I wanted to share my experience and also hopefully get some comparison on how treatment goes wit h the Zytiga/Prednisolone. I'm now four months into treatment with this combo. I'd say this has been relatively easy to tolerate, the side effects whether from this or from the Firmagon injection I receive monthly are hard to seperate but I have had the usual tiredness, muscle and bone aches, mood swings. From diagnosis in December, I had a PSA of 55 (quickly rising in a month to 68), end of month one the PSA went to 45, month two 49 ( a retest showed 45), then recently another PSA at 49. I have recently had bone scans and a CT check whats going on, this basically showed slight improvement from the original scans in December but not significant improvement. Progress feels incredibly slow compared to others I've read on this site, which leads me to think this may just not be working.
Zytiga after nearly four months - Advanced Prostate...
Zytiga after nearly four months
There's an FDA-approved blood test for the "AR-V7 splice variant" which may be responsible for Zytiga/Xtandi resistance:
oncotypeiq.com/en-US/prosta...
As always, Great advice Tall-Allen. Perhaps, also add the Guardant 360 blood draw genetic test to see more possible mutations, these of the DNA variety.
It seems that Zytiga is tried before Xtandi in most cases reported here, not sure why-no prednisone needed for Xtandi.
Zytiga inhibits the enzymes used by the adrenal glands to synthesize ALL steroids - androgens as well as cortisol. Without sufficient cortisol, the pituitary will send out a signal (ACTH) to boost production causing an excess, ironically. The symptoms include hypertension, hypokalemia, and swelling of tissues. So prednisone has to be used to replace what the Zytiga takes away. Xtandi works in a completely different way that doesn't affect cortisol production.
This test would be great but is currently not available to me as I live in the UK.
Lacking that, you can only try it and see if it works and for how long.
Have you had your T checked? You may wish to ask your MO whether Lupron or Zolodex May be more effective for you.
I have asked my specialist to check my testosterone, he is happy to do so although pointed out it will almost certainly be super low due to the drugs I am on
Give it a chance and ask Doc about ELIGARD it is a six month shot that in conjunction with my Zytiga has lowered my PSA from 13 to 0.1 in one month. I have no side effects other than hot flashes which are not that bad. I feel better then I have in years.
To leo2634,, feeling good is where it’s at .. good for you sir,, keep doing well...
Eligard is almost exactly the same molecule as the injection I have (Degeralix - Firmagon). There are different preparations 1, 3, 4 and 6 monthly. They are all equally efficacious. (Lupron, Zoladex, Prostap, Degeralix).
I had the same response to Zytiga/Pred combo. Held PSA steady or dropped slightly months 1-4, then doubled and doubled again before he pulled it. I had not had the genetic test others recommend, and if I had we probably would not have wasted months on this and Xtandi.
Maybe try xtandi in a month i was down to 0. In four months i would think you would get a better result.
Not knowing and fearing the worst sucks! Everyone with APC knows what you are feeling right now.. At least I do.. if lucky we will live for awhile under constant vigilance just to survive another day living “With “ APC .....I pray you get out of this rut and good results start to come your way.. soon .. and when you are feeling better and fear abates remember to smell the flowers along the way.. Christians we believe that Jesus he came back in 3days. No one else has ever come back from the grave to tell us what it is like. Make the best of our existence here , albeit mundane and monotonous at times , this is our life, the only one we know of for sure.. Good luck & easytiger! Keep thinking positive and you will get better..
One month after my husband’s first injection of one-month Lupron, his PSA dropped from 18 to .36, and his testosterone from 450 to 10. He starts Zytiga this week. We await the bone scan results in two months to see if the combination is stopping/reducing the extensive bone mets.
That’s good news.. sounds like it’s working.. lots of prayers
My husband will be starting the Zytiga/prednisone tomorrow. His initial PSA in Dec 2015 was 1,142. Responded quite well to strict diet and the LupronDepot injection + Bicaltumide 50 mg. - PSA level dropped to 6.9 by September 2016 . Then in December 2017 PSA at 60. Urologist referred him to oncologist who put him on Xtandi. Four months later, PSA up to 260. Oncologist stopped Xtandi and put him on Zytig/prednisone combo. He feels like a guinea pig. Restarting strict diet: no sugar + low, low carbs + amino acids + vitamin supplements. He's decided no chemo (next step as per oncologist) if Zytiga fails. I just pray and do what I can for him.
Hope better for you. Take care.
What an ordeal! Sorry for this status, sounds like they’re throwing all of the darts at the board. Hopefully one sticks and turns this around.. we are guinea pigs and each one of us excepts things differently. Personally I would not give up on nutrients and a good diet,and anything else to,relieve the damag3 done by all of these darts. Some here have had great luck with chemo but that’s not much consolation for someone that’s already had so many darts thrown at him. We feel,under such heavy weight some times to make the correct medical choices. I pray , pray ,pray and never stop . God bless you both on this voyage !!!!!!
The Norris cancer Center at USC has discovered that a fasting diet or a fast mimicking diet kills cancer cells. Apparently when you are fasting your healthy cells go in a survival mode whereas the cancer cells are mutated and no longer able to survive when the body is fasting. So I would try a fasting diet two times a month at least. Which is, not eating for 2 days each time or fast mimicking diet for 5 days each time. Fast mimicking diet consists a handful of nuts walnuts are best cuz they have omega 3), tea (I drink a green tea pomegranate tea mix), the morning and for lunch vegetable soup and for a snack before dinner olives and then for dinner another bowl of vegetable soup. The fasting diet is a 80% fat with 20% carbohydrates, and no more than 800 calories per day. So find the lowest calorie vegetable soup. Another good side effect of a fasting diet before having chemo treatments, it prevents you from getting sick from the chemo. Pretty amazing!
I’ve heard similar things about fasting. I tried a three day fast, having just water, which was fairly tolerable. Timing the start and organising my schedule made a massive difference to coping.
Fasting is a basic holistic healing process ... You are on a roll.
Thank you Lulu700. I will not give up. Ramping up the good diet and supplements. Concentrating on homegrown organic veggies. I too pray and have others praying also. You are right. It is a voyage. Our life on this planet is a mere journey. Best to be following the Author of Life - our Creator God. Otherwise, we will lose our way and that would be most disastrous eternally. The very best to you!
To Eliasj, home grown is best. Prayer is powerful . We surly arent the authors ..Just the students...A spiritual drummer gave us some wisdom .He said that eternity doesn’t start when we die..It starts right now... you are on a good path. Peace to you in the madness.
bone scan following chemo
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PSA after one month on lupron
