Advance 4th stage pca

[pmvc]

Hi all my friends,

I was diagnosed 12/16. My psa was 23 and my scan report showed extensive bone mets and entire skeletal. Started chemo along with ADT. After 11 months my second scan showing improvement but still one or two locations particularly in lymph nodes in pelvic region is active. No new mets. Not having any symptoms but very scared how far this will take me. Should I take a second opinion and also want to know whether can I take any other alternative medicine. My Gleason score was 8 during biopsy. Current level of psa is 0.25.

[softwaremom00]

What was your first chemo treatment ? When did you finish chemo ? I think it never hurts to get a second opinion.. try to get it at Mayo Clinic, MD Anderson or somewhere that is known for good treatment(The folks here will have suggestions). Glad to hear your psa is at .25 Prayers for you!

[pmvc in reply to softwaremom00]

Thanks for your kind words. I 54 yrs when diagnosed. My first chemo started in Jan 2017 and completed by Sept.

[AlanMeyer in reply to pmvc]

In the spirit of softwaremom's suggestion, can you tell us where you are being treated? Your case is a little unusual in that you had a lot of metastases but a relatively low PSA. Your doctor's decision to start you off with chemo was probably very sound. Your response so far is a good one. Many men do much worse.

Are you also taking ADT (androgen deprivation therapy), i.e., Lupron, Zoladex, Eligard, Firmagon, or another drug, e.g., Zytiga or Xtandi? Or is chemotherapy your only treatment so far?

At a research hospital, it's sometimes the case that the docs all meet once a week to discuss their patients. If you are being treated at one, you may, in effect, be getting multiple opinions already. However a second opinion is never a bad idea with serious health problems. It's not (or at least shouldn't be) considered an insult to your current doctor. Here is a web page for finding research hospitals designated as good ones by the U.S. National Cancer Institute:

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

We all wish you the best of luck!

Alan

[bb66hotflash]

I don't think your PSA is too low for your number of Mets, The highest I ever got was 43, just before I had radiation to my spine for spinal stenosis. During collapse or constriction of spinal nerve roots due to the prostrate cancer in my spine. Since, I have had eight rounds of chemo, docetaxol and carboplatin, which had to be halted due to extreme fatigue and edema. Previously been thru 32 months of Enzalutimide, which helped immensely, until it stopped working and fatigue side effects. Also had two trials phase1/2, neither of which worked, GALETERONE AND AZ-8186.

A second opinion never hurts, but does not sound your are in a dangerous state at this time, though that could change. Planning for your next stage of treatment is probably a good idea.

Best of Luck!