Intermittent ADT (Eligard) treatment

[Darcym1]

I am 60, and was diagnosed with metastatic prostate cancer (in my hips and ribs) in November 2014. I had no idea I had cancer. Was having difficulty walking and a lot of hip pain so went to the doctor. PSA was over 100, with high Gleason scores, etc. I went on Eligard and started Chemo right away. That knocked my PSA to undetectable quickly, though have ongoing effects from the metastisis. I have been on Eligard since, though did take a break for a few months to get some of my life back and to stop teaching the PCa cells to become resistant to ADT. I’d like to do intermittent Eligard treatment, as it is becoming a more common thing, though my doctor would like to see another 2 Year’s of ongoing ADT first with undetactable PSA. Does anyone have experience with this?

[dockam]

Hey, I did 30 months of ADT ( Lupron / Casodex ) and had a talk with MedOnc about stopping. He said that it was fine and that I had room to experiment. My testosterone still at 24 and PSA @ 0.1 from 840 in 01/15. Last Lupron was 03/31.

Randy

[20PeteG16]

Ar age 58, Low PSA, Gleason 4+4 I chose cyro in 2008. MRI in 2010 showed cancer in lymph modes. Casodex for two weeks and Eligard for 12 months (oh the side affects). Six years without medication. February 2017 PSA doubled, returned to Eligard for six months and with wearing off quality of life back to near normal.

My medical team and I are believers in intermittent therapy for me.

PeteG

[chascri]

While being treated at MD Anderson Houston upon recurrence in 2006 after salvage radiation that failed I was started on intermittent ADT until 2012 when I was put on continuous ADT. You can see a summary of my treatment history since diagnosis in 1999 in my profile.

[Beermaker]

I tried it after a year post prostatectomy with a PSA of <0.01. After a few months of the vacation PSA rose to 2. something, and the next test showed was a new high for me of 12 or so. I CT scan showed mets in lymphnodes near the prostate bed. I immedately went on Trelstar and have been at <0.1 from that time on. So be careful. Intermittent is not for everyone.

[Don1157]

Trying intermittent after a year back on Lupron. PSA went up to 1.99; so then went and got a PET scan. Thought I had a rib met, but the scan did not glow, but back active in prostate. Will likely try seeds, and now may go back on lupron after consult, but I was quite ok with the idea of intermittent, do not care for the stuff at all!

[Hidden]

I am off ADT, at least for the time being. My urologist wanted me to stay on eligard for 2 years, which is the standard protocol in his mind after radiation treatment. I didn't do radiation -- I did HIFU surgery. I wouldn't have been able to gauge the success of the surgery if I stayed on ADT so I quit it. My first meaningful (after 6 mo eligard wore off) PSA was undetectable. I went to an out of state urologist for HIFU. My local urologist was not all that supportive of that. Oh, my scans after diagnosis were negative so no discernible metastasis. I'll continue having my PSA monitored and see how I do. I guess I am taking my chances with that, but at age 67, a year after HIFU, I'd like to enjoy some quality of life until my situation demands that I resume ADT. I will be going in for more lab work / PSA testing soon. Wish me luck.

[Darcym1 in reply to Hidden]

Good luck! I agree that quality of life is so important. I guess it is really about balancing risk. Seems that the standard here in Canada for intermittent ADT is to do 2 Year’s continuous first , atlesst that is what I heard from the Cross Cancer Centre. It’s hard to know, having bone metastises whether to take an ADT vacation at all. It seems there are many differing opinions from doctors...