After 16 years, Chemo last line of treatment.

[abmicro]

Im 65 years old. Anybody do Chemo for prostate cancer after going through 16+ years of various treatments? Surgery Feb 2002 came back a year later, Lupron + casodex failed 2 years later, Meyers protocol Leukine + Ketoconozale + Estrogen patches worked for a very long time, Zytiga did not work, Radiation followed by Provenge gave me a PSA of less than 0.02 and a long remission, XGEVA is ongoing for bone health and osteoporosis, XTANDI slowed it down for a while, Radium 223 slowed it down recently but as soon as I finished all 6 infusions, it started running amuck again with bone involvements. All my previous therapies have had minimal side effects and/or managed with other meds such as Lipitor for high cholesterol, aspirin to thin blood, etc. Oncologists said I am ineligible for clinical trials because I had "too many therapies". Chemo soon and I am going to hate the side effects.

[dlestercarlson]

I am 69 years old and have 13 years of treatment history very similar to yours. I just finished my 11th Chemo treatment of Docetaxel, I also get a Lupron shot every 6 months. The Docetaxel is starting to fail now, my PSA is rising every time it is checked. I'm waiting for the latest PSA number from my treatment this week. More than likely later this year, my onocolgist will change the Chemo to Cabazitaxel. We had hoped to be able to do the Genetic testing in some trials that are available, but I did not qualify. The Chemo is tolerable most of the time. I have a few days where I'm extremely fatigued along with other side effects that I deal with. These side effects are usually the same so I plan on these a head of time so that I can minimize the impact.

Good Luck

Dennis

[RogerThat]

Hi abmicro and dlestercarlson. Pretty much the same here thanks to Dr. Myers. I'm 64. Docetaxyl side effects were minor for me but we stopped after a year to try Provenge which failed. PSA was close to zero for most of 22 years but has recently gone above 130. Too many bone Mets to count. Trying to prepare for when they start breaking. Starting Cabazataxyl this month. All the best to you!

[Shorttimer in reply to RogerThat]

You are complimented for your positive attitude as you live thru the uncertainty of the difficulty with your health. May God give you happiness and patience.

[pinejog in reply to RogerThat]

Hi RogerThat

I go in for my second round of Docetaxyl Thursday Courious what you mean “prepare for when they start breaking”

Thanks

Dennis

[RogerThat in reply to pinejog]

I meant that my understanding is that end-stage for guys like me with lots of bone mets involves the cancer eating away at the bones until they break. Trying to stay positive 😬

[George71 in reply to RogerThat]

did you look into Lu-177 in Germany -- about $15,000

[CalBear74]

Hi Abmicro,

You have not mentioned complementary medicine strategies No, not alternative medicine, but medical therapies compatible with traditional oncology, including chemo.

I am a 76 year old stage IV patient diagnosed in 2012, G8, PSA was then 19, with two pelvic bone mets imaged but no longer visible per a 2017 scan and MRI at a major cancer center in FL.

For the first 3 1/2 years of hormone therapy treatment my wife and I resided in AZ where my urologist had me on Casodex pills and Lupron 6-month shots. Since arriving here in FL in Aug., 2016, my urologist has chosen to use only Lupron and stopped the Casodex. My PSA has been trending lower, probably because of my use of natural supplements: now 0.06. I have come to believe in complementary medicine. I am very skeptical of alternative medicine but if it is complementary to traditional oncology, why not?

In 2015 I found the cancer research of AKM Shamsuddin, MD, PHD, at the U. of MD Medical School. (Incidentally, My wife told me I needed to start doing something about this death sentence. Start doing research, she said ("you're good at research, why aren't you finding something that can stop this cancer")! I laughed and started researching the medical literature which led to Dr. Shamsuddin.

I have used Dr. AKM Shamsuddin's most recent book (go to Amazon) and the IP6 powder he reports on in his text. There are two suppliers of this powder. Both are excellent quality, however, Enzymatic Therapy's Cell Forte is significantly less expensive (allstarhealth.com)

I take 12 scoops a day in divided doses on an empty stomach mixed in cold water (never mix with a protein like milk as the IP6 molecules will bind to the protein molecules).

I also use Dr. Vaclav Vetvicka's book (Beta Glucan: Nature's Secret") and the Transfer Point company's Beta 1,3-D Glucan (#300) based on Dr. Vetvicka's reseaarch into beta glucan efficacy across brands. Three capsules a day on an empty stomach with resveratrol and vitamin C. (I take 2 capsules of Nature's Answer resveratrol/vitamin C.) Go to vitawithimmunity.com for a short course in beta glucan.

