Great New after 17 Years!

[ShenStone]

I just wanted to share a great report today. I am 17 years out from my 1999 Stage IV Metastatic Prostate Cancer Diagnosis and my PSA yesterday at DUKE was .09 ! Go Brothers!

[John-carp]

Wow

Very cool...Congratulations! I think there are probably many of us who would love to hear more about your story...17 years with Stage IV....BRAVO! You inspire me.

[HalC]

Congratulations! Tell us more.

[Dan59]

Shen, Can we have the story of what you did medically, what was the original Gleason, How high did psa get, Have you done chemo? How far in for chemo. Thanks

[erjlg3]

Truly elated for you Shen! Happy News

[Scruffybut1]

I am ashamed of myself for not being as happy as you. In my 3rd year since DX of 200 I have yet another foul head and chest cold and a tooth that oral surgery won't extract because Bisphonates hang around for 11 years so severe pain. Oh, and my PSA this week same as 2 months ago at 0.06. I celebrate your achievement with you and will remind myself that colds and teeth problems are rotten nuisances and not as important as crushing cancer. Your news has woken me up. Thanks.

[Daddyishealing in reply to Scruffybut1]

Hey sorry you are suffering scruffy and I'm glad dome ofvthatvpoditivecdpirit sunk in

[Scruffybut1 in reply to Daddyishealing]

Hi ,as you know I am as positive as anyone can be. I just hate colds and because I am told I cannot have a tooth extracted for 11 years I now hate dentists. Not really. My PSA has been running so low I am truly fascinated. The PCa and pills keep me tired but really it's the constant toothache that pxxxxxes me off. Still, nil desperandum plus I wish Harlequins would win.

How are you? Any improvement with your father? xxxx

[Daddyishealing in reply to Scruffybut1]

Actually. My dad has gotten very sick and just finished his 6th chemo last Tuesday. He can't walk, has 25 lbs of edema and is on a water pull and has a cold and cough he can't shake since before christmas. I'm very worried, and I've been hiding in tears. Scan to see if chemo worked will be in 3 weeks , fingers crossed. He has to get heart checked due to edema. Never imagined such a string soul could suffer so much. Ty for asking. It truly means so much to me. Even some if my friends who he practically raised have forgotten both me and him, so it's so kind of you to ask. Sending healing thoughts and light. I'm a bit fiwn, but I know there is hope and brighter days ahead. I believe and I won't stop putting faith in science

[Scruffybut1 in reply to Daddyishealing]

Don't lose faith in your dad. He loves you and you love him. It's your love that will pull him through. Remind me of his age. I have just turned 71 and despite a dissolute life in records and films I am amazingly fit and strong BUT as I have aged so this damned cancer has continued to wear me down without problems other than occasional fatigue. My constant colds and coughing, now coming up to 4 months, are very tiring. I feel for your dad as does everyone reading your heartfelt posts. I too have found that the longer I survive this thing the more I am ignored. Xxxx Dsvid

[Daddyishealing in reply to Scruffybut1]

He is 64. He just wasn't in great physical shape before disgnosis, overweight and overworked and so that worries me. But he is young. He also it how'd has been living with cancer for dime tune before diagnosis a minimum of a year and half when something was spotted in lungs he never told us about and never biopsied. But at 64 in July he was officially diagnosed , began treatment in august. I posted under my name his treatments his psa is finally 3.4. But not down to zero yet. Any thoughts. Ty for the inspirstiin. You brightened my morning, so go enjoy the day sunshine!

[Scruffybut1 in reply to Daddyishealing]

It's pouring with rain and about to go out with Barney my feathered Saluki. Nearly all white with some light tan.He keeps me cheerful. Your dad's PCa sounds like mine. No symptoms till Nov 2014. Then PSA 167. MRI showed lymph glands in pelvic girdle. 1 week later Bones scan gave mets in hips, spine, ribs, chest, scapulae and 1 week later PSA 200. I was 68 and a bit overweight but fit and strong. Now 71 fit and strong most mets gone after chemo. And I mean most!

Zytiga great for me.

PSA 0.06

Next test result 14 march.

Will keep in touch. Love to your dad. And you.xxxx. David

[Daddyishealing in reply to Scruffybut1]

Woo hoo..glad the zytiga is kicking butt. Healing and love to you as well David xoxo and to your feathered friend. I used to have a caique. They are so much fun too

[Hidden in reply to Scruffybut1]

You are lucky that it took time for you to be ignored. I feel that it happened to me by most friends and some family almost immediately after dx.

