I was fortunate enough to have amazing results from the combination of ADT and chemo immediately following my initial diagnosis of stage 4 PC. I had tumors in prostate,lymph nodes, and bones...all now undetectable. I am still on ADT because of the nature of the disease still likely present in blood and possible microscopic mets. After a few months of ADT and hopefully continued good bloodwork and scans,I plan to go on "ADT vacation".....does anyone have any stats on how long ADT vacations last before there's a problem again? Thank you and thank you God in Heaven!
success with peace 1 SOC : I was... - Advanced Prostate...
success with peace 1 SOC
There are no rules for how vacations work. But only take a vacation if the side effects of hormone therapy are so intolerable that you cannot keep going with the therapy. Vacations serve no other purpose than to give you a break, and no one can guarantee that it won't impact survival.
I just had this talk with my Doc yesterday, and got the same answer. Disapointed, but I think when we are feeling well we kind of forget how bad it could be.
My husbands last zoladex was Jan 2020 (1 month injection ) he is probably going back on it again soon . Psa went0.03 0.04
0.07
0.12
Testing again in 2 weeks
Gummytoad, you are actually new “in the game”. Why are you considering an ADT vacation? Whatever you do, is your decision and I’ll not criticize. However, I will share that in 2004, I top had chemotherapy with ADT (Lupron/Eligard) as a first line treatment when metastatic lesions were found. I remained on ADT until 2010 when my research medical oncologist convinced me to stop. The downside, if a rising PSA was to simply restart ADT.
Fortunately, I have remained undetectable. I lived by a watchword of not giving micro-metastasis a chance. Kill the little bastards.
I wish you the best.
Gourd Dancer
I was told life-long ADT. I had the discussion twice with my oncologist. So, I decided to forgo the shots and had the boys removed. If they find a cure, my thought is, I'll use a patch. I'm of the school, if it's working stay with it.
Everybody is different in scope of disease, treatment, decision, and outcome. I wish you continued success.
What convinced you that you needed years of ADT to finally stop treatment, that seems to be ok at this point for you. How do you know you couldn't have stopped years ago with the same result?
You don’t. The clinical trial called for two years ADT. At the end of two years, the MO said it would be better to continue. I simply let this guy who made an academic career in studying metastatic prostate cancer make the call. In May of 2010, he suggested that I stop. I stopped.
I have a solid belief that a person who spent a career studying, researching and teaching at a medical school knew more than I. In other words, I followed his lead to the letter.
GD
I hear ya.
Do you want those kinds of problems?