Asking specialist about next steps

[Blair77]

My husband just finished 5th cycle of docetaxel. We are heading to LA for a follow up consult with Dr. Mark Schulz to ask about next steps. Wondering what questions people think are the best to ask at this point. Husband is 47 and still castrate sensitive dx Feb 2017. On Lupron casodex and finishing up 6 cycles of docetaxel.

Thanks

[Hidden]

I'm pretty much in the same situation, diagnosed in February 2017, on ADT and about to finish chemo, 6th cycle in a week.

What I will be asking at this point is about starting Zytiga now since the STAMPEDE trial has shown favorable results to early use of Zytiga. Early Zytiga has an additional survival benefit similar to doing early chemo.

[Hidden]

Which genetic test(s) did you use? I'm curious because I'm thinking about doing it down the road.

I asked my doctor about it at a recent visit and the doctor said they don't do genetic testing because it doesn't change the treatment. That comment left me scratching my head.

[ctarleton in reply to Hidden]

Gregg,

Nalakrats posted something here along these lines a while back:

healthunlocked.com/advanced...

Charles

[Hidden in reply to ctarleton]

Thanks Charles

[Hidden]

Thanks. You would fire your doctor for making that kind of comment. I am coming to the same conclusion myself. I interpreted the comment to mean that a change in treatment would not be indicated regardless of what was found if genetic testing was done. But maybe the doctor meant that they just wouldn't change the treatment anyway, even if they knew the genetics. Either way, I can't go along with it. I am in the process of changing doctors, for this and other reasons.

[Hidden]

Completely agree. No one cares more about your life than you do. Another reason I'm changing doctors is that my current doctor tries to make decisions without discussing it wth me. Our doctors are advisors and are part our team, but we make the final decisions. Any doctor that can't work that way is not going to be my doctor.