We live in Dublin, Ohio does anyone on here know where to find the closest Auximen Scan?
I posted recently hubby’s PSA rose from below 0.03 undetectable to O.15.
I know he has to be a certain number for the scan to show anything. And I know this is the most sensitive scan.
Just trying to get all our information now...
I apologize now for my spelling..
Stephanie
At .15, an axumin scan is not going to show anything--needs to be above 1...I would wait and get the Ga68 PSMA scan when it gets above .2 and that may show where the issue is and treat it...How long off ADT?? The closest PSMA scan may be at Johns Hopkins--you could look for clinical trials and try to enroll....
cancer.gov/about-cancer/tre...
Good luck...
Don Pescado
Off ADT since April it was given in Jan a six month shot and the Testerone level just rose from 18 to 225.
As well as the PSA
As stated below in my second response, talk to an RO, look at the information I posted there...I went with the information you posted.....Sorry to hear about the climbing values....Good luck...and thanking your husband for his service...Take care...
Don Pescado
Insurance probably won't cover it until PSA reaches at least 0.2. Here's how you can find the closest:
axumin.com/imaging-center-l...
If he is considering SRT, it is a very bad idea to wait.
As I stated previously, at a PSA of .15, the odds of detection are not in your favor--from the Journal of Nuclear Medicine:
jnm.snmjournals.org/content...
From the article:
On a per-patient basis, 18Ffluciclovine PET sensitivity for detecting recurrent disease varies with PSA values, with reported
Downloaded from jnm.snmjournals.org by on July 17, 2019. For personal use only.7
detection rates in the post-prostatectomy biochemical failure setting of 72.0%, 83.3%, and 100%
at PSA levels < 1, 1–2, and ≥2 ng/ml respectively (24). A mixed post-prostatectomy and nonprostatectomy cohort demonstrated a 18F-fluciclovine detection rate of 37.5% at PSA < 1,
77.8% at PSA 1-2, and 91.7% at PSA > 2, and 83.3% at PSA > 5 ng/ml (25). Additional studies
have found 18F-fluciclovine detection rates ranging from 21%-38.7% at PSA values of <1 ng/mL
(26,27).
Some info on the Ga68 PSMA scan:
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...
I think with a value of .15, I would try and get into a Clinical Trial for the Ga68 PSMA scan... Talk to an RO and decide...
All the best...
Don Pescado
My Mayo M.O. held off on authorizing the Axumin scan until my PSA went from undetectable to 0.22. Insurance is covering it (Medicare + Blue Cross), and it ain’t cheap. Strangely, my single bone tumor has remained “resolved,” but the scan did show some minor uptake in the left seminal vesicle, which we are monitoring. Follow Tall Allen’s link for finding the nearest location.
That’s weird my dads was a 1.50 and we had it done. He said it was inconclusive because it didn’t show anything so that was a waste of time?
I would ask the doctor or call the imaging center and the local hospitals near you call the bigger ones and keep going.
Best of luck
Olivia
Google it and you’ll find a list of providers across the country and if he’s on Medicare ask if the facility has gotten Medicare approval. Wait until psa is 2.0 for the best results. Axumin is not the most sensitive but it’s the most available. PSMA ga 68 is more sensitive but it is not fda approved and is available in clinical trials only.
Since you’re looking for salvage radiation after failed RP don’t wait for Psa to rise! Just do it and radiate all pelvic lymph nodes as well. But find an excellent RO who does lots of prostates!
He had all pelvic lymph nodes radiated a year ago in June at The James! 40 rounds of radiation
How many grays were administered? I had 70 grays . Now that I understand his treatments here’s my take: I too waited till Psa was above 1.2 (after having all pelvic lymph nodes done with IMRT) before having axumin scan and it found a femur met which I hit with SBRT and went back on ADT3 for 13 months. If psa takes a long time to double it’s a good sign. Mine doubled in two months. So some form of ADT is necessary because there are millions of occult cells you can’t see. The use of SBRT to radiate oligomets is controversial in that it’s not been proven to extend survival.
My view has been that if there are few visible mets blast them with SBRT which is high dose radiation requiring usually only three sessions of 10 grays each. I switched to estradiol patches instead of going back on Lupron .
Your choice. I hope he has slow doubling time!
Bob
Have you contacted Ohio State University Hospital or Riverside? Good luck.
He saw the radiation Dr on Monday after finding out. Who also said retest In 30 days as well as his team at MSK in New York
Axumin is FDA approved and relatively easy to get vs PSMA which is NOT FDA approved and is done as research in the USA. Most research facilities who do PSMA studies (research studies) require a rising PSA that is at least 1.0 and often 2.0. Interestingly, these scans are already offered diagnostically in both Germany and Australia and likely other countries. Part of the USA's ongoing, most expensive, sub-par health care system. Axumin is likely the best USA test available given the present PSA .... and is likely to be negative at the present PSA. The following research article compares PSMA, C-11 Choline and Fluciclovine (aka Axumin):
Prostate cancer–specific PET radiotracers: A review on the clinical utility in recurrent disease
practicalradonc.org/article...
In this research review article there is a map of where the C-11 Choline and PSMA studies are performed ... at least at the time of the writing of the Review ... this was published in a Jan-Feb 2018 Journal.
Good Luck,
Rick
Armywife
A PSMA scan is more sensitive than Axumin.
I say this because I had both about 5 weeks apart. The Axumin found nothing while the PDMA gound 4 nodes and 1 bone met.
PSMA is available in Europe. I had mine at
Turku University Hospital in Turku, Finland.
I believe you can find a number of plaves in Germany ad well.
All the best
Docetaxel complete, waiting for scans...
3rd PSMA scan tomorrow
Latest CT Scan and Radiation
Pacemaker re scans & treatments 
Best Scan for low PSA
