Re: cost of brachy vs surgery

[Guest guest]

Thanks Laurel,

I have attended several brachytherapy conferences. I have

attended and videotaped the procedure a couple of times.

The procedure may take no more than 45 minutes to accomplish.

Of course, there is a considerable amount of time required to

stage and plan the procedure. When I had my radical prostatectomy,

the doctor used 6 units of blood, and the operation took five hours.

More experienced doctors can now do the operation in less than

three hours. I was in the hospital for 7 days. Today, many are out

in less than three days, or even less if done by robotic. Many

are able to do the procedure with less than one unit of blood. No

blood transfusion is required for brachytherapy.

After 15 years, I still have an incontinent problem. There is little

or no incontinence with brachytherapy.

The brachytherapy may require an overnight stay at the hospital,

but some are able to leave the same day.

For several years women who were diagnosed with breast

cancer had a radical mastectomy or removal of the whole

breast. Now most of them have a lumpectomy. I believe

that brachytherapy is similar to the lumpectomy in many respects.

I wish you all the bestAubrey Pilgrim, DC (Ret.) Author ofA Revolutionary Approach to Prostate Cancer-Read the original book for FREE at: http://www.prostatepointers.org/prostate/lay/apilgrim/Read new edition for FREE at http://www.cancer.prostate-help.org/capilgr.htmDr. E. Crawford is co-author of the revision

This is one paragraph of an article I found on Medscape Today. Don't know how accurate it is?LaurelMerrick and colleagues[7] found that results of prostate brachytherapy for low-risk patients were comparable to the most positive outcomes for RP and external-beam radiotherapy. In intermediate- and high-risk patients, more durable biochemical outcomes were achieved when treatment was done with brachytherapy alone, or in combination with external-beam radiotherapy. In addition, their findings showed that serious complications were relatively rare, and that total cost of prostate brachytherapy was approximately 20% less than costs for prostatectomy and external beam RT

See what's new at AOL.com and Make AOL Your Homepage.

[Guest guest]

Hi All,

One other very important cost of prostate cancer therapy,

is the cost of the hospital operating room and the stay in

they hospital. Brachytherapy may avoid most of these

costs.

Aubrey

This is one paragraph of an article I found on Medscape Today. Don't know how accurate it is?LaurelMerrick and colleagues[7] found that results of prostate brachytherapy for low-risk patients were comparable to the most positive outcomes for RP and external-beam radiotherapy. In intermediate- and high-risk patients, more durable biochemical outcomes were achieved when treatment was done with brachytherapy alone, or in combination with external-beam radiotherapy. In addition, their findings showed that serious complications were relatively rare, and that total cost of prostate brachytherapy was approximately 20% less than costs for prostatectomy and external beam RT

See what's new at AOL.com and Make AOL Your Homepage.

[Guest guest]

Do you have a link to this article?

Kathy

From: ProstateCancerSupport [mailto:ProstateCancerSupport ] On Behalf Of yellow_laurel

Sent: Saturday, November 17, 2007

11:27 PM

To: ProstateCancerSupport

Subject:

cost of brachy vs surgery

This is one paragraph of an article I found on

Medscape Today. Don't

know how accurate it is?

Laurel

Merrick and colleagues[7] found that results of prostate brachytherapy

for low-risk patients were comparable to the most positive outcomes for

RP and external-beam radiotherapy. In intermediate- and high-risk

patients, more durable biochemical outcomes were achieved when

treatment was done with brachytherapy alone, or in combination with

external-beam radiotherapy. In addition, their findings showed that

serious complications were relatively rare, and that total cost of

prostate brachytherapy was approximately 20% less than costs for

prostatectomy and external beam RT

[Guest guest]

Thanks Bob,

I just wish I had been able to have seeds in 1992.

But what's done is done. There are some on this list

and others, who are thoroughly convinced that surgery

is the only way to go. I have been castigated for posting

about other alternatives. All I have ever wanted to do

was to inform others that there is more than one way to

treat prostate cancer. (I was going to say, more than one

way to skin a cat, but that might not sound very professional.)

I was thinking along the same lines. My brachytherapy was done in a hospital operating room, but it was an outpatient procedure.. two hours pre-op, then the procedure itself took less than an hour, then I spent another hour recovering. Then I went home. No overnight stay, no hospital room. Assuming pre and post procedure appointments are similar for brachytherapy and surgery, then the biggest difference would be for in-hospital charges.Of course medical charges are sometimes so bizarre that nothing would surprise me..Bobinnv

I wish you all the bestAubrey Pilgrim, DC (Ret.) Author ofA Revolutionary Approach to Prostate Cancer-Read the original book for FREE at: http://www.prostatepointers.org/prostate/lay/apilgrim/Read new edition for FREE at http://www.cancer.prostate-help.org/capilgr.htmDr. E. Crawford is co-author of the revision

See what's new at AOL.com and Make AOL Your Homepage.

[Guest guest]

Hi Louis,

Again, only a small percentage of men who have brachytherapy

need to have their prostates reduced by Lupron or Zoladex.

However, even with the $3000 you claim, brachytherapy would

probably still be less expensive without the hospital stay and

other hospital charges.

Aubrey

If Lupron shots are needed before brachytherapy can be performed, that adds some $3000 to the cost.

Louis. . .

See what's new at AOL.com and Make AOL Your Homepage.

