Hello , just created this and looking for some what experience/support . So my father is 63 years old with prostate cancer they diagnosed his cancer in 2001 which they implanted 69 radioactive seeds so the cancer won't spread or come back . Well unfortunately his cancer came back in 2013 and he started lupron Injections since 2016 every 4 months .this pass week he went to get shoot and doctor told his his psa was at 8 and wanted him to go on with out lupron for 4 more months . My question is we know lupron is not a cure and will eventually stop working but what happens next? Is there other hormone therapy to prolong his life? He is constantly depress and cries because he is so attach to my children so it breaks my heart .once lupron wears off and dont work anymore is that it ?
Prostate cancer spread to lymph nodes - Advanced Prostate...
Prostate cancer spread to lymph nodes
One course of action would be to try Lupron + Zytiga
Did they check to see where the recurrence is? If it is local only, he may still have a chance at curative salvage radiation. If it is distant, he can layer in other hormonal therapies when the cancer becomes castration resistant. In addition, there are chemo, immunotherapy, and nuclear medicine options.
My suggestion would be to first of all get another opinion, both from a medical oncologist and from a radiation oncologist. Secondly to request a PSMA PET scan so he knows what exactly is going on and where the cancer has spread to. That will then inform the next treatment, which could be chemo, Zytiga or Xtandi, Xofigo, or targeted stereotactic radiation.
There are lots of treatments available, but without a PSMA PET they are just guessing.
Unfortunately what I've found is that there are not guarantees that you will be completely cured from Prostate cancer. There are many options as far as treatments. You may want to get a 2nd opinion from another doctor.
Good Luck
In what part of the world does your father live? With more information about his location or medical system/insurance information, somebody here may be able to point him or you to nearby doctors, facilities, treatments, or support groups for second opinions or support services appropriate for his advancing prostate cancer.
Charles
We are In Houston tx he is currently seeing an urologist in Kingswood for the lupron shots.
Here is a link to the GU Medical Oncology Faculty at M.D. Anderson. I know someone who sees Dr. Paul Corn there and thinks he is excellent. faculty.mdanderson.org/sear...
I had braccytherapy in 2005--single lymph node appeared in 2007 and been on lupron plus casodex since then --I think they should have radiated the node right then but didn't, then my PSA went up to 13 last Oct and started Zitiga and prednisone-stopped casodex-- pSA is 0.1 -- plenty of treatments left fpr your dad
Oh wow I'm over here thinking lupron only last 2 years .wow your psa is great best of luck to you !
Once the Lupron "stops working", the typical next steps are to add other ADT drugs to the Lupron regimen to get more time. Bicalutamide, Apalutamide, Zytiga and Xtandi all fall into this category. Immunotherapy like Provenge will be an option down the road and then, of course, the various chemo treatments. There are lots of options yet after Lupron as a mono-therapy no longer keeps the cancer bottled up.
Hello and welcome my Prostate cancer also spread to bone mets and lymph nodes. My Doctor suggested Hormone therapy including Zytiga,ELIGARD injections,and Xgeva injections for bone mets. I started with a PSA of 14 and in two months have gone down to 0.1 almost undetectable i feel better then I have in years. First step in my case anyway was to have faith in my Doctor and seeking knowledge of this terrible disease, and this support group is a good start. Best of luck.
Agree that a medical and radiation oncologist should be added to team. I've had distant lymph node metastases and have been treated with: Zytiga - SBRT (Spot Radiation) -Provenge and Xtandi. Undetectable PSA on Xtandi alone, no Lupron for nearly 4 years now.
As others have suggested, it's time for your Dad to see a real prostate cancer specialist, not a plain old urologist, and especially not a urologist who withdraws one treatment without offering any others.
Fortunately, you're in one of the best places in the world to find a top quality specialist. Ask your Dad to mosey on down to the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center. I suggest that he get an appointment there as soon as possible.
The fact that your Dad went all those years after his initial treatment might be a good sign. There are many other treatments available besides Lupron and there's a very good chance that one, or a combination of them, will keep him alive for a long time.
Best of luck.
Alan
There is reason for your Dad to have tons of hope. There are A LOT of treatments for prostate cancer. The folks here have given you a lot of good advice. Also remember healthy diet, exercise, and meditation can really help.
The better shape his body is in the more it can handle the different treatments and possibly learn to fight the prostate cancer itself.
Why not take a meditation class with your Dad ? If he is open to it you both might enjoy it. I loved the mindfulness mediation class that I took with my husband.
Have him spend some time with the kids walking in the woods.. I have heard that walking in nature increases natural killer cells(cells that kill cancer).. not sure if it is true but it is a fun therapy.
Tons of hugs. I am praying for both of you!
PS. If We lived in Texas we would try to find a good doc at MD Anderson.. or one of the University Hospitals.. as it is we are your neighbors in New Mexico.
Thank you so much for your kind words really bring some relief and we are definitely thinking of switching doctors to a specialist prostate cancer,he loves taking the kids to the park and I'm sure that helping him allot,I'm up for the meditation class hopefully he is willing to do it together . I will look into the Md anderson asap. Sending you hugs back! From your neighbor in Texas
"...will look into the Md anderson asap. " A very good course of action. Put a medical team together consisting of at least a medical oncologist, radiation oncologist, and urologist at MD Anderson, a National Cancer Institute. He has many years to live,for I have been fighting this beast for 20 years, and I plan to be around for another 10 years.
He never promised you a smooth journey, but he promised you a safe port.
God Bless,
Rich
I had the same experience with Lepron and Casodex. After a few months neither one was preventing PSA elevation. I have now been on Xtandi for three months. PSA has fallen three months in a row and is now at .31. I feel better than in four years. There a number of when Xtandi starts to fall but it's still relatively new and no one knows how long it may be effective in a particular. Most important there are other options and more coming down the pike. I believe we will see PCa as controllable disease like HIV within 5-10 years. It is a very hot area of research with millions to be made by the firm that can find the right drug to keep PSA in the very low range. PCa is not the death sentence that it was only five years ago. DO NOT LOSE HOPE and make sure your oncologist is current.
Please read my post.
Amen, precisely why we went to Johns Hopkins. His oncologists full time career is prostate ca. There is no one like that here in St. Louis
Yes..Yes. Your dad should take heart and be enthusiastic about watching his grandchildren grow up. There are many clinically proven standard of medical care avenues that one can take after prostate cancer has become ‘castrate resistant’.
My father diagnosed with Stage IV prostate cancer mets to lymph nodes supraclavicular
Lymph nodes
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