Hello. I was diagnosed in early October 2018. I came around to this prostate cancer thing in a very unusual route. It started with a cough. Around the middle of July of 2018 I started to develop a slight cough that was dry and non-productive. I had been treated by an allergist/asthma MD for the last few years prior and had been receiving monthly allergy shots with great success. I did not think much of the cough until the middle of August, when I decided to see my allergist to help alleviate the persistent and very annoying cough. He checked my lungs, did the usual spirometry tests etc. and decided that a Prednisone burst with an inhaled corticosteroid would do the trick. After two weeks when this do not work, he sent me for a chest x-ray which showed mediastinal lymphendopathy. This lead to a CT scan of the chest, which lead to a visit with my PCP who referred me to a Pulmonologist. On the way out the door, my PCP says "let's check your PSA, your 52 and at that age". The PSA came back as 146 and the pulmonologist did a biopsy of the lymph nodes and a trip to a urologist determined my prostate was indeed hardened. The biopsy did show cancer and was determined to be metastatic prostate cancer. My final stop on this journey was with a MO who started me on Lupron with Casodex. I will be starting Zytiga with prednisone and Xgeva. We added the Xgeva because there is apparently a "suspect" area in my right femur. The odd piece is that my Lymph Nodes are exteemly enlarged in my chest cavity, and I am told this is a very unusual presentation. I have no pain, no urinary problems, no ejaculation issues and no other issues commonly associated with prostate cancer. We felt the best course of action is to do the hormonal therapy. I really do not have any specific questions and only wanted to share my unusual route. Does anyone else have a similar story and what did you do?
Peace.
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Sherpa111
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Very similar in part to my husbands diagnosis too. Some difference in the urinary part in that his actually was very slow. But the cough part, that came first too. But being asthmatic he was already on inhalers. But his turned to bronchitis for 4 months without clearing with all the usual antibiotics. Chest xrays were clear so can’t compare that to yours. His prostate is hardened also. He is on Lupron depots every three months and zytiga with prednisone. Just started third shot last week but sadly all his PSA numbers are doubling and the urinary tract is closing again.
I pray for you and all those on here daily. This is a very tough battle for all.
Is there any evidence of prostate cancer in your lung lymph nodes?
My husband has been asymptomatic for the entire 18 years since diagnosis except for the damage inflicted by the various treatments. His pCa eventually showed up in his lungs and lung lymph nodes.
My lungs are clear. Lymph nodes around the lung all the way to the abdominal cavity are enlarged. And only on the left side. I am starting Lupron along with Zytiga and prednisone. Prayers to you and your husband. Peace.
Your story is an interesting example of how the first indication of cancer often appears in an organ far from the site where the cancer originated. With prostate cancer that seems to be the most common case. Metastasis to the lungs is not uncommon though I think metastasis to the bones and bone pain is probably a more common place for the first bothersome symptoms to appear.
I hope you have a good response to the hormone therapy. As you can see from mjbach's reply, there are men who are alive for many years after diagnosis. The number of men who survive and the number of years of survival are steadily rising as more research keeps producing more new treatments.
FYI As I've posted before, besides my Pca I have stage 4 (IV if you're Roman) lung melanoma which is being treated with Keytruda and MSKcc and it's working.
I have to ask....does the cough have any connection to the PCa. I recently discovered that I have bone metastasis and lymph node issues. I also developed an annoying dry non productive cough last summer. Just wondering.
Yes the cough was directly related to the PCa as my lymph nodes were enlarged from neck to abdomen due to the PCa Mets. My treatments have greatly reduced the enlargement and the cough is gone. Taking Lupron, Zytiga and prednisone. Best to you as well. Peace.
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