[Hidden in reply to Scruffybut1]

Sorry to hear about your dental issues and pain. I had a root canal 4 days ago. No more dental insurance either.

[Scruffybut1 in reply to Hidden]

Thanks. In England they're all frightened of osteonecrosis (jawbone death), especially lower jaw, if they need to remove a tooth. They haven't enough wire & superglue to put a shattered jaw back together. But really I am fine but for the long drawn out cold. 3+ months. PCa great. David

[soffers]

Thank you for that. Brings hope to many

[20PeteG16]

Thank you for sharing the good news. I needed your post the day after my Lupron injection.

God is good!

Pete

[rococo]

Who wouldn't like to hear more about your journey. There are many less fortunate. Good stuff coming out of Duke. You are on tbe right tract. Keep it up

[jgmcbride]

Thanks for the info. Gives us all hope.

[Dr_WHO]

Thanks for the great message! I just passed my 1st year diagnoses of Stage four Ductal Prostate Cancer. Hope we ALL will have a lot more anniversaries!

[chascri]

Please share with us the details of your treatment and journey with prostate cancer from diagnosis to date. It provides hope and incite into possible treatments and that it is possible to have quality of life and long life after diagnosis.

[Pennysue1]

That's wonderful Shen - good job -

Did you do Provenge?

[NiallMcC]

Would love to hear your story, please.

[DanR3254]

Great news. Keep pushing that curve to the right!

[Hidden]

So Shen, everybody is waiting for your story. Are we ever gonna have it, please?

[jimreilly]

wonderful news, and inspiring for many!

[kjscobel]

Yes! Give us your story please! I am going on 5 years with Stage IV PCa. I am entering the CRPC zone as my PSA has been rising over the last year. I get my PSA check next week and am apprehensive.

[Spitzz]

There aren’t enough words to cover the congratulations- Don’t stop now you’re on a roll.

[Lombardi24]

Congrats, ShenStone!!!!! How old were you at diagnosis (if you don't mind me asking)?

[Nutters85]

Holy Effen Moly!! FANTASTIC!!

[Dr_WHO]

Well my team do NOT think that Ductal is different from other cancers. Kinda stuck with the doctors I have do to cost. Last April had surgery (had to fight for it) were they took out a 75 gram prostate and 14 lymph nodes, one being "100%" cancer. Started two years of Lupron last June. Took until January 2017 for them to measure bone density. I am low, but they will not treat it. Finished 38 rounds of radiation last October. Tell telling them that Ductal does not always raise your PSA. Their response is that is what insurance will pay for and not to worry..

Hope you are having a better experience. There is a song I listen to "Cancer Sucks". Goes double for Ductal.

[Dr_WHO]

My PSA was less than 4 and my digital exam was normal - until it was not. December 2015 my PSA jumped to 4.7 and the DE indicated nodules. Two weeks later I had a retest and my PSA jumped to almost 12. Two weeks after that it went down to nine. None of the doctors have a good explanation as to why it jumped so fast. The closest theory is that the cancer was "hiding" in the prostate but the digital exam freed up some cancer cells.

They stained a pathology slide from a lymph node that was "100%" cancer. Seventy percent of the cancer stained for PSA. Thirty percent of the cancer on the slide did not have PSA response.

My PSA is now <0.1. My worry is that PSA does not pick up ~30% of my cancer cells.

From what I have read, they recommend people with Ductal (and small cell) prostate cancer use scans to monitor the progress. My doctors do not want to do that. In part, the issue is fighting with the insurance companies. They are also worried about the excess radiation (I already had 38 rounds of radiation).

Hope this helps.

[JamesAtlanta]

Congratulations! Excellent news...and keeps us all hopeful for similarly great results, too!

[Lombardi24]

Shen...we're all hanging on by our fingernails... Please share with us (even if short) what you think it was that put you in remission. We live vicariously through our brothers that make it beyond the 5 year mark.

Hanging on to hope..

Bill

[Scruffybut1]

Shen I just shouted your great news to my wife as she heads for work (a nurse). Congratulations from both of us and THANKS for giving all of us such a great start to the day. David

[Litlerny]

Wonderful! I am so happy for you, and like the others in here, we would like to hear more of your story and what you have done to achieve that almost miraculous milestone. Whatever it is, keep it up and keep us all posted. In the midst of all f the gloom and doom we who are Stage 4 all face, it is uplifting and inspiring to hear a success story like yours. I shared it with my lovely wife. It gives both a brighter glimmer of hope that we will share a longer future together.