Successful treatments after RP, IMRT, and Taxotere?

[ron_bucher]

Anyone aware of examples of long term remissions (years not months) in advanced cases after RP, IMRT, AND Taxotere treatments (that is an "and" not an "or")?

[Hidden]

Hey ron_bucher. No two of us are the same . We have many men that haves long outlived the Doctors original projections. If you’re looking for stats . Don’t. We are all individuals and we all take treatments differently. I’m not a Doctor or expert even. I’m a guy that’s lived five years after stage#4 non op dx. I did double adt and imrt. That put me in remission for over four years now. I’m still on a pill form

Of adt . I did an orchiectomy in 2017 to drop the Lupron shots. You’ve been thru a barrage already . Live right and enjoy what you can now. There are no guarantees for any of us.. Please don’t feed to hard on negative stats . You can always do better . Keep the ball rolling and don’t think of the distant future or the past . Live for today ! Take care Ron. You will figure it out as you go . Good luck 👍

[ron_bucher in reply to Hidden]

Thanks. I appreciate your thoughts. I’m a realist and a few years beyond morale boosters. My problem is that I’m ignorant about whether there are any potentially successful systemic treatments besides ADT.

[Hidden in reply to ron_bucher]

Well Ron . I understand . I’m in the same boat . Five years on adt .. my doc has no plans to change course ...some talk about dropping adt and using estrodial instead . Look into that . You’re not ignorant . Adt has been the mainstay for decades . Whoo hoo ! What a ride ?

[ron_bucher]

My reason for asking is that ADT destroys my quality of life and I’ve not heard of other successful “long term” remissions with any other drugs.

[Hidden in reply to ron_bucher]

Here we are 😎

[Hidden in reply to ron_bucher]

I relate .

[tallguy2]

I can't speak for you or anyone with Gleason 7 disease.

What I can say that the word "remission" isn't in my vocabulary with Gleason 9 disease. My one-off experience with Gleason 9 disease, having had RP, ADT, IMRT, Taxotere, Provenge, a second round of IMRT, and now a combo of abiraterone and apalutamide on a Phase II clinical trial: the PSA has never gone back to undetectable since becoming castrate-resistant 3 years ago. I will be on ADT for the duration.

I am 8 years into this journey and plan on many, many more.

The data are there: clinical trials show that these treatments extend life and can help with quality of life in the later years. It is true that libido goes down the toilet once you start ADT.

If you can live with zero libido then I suggest that you proceed in partnership with a top-notch oncologist.

[ron_bucher in reply to tallguy2]

I have two top notch oncologists. One is Mark Scholz. Libido is not my concern. My concerns include loss of energy, losing muscle mass, gaining weight, losing bone density, and increased risk for cardiac issues. Nine months of Lupron introduced me to all of the above.

[tallguy2 in reply to ron_bucher]

I understand now. After nearly 8 years on Lupron/Eligard I can tell you it's no picnic but exercise you must. Until COVID-19 I was an avid lap swimmer. Now I have to hike up a mountain to get the heart rate up.

The belly fat is indeed a problem thanks to Eligard. Diet can help, as can giving up adult beverages. That's where I draw the line

[fmh1]

Ron and others, I was diagnosed in 2015, T2a, Gleason 7 (4+3) and have since undergone hormone shot/external beam radiation/brachytherapy, only to have the PSA jump to 9.5 in 2019, resulting in chemo with taxotere and then Eligard/degarelix. As a 30-year insulin-dependent diabetic at age 62, my blood sugar, blood pressure and cholesterol levels have skyrocketed, even though the PSA is still undetectable. I am exploring alternative treatmens and clinical trials as much as possible.

[ron_bucher in reply to fmh1]

I would be interested in clinical trials on immunological treatments. I think my immune system needs help, because had one melanoma and two squamous cell carcinomas shortly after my first recurrence of PCa in 2007. Fortunately, those were in situ and I've had no recurrences of those. In addition, I had a golf ball size bunch of polyps (benign) grow in my maxillary sinus while I was on Taxotere. After removal, polyps grew back which required another sinus surgery. I'm hoping for a breakthrough in immunology in the next few years.