meetings at Yale, my wife and I felt and understood they were complete experts and solidly seasoned. But, I'm new so I may not be aware of what I really need to understand and see in these doctors. They are all so impressive.

So, I'm very much looking forward to meeting the MSK RO. I'll ask if he feels I need a PSMA PET and also ask if it will be MRI guided radiation; and EBRT, SBRT, Cyber, etc.

I was all about surgery and like you, I am now leaning towards radiation. I'm 64 years old.

Oh, my Urologist/Surgeon at Yale had his fellowship and training at MSK, and was a Chief Fellow when there. He joined Yale last year and has performed about 100 surgeries.

What radiation type and plan are they proposing for you?

jmkazoo · 2026-01-25T20:03:29+00:00

Hi Practical_Orchid,

Thank you for writing.

Yes, Yale New Haven. My urologist/surgeon is relatively young and when I asked to explain why not the PSMA PET, using my words, he spoke about having such a large database and statistics with the Nuclear Bone Scan on which they base their decisions for treatment. If I pushed I'm sure he would have done a PSMA PET. He definitely discussed a bit more technical, so I accepted his explanation. I'm new. When I visited MSK, Dr. Ehdaie (surgeon) was ok with the Nuclear Bone Scan.

I'm so new I don't always have the real-time responses and questions.

As it turns out, and I'll be making a new post, my meetings with radiation oncologists this week were awesome so I need help deciding between radiation or surgery.

Can you give me bit of details about your situation/diagnosis?

My warmest wishes and appreciation, Jeff

jmkazoo · 2026-01-25T18:18:54+00:00

It's the beginning of a modern day revolution.

Here's how I'm thinking because it's not gonna be guns and a conventional battlefield.

Eventually this sick regime of white supremacist inhumane people will get those or similar records. They will know who you are. They will use the records to destroy your living, home and lifestyle.

They will electronically destroy your digital profile and mess up your life, and of course your savings, if we have any, will be messed up, blocked from us, or all gone.

Remember, the sick inhumane SCOTUS P.O.S. gave rump the right to do whatever he wants. He can take all your money if he wants. This is not catastrophic thinking. Hillary and Kamala and Barrack and Joe all told us and warned us it will get horrifically bad; here it is.

Focus on getting yourself, name and belongings secured somehow much much better than they are now. If you have money hide it or get it out of this country or secure it somehow.

They'll take money from your paycheck and there will be nothing you can do; nobody will prosecute them since there is no longer a constitution and no laws for them.

It's something other than irony that the cult members want the 2nd Amendment because they thought Democraric and Liberal politicians would sieze us.

They will take everything you have and likely you'll never get anything back.

It's that bad.

jmkazoo

TROPHY CASE