Potential spontaneous remission?

[AS2010]

It has been suggested that I experienced a potential spontaneous remission of prostate cancer. I was diagnosed with a Gleason 6 in 2010 when a tiny sliver of cancer was found in a single core, I have had five biopsies, but cancer was only found once. I have had no treatment. My PSA peaked at almost 9 and is in the high 4s now. MRI showed no lesions in 2016. Have any of you had a similar experience?

[Gpinkk]

Did you make any lifestyle changes during that time? And the five biopsies were how many years apart from eachother?

[AS2010 in reply to Gpinkk]

My first biopsy was in June 2010.. Epstein at Hopkins said it was ambiguous and recommended another in a few months, I had a second in December 2010, 14 cores. A single one had a sliver of Gleason 6. I joined an AS program at the University of Chicago, These were early days for AS in the US, Annual niopsies were being pushed. I had another biopsy in 2011 and then one in 2013, No cancers and my doc was increasing intervals between biopsies. I switched urologists in 2016 and has what was supposed to be my first targeted biopsy, A 3T MRI with and without Gd. showed no lesions. So there was no target, The new urologist said it had been three years since my previous biopsy and liked to do biopsies every two years, I was conflicted about the need for this biopsy. But I went along with the doctor. So again nothing was found. Another three years have passed. My PSA scores have been stable (high 4s, dropping for a peak of almost 9.) I see the urologist in October, If he recommends a niopsy, I plan to decline. Another doc at Cleveland Clinic said he will performed a new type of high-rez micro ultrasound as a substitute, Or I may have an MRI without contrast, As to lifestyle/diet, most of the past nine years, I have been on a low-fat diet. But two years ago, I was diagnosed with type-2 diabetes, another sign of inflammation. I inadvertently went on a keto diet for 1 1/2 years. Now I am more lax. My cholesterol and PSA dropped--so my urologist postponed the biopsy for another year.

[Umpire20]

I was diagnosed at age 59yrs in November 2006 with Gleason 6 PcA (after Second Opinion on Gleason 7 (3+4) by Dr. Jonathan Epstein) and have been on Active Surveillance since! Three biopsies between Nov06 and Nov10 all read as G6 by Epstein. First MRI in October 2017 showed three lesions with one PIRADS4. Second MRI in March 2019 one large PIRADS5. Prostate grew from 52cc to 108cc during that time.

Fourth biopsy, first one MRI guided, in April 2019 resulted in NO CANCER! Had two UTI, enlarged testes, and abscess November 2018 - January 2019.

There seems to be less cases of Remission or Regression of Prostate Cancer as compared to breast cancer. I’ve read figures like 1:80,000 and 1:100,000.

Dr. Clifford Pukel has stated disappearance of cancer without a satisfactory scientific explanation is rarely encountered by physicians. The process is typically called “spontaneous regression” or “spontaneous remission,” and a considerable body of literature confirms that cancer and benign tumors do indeed “disappear” and, in exceptional cases, patients are cured of the disease — in which case the phrase “miraculous healing” is sometimes invoked.

The patron saint of cancer patients is St Peregrine, OSM (1265-1345), a 14th century priest whose cancerous leg became ulcerated and festered for years and was, according to Christian legend, healed by Divine intervention the night before he was scheduled to undergo amputation.1,2 Case reports like this are today well within the framework of unexplained phenomena that fits the general rubric of “spontaneous regression.”3

[123-Anoka]

Congrats and I pray that I experience similar results.