Docetaxel treatment update

[easeytiger]

I thought it would be interesting to share results from my first 5 sessions of chemo and maybe get some thoughts.

Cycle 1, 2, 4 and 5 have been mainly low impact from side effects, fatigue is always tough through days 3-7 but after a week the energy comes back. I've hopefully mitigated any neuropathy by using hand and feet ice packs my nails appear normal and no feet tingling that some guys reports. I've definitely noticed fewer shoulder aches, but those melted away after cycle one. I had one scan after cycle 3 and due another after cycle 6 to view disease progression/reduction.

My PSA has never reacted to treatment in a sharp way, with numbers as follows:

Pre chemo 47

Cycle 1. 55

Cycle 2. 35

Cycle 3. 112

Cycle 4. 78

Cycle5. 95

There has already been discussion whether to stay with chemo after cycle 6. My thoughts are that it's not working in a dramatic way but very conscious of burning through treatments. Xtandi, radium 223 or Thorium would be my next choices.

[Schwah]

Why not go to Zytega with adt? That’s become a frontline treatment with proven effectiveness.

Schwah

[easeytiger in reply to Schwah]

Zytiga was my first treatment after diagnosis. Got me from PSA of 55 to 18 after 7 months. I ended treatment to go on a trial although not convinced I was done with it.

[Schwah in reply to easeytiger]

So no indication you were no longer hormone sensitive? Maybe you go back to the Zytega

[Chugach in reply to easeytiger]

Zytiga and ADT worked for me for a year- it’s a good drug, better than Taxotere. Xtandi did not work at all for me - stopped after a month

[Chugach]

Hmm thanks for posting. I’m currently doing Docetaxel (having already done Lupron, prior chemo (different mix), radiation, Zytiga, high T clinical trial, & Xtandi ) to compare:

Pre docetaxel - psa 90

After cycle 1 - PSA 122

They told me they would make the call if the psa was not dropping by cycle 4 or 5.

But then what the hell is left???

[Chugach in reply to Chugach]

One more question for docetaxel: arm or port?????? I want some feedback. They say my veins are scarred from cycle 1. What do you guys prefer

[easeytiger in reply to Chugach]

Arm has been fine for me. I hope to rechallenge abiraterone, try enzalutamide, radium 223, possibly Thorium and cabazitaxol. If I'm lucky enough to kick the can down the road, there may be something else on the table by then. Fingers crossed.

[BarronS in reply to Chugach]

Did xtandi work at all? Because I've seen mixed things after zytiga.

[easeytiger in reply to BarronS]

Enzalutamide is xtandi.

[BarronS in reply to easeytiger]

I know. But abiraterone is zytiga. So I was just wondering if xtandi worked for him after zytiga.

[greatjohn]

After my 6 cycles of chemo I had dropped dramatically to under 1 0

Didn't last long, a couple months, before it started inching up. DID Prov and started Xtandi...dropped again. Within about 3 or 4 months it started back up again. Scans were good, then a little growth...

I am just past my year mark with it. PSA was up to 3.00

I'm waiting for results of axumin pet scan next Tuesday...and another PSA.

Like you, nothing seems to last very long for me. 🤔

Lupron might be effective longer for you and it, for me, was fairly tolerable.

All the best,

gJohn

[Tall_Allen]

I think the Thorium trial at Royal Marsden is very promising. Even if the chelate lets go when it decays into Ra223, it can still be picked up by bone mets (like Xofigo), so it's like getting two treatments in one:

pcnrv.blogspot.com/2018/10/...

[easeytiger in reply to Tall_Allen]

I am hopeful too. I know someone who will be on this trial later this year, so will be watching closely.