These are my two major supplements. Not long after starting this combined regimen my Lupron side effects lessened and I have hardly noticed anything since 2016.

I now also take capsaicin (cayenne pepper) and lycopene together. I get lycopene from a natural source like V8 juice, tomato juice or pasta sauce. I also take turmeric/curcumin, berberine (equivalent to Metformin so if you are taking this prescription drug ignore this suggestion.

I also take grape seed extract, and, very importantly, European milk thistle with Isosylybin A and Isosylybin B. These have been added incrementally and may in part account for the downward trending of the PSA. Of course, these are too many variables here to sort out causality, so I can't tell you which are absolutely essential. I do know that I took IP6 by itself at the outset in 2015 and in two months my PSA dropped enough to 0.1 to surprise my AZ urologist (I had not told him what I was doing.) He insisted on a DRE

and told me the nodules on my prostate were gone.

All the supplements above have supporting cancer research available at pubmed.gov Extensive research is reviewed by both Dr. Shamsuddin and Dr. Vetvicka (University of Louisville Medical School) in their books.

Consider viewing these videos. In one of them "phytate" is referred to. That is anI hope this stimulates some thinking. You can find cancer research on all these supplements at pubmed.gov

nutritionfacts.org/video/ph...

nutritionfacts.org/video/ph...

(

"phytate" or the more popular term IP6 & Inositol is sold by two companies through distributors online.

Allstarhealth offers the best prices on Cell Forte IP6 and IP6 Gold.)

vitawithimmunity.com, watch Dr. Vetvicka's interview, but there are a number of others worth watching that will explain the value of beta 1, 3-D, glucan (#300)

nutritionfacts.org/video/tr... t-part-1/

nutritionfacts.org/video/tr... t-part-2/

amazon.com/IP6-Inositol-Med... 708X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1521765264&sr=8-1&keywords=shamsuddin+ip6

amazon.com/Beta-Glucan-Natu... f=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1521765310&sr=1-1&keywords=vetvicka&dpID=41tzU aMkXzL&preST=_SY291_BO1,204,203,200_QL40_&dpSrc=srch

Good luck,

Your happy vegan, CalBear74

Any trouble finding resources let me know

[Rmanns]

I've had both common chemos. Side effects were not that bad for me. l had worse reaction to radiation & Rad223 Hang in there. You are obviously a tough old bird.

[RonPavluvcik]

Hi abmicro: my history is a bit similar to yours....had CYBERKNIFE focused beam radiation in 2008, PSA stayed low, then started increasing....doc said cancer in blood stream...then between 2010 and 2017 treated with Lupron, Casodex, Xtandi, Zytiga, Ketoconazole.....they worked for a while, then PSA kept creeping up to 20/30....then scans showed metasteses to lymph nodes and bones....then did PROVENGE immunotherapy in October 2017.....started TAXOTERE chemo in January 2018, 3 doses, but didn't work, so Onc switched me to JEVTANA chemo...2 doses so far.....but caused shortness of breath and low white blood counts led to PNEUMONIA last week...in hospital for 4 days to fight the PNEUMONIA....now home still getting more antibiotic pills for the PNEUMONIA....Onc says he will cut next dose of JEVTANA down and have me get it weekly.....latest PSA last week was 1700.....Onc says don't panic.....other options out there and more stuff in pipeline.....don't give up! Ron in CT

[abmicro in reply to RonPavluvcik]

You have a tough battle. Makes me feel like I am not the only one looking for options to get this under control. Thanks

[George71 in reply to RonPavluvcik]

Dr. Sartor said lu-177 very promising -- and did you try BAT

[Kevinski65 in reply to George71]

When will lu-177 get to the USA. I've heard it's in a trial at City of Faith...

[George71 in reply to Kevinski65]

Dr. Sartor is doing lu-177 in new orleans

[Kevinski65 in reply to George71]

Really, I'll bet Medicare doesn't pay.

[Ptclassics]

I like you after 22 years have tried everything some work for a while but soon fail I have just started chemo 2 infusions Psa coming down slow 13 points first Psa test hope after 6 treatments Psa will be very low and stay there for severL months worst problems with chemo is constipation and mouth soars no more fatigue than xtandi good luck keep up the fight