Has Docetaxel not worked for any of you?

[roseanduwe]

My husband just finished 3rd cycle of docetaxel and was scheduled for the fourth this week. Ct scans and bone scans last week showed enormous progression of the disease and psa jumped to 1900 - up 300 in just 3 weeks. Multiple bone, lymph and now liver Mets. Docetaxel is not working! We are now scheduled to start cabazitaxel next week. Still on Eligard. Just praying we see some slowing in disease progression. It is a beast! When cabazitaxel stops working we’ll be on to LU-177 or possibly other drug trials available in Canada. I’m just wondering if this is common for some when given docetaxel?

[Hidden]

Have you been on a second-line ADT drug such as Zytiga (Abiraterone) or Xtandi (Enzalutamide)?

[roseanduwe in reply to Hidden]

Yes he was on XTANDI for about six months in addition to Lupron until it stopped working.

[MelaniePaul]

Hi there.

I am so sorry to hear this. It sounds like your husband's disease is very aggressive. It was the same for my husband. Docetaxol didn't work and he was changed to Carbo Platin which, at least here in Ireland, is the second line Chemotherapy drug particularly given when there are organ mets.

Hoping and praying that the Chemotherapy will help to control the disease for your husband.

Mel.

[Tjc1 in reply to MelaniePaul]

Hi Mel nice to see you.!

[roseanduwe in reply to MelaniePaul]

Thanks Melanie. Wishing you nothing but good results in your husband’s 2nd line of treatment. We start our 2nd line of cabazitaxel this Friday. 🤞🏼

[Drgucancer]

Its sounds like your husbands prostate cancer has has developed whats called neuroendocrine features which makes it act more aggressive and often spread to places like the liver. Often recommended to add a drug like Carboplatin to the Cabazitaxel. I do think the Lu 177 would be a good option. There are newer radiopharmaceutical agents coming also ie thorium and actinium. I hope this helps!

[Hidden]

I agree with the above comments, looks like treatment-related neuroendocrine PC may have developed. Carboplatin along with Etoposide is typically used. Something to discuss with your doctor. The doctor may also suggest adding Carboplatin to Cabazitaxel.

[roseanduwe in reply to Hidden]

Starting cabazitaxel next week. Thx.

[Stelle]

I hated the side effects. When after a few months on it my PSA started to rise again my oncologist switched me to Xtandi and now I feel as good as I ever have in my life and my last PSA was .07 after six months.

[paulofaus]

I'm not sure Docetaxel worked very well for me. My PSA did drop, from about 1.0 to 0.69, but soon after chemo finished, it started rising rapidly. When it got to 3.6 I was moved on to Xtandi, which dropped PSA back below 1. I've also had a biopsy, showing I now have evidence of small cell neuroendocrine PC, which has probably been brought on by the treatment. I hope to do Lu177 in a few months, which I hope will slow down the PSMA avid disease, but it's unclear if it will help with the small-cell type, which tends to behave like lung cancer and may respond to lung cancer chemo.

[ronnie1943]

Hi, yes Docetaxel did not work for my husband, finished twelve treatments plus twenty five radiation treatments. PSA started rising soon after, cat scan found cancer in three lymph nodes . My husband is now on a targated therapy drug, the side effects are have been rough. We are going for another cat scan the end of the month. 🙏🏻

Everyones cancer is unique to them but we are all

Fighter this "beast together" !!

Best wishes for you and your husband. Keep us updated

Sincerely, Lynn

[roseanduwe in reply to ronnie1943]

I agree we must fight as warriors to calm the “beast”. Praying the targeted therapies work for your husband! 🙏🏻

[pinejogave]

I feel your pain I had my 5th Docetaxel infusion yesterday.PSA was 90 when I started chemo currently @ 190 Multiple bone Mets. I will discuss your strategy with my MO. Thoughts and prayers

[roseanduwe]

I pray that your MO changes up your therapy. We r so lucky scans were repeated after only 3 cycles of treatment as psa has tripled in just 4 months. Onto Cabazitaxel as many that don’t respond to Docetaxol have better success on this therapy. Be proactive in your choice of treatment. 🙏🏻

[RonPavluvcik]

Docetaxel did not work for me either. Mets got worse, and PSA climbed rapidly. So my Onc switched me to a different chemo called JEVTANA. That did not work either. So then I started with chemo CARBOPLATIN. Didn't work either. I had severe fatigue and shortness of breath from the 3 chemo drugs. Had to be hospitalized to get my strength back.

