Back stabalization surgery?

[BigM62]

Im on chemo 10 tomorrow. Will also get latest bone marrow biopsy and other test results. Getting an updated CT scan this week too. My PSA is undetectable. As far as im expecting, the cancer should not be growing.

BUT, my back has been hurting more and more. At first discomfort, and now the dreaded nerve pain that i associate with how bad my spine mets were at diagosis months ago. Its always a sharp needle sting when i move wrong.

I know radiation is an option, but shouldnt it be a non issue with my psa low? Or is that wrong? Have others needed radiation while psa is down?

Also, i wonder if i need to get a consult on back stabalization surgery? I was originally diagnosed by a ortho who found spine mets. He was sure i would need to be stabalized. But he wasnt that great a doc and MO said it should wait. So now im wondering if its becoming more unstable. But again im on chemo and zometa. And psa undetectable, so why would it get worse now? Has anyone done spine surgery to stabalize?

[eggraj8]

I just finished Chemo 18 with good results for the cancer. Last fall when I was also around Chemo 10 i had back problems which turned out to be a fracture in my L3 lumbar disk. Caused a lot of pain for a while. Now it is tolerable. They do have some solutions for that which I did not take. I did start to take XGEVA before that happened but only had one injection. Best wishes

[BigM62 in reply to eggraj8]

What were the solutions they offered you?

[eggraj8 in reply to BigM62]

MSK has a lot of specialists. My MO asked if I wanted to go to the Interventional Radiology Group and they can apply some material into the area around the disk to relieve the pressure on the compressive fracture. He said the alternative was just to wait and see if the body just gets used to the fracture and the pain can go away. I did the later and the pain for the most part went away. I also had a fall later in the year and broke a bone in my leg. For that I had an operation and a lot of rehabilitation. It seems for me that my bones are getting brittle whether due to age, cancer or drugs, and I have to be careful about bone fracturing. I hope the XGEVA will be helpful for me.

[patandemma]

google "MRI OR CT FOR SPINE METASTASIS"---you'll find the major journals say mri significantly more sensitive.

[paulofaus]

Hi BigM62, I'm currently having spinal radiation to T5 and L4. The docs are concerned that my tumors have grown at these sites. At diagnosis, I had 3 spinal mets. I haven't developed any new tumors, but the ones I have appear to have worsened. I had 6 cycles Docetaxel chemo in March to June last year and started to get worsening back pain in November. I'm also getting 4 weekly Xgeva shots. I've also started to have rising PSA, so I've moved on to Xtandi. Not sure if that helps, but just wanted to chime in with my story, as there are parallels with your story. Cheers Paul.

[garythomas]

Hi BigM,

I have a met at L5 which has been radiated even though I had no pain. I have thought about spinal surgery but no doctor has suggested it. I have not had any bone strengtheners either.

Regards,

Gary

[JamesAtlanta]

I had a met at T8 - pain was terrible. Radiated it and then went through chemo. A neurosurgeon said I needed a major surgery - my radiation oncologist and oncologist said that was ‘crazy’. Another neurosurgeon said give the ‘injury’ time to heal (he said it is sort of like my spine was in an accident and needed time to heal) and go to physical therapy.

Radiation stopped most of the pain. Had to be off the chemo for a while before the bone could begin to heal. All better now and only a little occasional discomfort after I exercise very hard.

The lesson to me - radiation can help reduce pain. And then bone needs time to heal. And physical therapy helped me on lots of fronts - flexibility, energy level, reduced back pain.

Hope me sharing my experience helps you somehow. We are pulling for you!

James