PSA levels when prostate cancer detected.

[Chuckujo]

My Prostate cancer is very aggressive.

Jun 2014 - 3.5

Jun 2015 - 41.3

Jul 2015 - 78.2 (biopsie)

Aug 2015 Scans show bone mets

[AlanMeyer]

Yes, that is aggressive. Here are two points to note about that:

1. Aggressive treatment is probably called for. I would look strongly at the treatments that involve both hormone therapy and chemotherapy. That is a new standard of care that is evolving, especially for aggressive cancers. I recommend that you go to a top doctor or clinic for treatment, for example one of the treatment centers recommended by the National Cancer Institute (if you are in the U.S.) See:

cancer.gov/research/nci-rol...

If you can't get an appointment quickly at an advanced treatment place, you may be able to start hormone therapy immediately. That will likely knock the cancer down significantly and hold it down, giving you time to get more comprehensive treatments lined up.

2. Aggressive prostate cancer is dangerous, but with today's medicine it does NOT necessarily mean that you will die soon, and not necessarily at all, from the disease. Many aggressive cancers respond very well to treatment and can be controlled for many years. At the rate at which new treatments keep appearing, I think that if you can last five years (and nowadays I think most men do with good treatment) there will be new options that can keep you going for another five, then more new options, and so on. So please don't give up hope.

Best of luck.

Alan

[Sisira in reply to AlanMeyer]

Alan, if you can sit in my doctor's consultation room! Your replies are always amazing.

Really good advice to chuck.

Thanks

Sisira

[Chuckujo in reply to AlanMeyer]

Thanks. My Doc started me on ADT, followed with Chemo. My PSA started rising recently and I went thru the Provenge treatment. Doc is looking at Zytiga now.

[Scruffybut1]

I have read Alan's excellent reply and won't add to it. I was Dxd PSA 167 no prior symptoms in Nov 2014. Straight to biopsies all 12 core cancer. Dec 23 2014 nuclear whole body bone scan showed some 40+bone Mets. Dec 30 2014 MRI of pelvic region confirmed prostate spread all over plus lymph nodes pelvic region 'eaten', also in seminal vesicles. Say Incorrect Jan 12 2016 and she confirmed PSA now 200 and Incurable metastatic prostate cancer. Straight to ADT plus support drugs. Added chemo Nov 2016. for 8 months (10 cycles) then 4/5 month break still with ADT and added Zytiga past 15 months running PSA average 0.03. I am now 71 and my only worry is that 2 weeks ago I was told I have osteoarthritis in my hips. At least the PCA hasn't returned there! So don't worry. If I can still be happy so can you.

David

[Chuckujo in reply to Scruffybut1]

Thanks. I also have arthritis in my joints and when they flair up I worry it may be the cancer, but then it goes away sometimes after a day or two depending on the weather. I am 68 and looking forward to many more b-days.

[Hidden in reply to Scruffybut1]

I have the osteo in my joints and I’m 56. Hip pain brutal , couldn’t stand or walk a few days ago. ice , heat , compression and rest helps bursitis attack .all part of the fun. Take care .

[Hidden]

You didn't mention a DRE. My GP performed a DRE and sent me immediately to a urologist for a biopsy, which came back Gleason 8. My PSA was only 2.7. Seems like you are getting a late start on treatment but better late than never. Don't let apprehension over your condition lead you to avoid treatment. Time is of the essence. Keep us posted.

[Chuckujo in reply to Hidden]

My doctor did the DRE but detected nothing. Sent me to a Urologist who also performed the DRE and detected nothing. The urologist thought perhaps I had a prostate infection which caused the PSA spike, and gave me 30 day antibiotic which did nothing. The Urologist then did the biopsy and also discovered the cancer was on the other side of the prostate which is why it could not be detected via DRE. The Doc said it was unusual for cancer to grow on that side of the prostate.

[Chuckujo]

My Doc ran some tests for the clinical trials, but gene markers that needed to be present were not there which makes me ineligible for some of the trials. He is looking into others.

[Hidden]

Listen to these ladies and gentlemen here and you’ll find help in knowledge and support , take action and take control of your health .. All here are pulling for you.

[Chuckujo]

PSA rose from .11 to 2.74 and onc and I decided to start new treatment to nip this thing in the bud. Started Zytiga with Prednisone in November 2017, and went from Prolia to Xgevia in January. My last PSA test has me at .8 and Onc and team don't think it will go lower. We'll see. I seem to be doing fine, still fatigued, but it seems that for a few days after my Xgevia shot, my butt just drags big time.

[Chuckujo]

Update on my Cancer treatments

I've had Lupron, Chemo, Prolia, Provenge, Zytiga with prednisone, Orchiectomy, Xgevia, Xtandi, and now 1 xofigo treatment with number 2 coming up next week. Except for fatigue and minor pain have been doing fairly well. However lately the last couple weeks since the xofigo treatment I have been feeling weaker and lots of back and hip pain. Don't know if it is arthritis or the effect of the cancer dying from the radiation treatment. Hope this gets better and looking for any suggestions on getting energy back as the weakness and fatigue makes it difficult to do anything.