[Guest guest]

I was thinking along the same lines. My brachytherapy was done in a

hospital operating room, but it was an outpatient procedure.. two

hours pre-op, then the procedure itself took less than an hour, then I

spent another hour recovering. Then I went home. No overnight stay, no

hospital room. Assuming pre and post procedure appointments are

similar for brachytherapy and surgery, then the biggest difference

would be for in-hospital charges.

Of course medical charges are sometimes so bizarre that nothing would

surprise me..

Bobinnv

> Hi All,

>

> One other very important cost of prostate cancer therapy,

> is the cost of the hospital operating room and the stay in

> they hospital. Brachytherapy may avoid most of these

> costs.

>

> Aubrey

>

> In a message dated 11/17/2007 8:27:13 P.M. Pacific Standard Time,

LaurelFace@...

> writes:

> This is one paragraph of an article I found on Medscape Today. Don't

> know how accurate it is?

>

> Laurel

>

> Merrick and colleagues[7] found that results of prostate brachytherapy

> for low-risk patients were comparable to the most positive outcomes

> for

> RP and external-beam radiotherapy. In intermediate- and high-risk

> patients, more durable biochemical outcomes were achieved when

> treatment was done with brachytherapy alone, or in combination with

> external-beam radiotherapy. In addition, their findings showed that

> serious complications were relatively rare, and that total cost of

> prostate brachytherapy was approximately 20% less than costs for

> prostatectomy and external beam RT

>

>

>

> See what's new at AOL.com and Make AOL Your Homepage.

>

[Guest guest]

If Lupron shots are needed before brachytherapy can be performed, that adds some $3000 to the cost.

Louis. . .

Re: cost of brachy vs surgery

I was thinking along the same lines. My brachytherapy was done in a hospital operating room, but it was an outpatient procedure.. two hours pre-op, then the procedure itself took less than an hour, then I spent another hour recovering. Then I went home. No overnight stay, no hospital room. Assuming pre and post procedure appointments are similar for brachytherapy and surgery, then the biggest difference would be for in-hospital charges.Of course medical charges are sometimes so bizarre that nothing would surprise me..BobinnvOn Nov 18, 2007, at 10:01 AM, APilgrmaol (DOT) com wrote:> Hi All,>> One other very important cost of prostate cancer therapy,> is the cost of the hospital operating room and the stay in> they hospital. Brachytherapy may avoid most of

these> costs.>> Aubrey>> In a message dated 11/17/2007 8:27:13 P.M. Pacific Standard Time, LaurelFaceaol (DOT) com > writes:> This is one paragraph of an article I found on Medscape Today. Don't> know how accurate it is?>> Laurel>> Merrick and colleagues[7] found that results of prostate brachytherapy> for low-risk patients were comparable to the most positive outcomes > for> RP and external-beam radiotherapy. In intermediate- and high-risk> patients, more durable biochemical outcomes were achieved when> treatment was done with brachytherapy alone, or in combination with> external-beam radiotherapy. In addition, their findings showed that> serious complications were relatively rare, and that total cost of> prostate

brachytherapy was approximately 20% less than costs for> prostatectomy and external beam RT>>>> See what's new at AOL.com and Make AOL Your Homepage.>

[Guest guest]

I was in the hospital for just one night. No blood replacement was needed. My surgery was done the old-fashioned perineal access method. I am 98 to 99 percent continent, and sexual function is slowly returning. Mine was one Don on Spet. 13, 2007. My past history of ulcerative colitis, plus the dread of the pre-seeding Lupron shot side effects quickly caused me to go with surgery.

Louis. . .

Re: cost of brachy vs surgery

Thanks Laurel,

I have attended several brachytherapy conferences. I have

attended and videotaped the procedure a couple of times.

The procedure may take no more than 45 minutes to accomplish.

Of course, there is a considerable amount of time required to

stage and plan the procedure. When I had my radical prostatectomy,

the doctor used 6 units of blood, and the operation took five hours.

More experienced doctors can now do the operation in less than

three hours. I was in the hospital for 7 days. Today, many are out

in less than three days, or even less if done by robotic. Many

are able to do the procedure with less than one unit of blood. No

blood transfusion is required for brachytherapy.

After 15 years, I still have an incontinent problem. There is little

or no incontinence with brachytherapy.

The brachytherapy may require an overnight stay at the hospital,

but some are able to leave the same day.

For several years women who were diagnosed with breast

cancer had a radical mastectomy or removal of the whole

breast. Now most of them have a lumpectomy. I believe

that brachytherapy is similar to the lumpectomy in many respects.

I wish you all the bestAubrey Pilgrim, DC (Ret.) Author ofA Revolutionary Approach to Prostate Cancer-Read the original book for FREE at: http://www.prostate pointers. org/prostate/ lay/apilgrim/Read new edition for FREE at http://www.cancer. prostate- help.org/ capilgr.htmDr. E. Crawford is co-author of the revision

In a message dated 11/17/2007 8:27:13 P.M. Pacific Standard Time, LaurelFaceaol (DOT) com writes:

This is one paragraph of an article I found on Medscape Today. Don't know how accurate it is?LaurelMerrick and colleagues[7] found that results of prostate brachytherapy for low-risk patients were comparable to the most positive outcomes for RP and external-beam radiotherapy. In intermediate- and high-risk patients, more durable biochemical outcomes were achieved when treatment was done with brachytherapy alone, or in combination with external-beam radiotherapy. In addition, their findings showed that serious complications were relatively rare, and that total cost of prostate brachytherapy was approximately 20% less than costs for prostatectomy and external beam RT

See what's new at AOL.com and Make AOL Your Homepage.