Finally, I gave up on chemo, and am now being tested to see if I am eligible for a clinical trial that involves the drug (pill) called OLAPARIB. Google this info for details "NCI-2016-01346"........Ron in Connecticut

[roseanduwe in reply to RonPavluvcik]

So sorry to hear that 3 chemo drugs have not worked. It can be so discouraging. Have you checked into any immunotherapy drugs or LU-177? I know there are trials running all over the US.

[Amandaslp78 in reply to RonPavluvcik]

Hello! I just saw this post and was curious to see how you are doing in the clinical trial. Trying to get more info on the next step due to my Dad’s rising PSA on Docetaxel.

[RonPavluvcik]

Will be starting the olaparib trial next week...if doesn't help, will look into other options...

[Amandaslp78 in reply to RonPavluvcik]

Hi! Checking to see how this worked?

[Dalph87]

Docetaxel worked for my father, he went for 6 cycles in 6 months (1 x month basically) and the chemo drug successfully got rid of all his enlarged lymph nodes and also controlled both the growth and spread of the disease, then it stopped working. The MO said though that he gave a low dose to my father and to consider it like an early chemo (so he might try for a rechallenge with higher dose or a cocktail later if necessary), that's probably why my father had minimal side effects.

PSA while on Docetaxel ranged between 5-15, when it reached 15 the combo Zytiga + Prednisone was started, that was 3 and a half months ago, Zytiga has knocked the PSA down to 3 and it's been staying like that so far thankfully.

[ontheroad589]

Yes and no. My first 6 infusions when I was first diagnosed was very positive- went from 658 at Dx on 4-25-16 to below 2 by Halloween 2016. It has climbed since then - had a few months of reduction down as we tried rechallenges with Casodex, which worked for 2 months, then Zytiga, which worked for 3 months and then started doubling every month, then Xtandi which never dropped the PSA - then back to Docetaxel this past January.

When I finally got back to the chemo after 15 months, PSA had gone up to 2250. It has dropped as far as 767 in June, but is inching up even as I get treatments, now at 10 and counting. PSA is up to 1025...so scans in 2 weeks. If no soft tissue involvement, we are doing the 223 protocol for 6 months, then re-challenge with Jevtana.

[Hidden]

You mentioned LU 177. Where would you seek that treatment? I have read about the clinical trials but there are 2 arms. Since you cannot be certain to get the drug, the other arm standard of care would be useless to me. Therefore they said I was not a candidate for the trail.

[roseanduwe in reply to Hidden]

You can travel to Germany, England or Australia for the LU-177. I know that dr. Alameda in Phoenix AZ is running a trial with onl y the LU-177 being administered. No placebo.

[Hidden in reply to roseanduwe]

I am not having any luck finding his information on line. Can you please tell me who is he affiliated with?

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Got it different spelling. Thanks

[Amandaslp78]

Good afternoon! Just wanted to see how your husband is doing and what he is currently on? I guess I’m just very nervous, my dad is 76 and just started his first round of chemo. He did not respond to hormone therapy and I just want to make sure there are options after chemo. I do understand there are options for clinical trials available for him through his hospital at Johns Hopkins.

[roseanduwe in reply to Amandaslp78]

Unfortunately he lost the battle 3 months ago. I have not really posted anything about his death as it is still too difficult. Chemo didn’t touch the aggressive state of his cancer and he was so ill so quickly we couldn’t travel to explore other options.

[Oncleharib]

Hi! I’m sorry to hear those numbers, but after Lupron Depot was losing the PSA race we decided to try Docetaxil, it is a unique methodology to induce cellular Apoptosis(suicide of the cells), but it wasn’t going forward with the PSA, so abiteride acetate will be begun today, not certain that one is going to be a great idea. We discussed the combination of both drugs and and see if they have a good effect. My oncologist and I have a rapport, vonsiders me an associate because of my medical background. Are those PSA values a bit skewed? A factor of 10 higher?