Post-Docetaxel: Holding Steady

[spouse21]

DX 2014: GL9, 3.32 (high Gleason, low PSA; PSA not always a good indicator)

Cue the trumpets: Two weeks after my 76-year old husband completed 10 Docetaxel infusions, his bone and CT scans show that his mets remain stable. They have now been stable since October, 2019 when he started the chemo slog after Zytiga failed within four months. The 10th chemo infusion was 5/25/20.

Per Dr. Matthew Smith at Mass General, coordinating with our local MGH oncologist, my husband received 7 full doses of Docetaxel then 3 doses @ 75% strength. The infusions were the usual three weeks apart. (Anyone else on HU get this kind of full-strength, then reduced strength combo?)

He still has some residual neuropathy despite icing of hands and feet. He hopes to feel less tired soon, though fatigue doesn’t deter him from doing regular 20-25 mile bike rides several times a week. Like many guys here, he stays in good shape so he can get really sick! He’s still on Lupron, getting Xgeva, and weaning off Prednisone.

PSAs since 10/2019: .66 .69 .77 (chemo started) .60 .51 .39 .32

ALPs since 8/2019: 173, 42, 42, 39, 40, 39

SCANS:

10/21/19 right before chemo: Bone scan: "Appearance generally similar to 8/19 scans.”

CT scan chest, abdomen, etc: “Abdomen pelvis: no evidence of metastic disease in pelvis, abdomen; possible liver cysts”

3/2/2020 "generally stable" PSA still low; liver cysts shrunk so possibly they were liver mets

6/3/20:

Bone: “Stable appearance of the skeleton with multiple areas of skeletal metastatic disease in the spine and pelvis but no evidence of new or clearly progressive disease.”

CT chest, abdomen, etc. “No evidence of progression of disease.”

Will get scanned again in three months. Thank you all for your encouragement and advice throughout the chemo. Have a good weekend.

[LearnAll]

PSA and ALP are generally very good indicators in plain adenocarcinoma of prostate.

These biomarkers may not be good indicators in uncommon subtypes such as small cell, ductal, neuroendocrine etc. The facts is that almost 92% of all prostate cancers are plain acinar adenocarcinomas. However, with heavy and long term ADT use coverts 20% of adenocarcinomas into neuroendocrine variety.

Spouse21, your spouse is responding to treatment well. Wish you and him continued success. Let him ride bike as much as he can safely ride. It does help slow growth of cancer. . There is a study I believe from Italy that PCa men who played soccer daily lived longer than those who did not .

[Tall_Allen]

Great response!

[ctflatlander]

Great response! I'm also 76 gl 8 and I may go on the Doci therapy with my next rise in psa. I enjoy my biking trips here in northern Vt and get out as often weather permits.

[j-o-h-n]

They're cued:

youtube.com/watch?v=eN2oeCF...(Not working as expected?)

Congrats!!!

Good Luck, Good Health and Good Humor.

j-o-h-n Sunday 06/14/2020 11:22 PM DST

[spouse21]

Thank you for posting that link, John. We take all "good" news with a grain of salt/caution/realism, etc. but we're letting ourselves feel relieved right now.

[Hidden]

“ No evidence of progression “ That is great . Good job just getting through chemo. His exercise level is amazing . Keep up the good work . I hope this will be a break for you both now . Keep the faith!🙏

[spouse21]

Thanks, Whimpy. He's going through predinsone withdrawal right now, which worse than predicted but forced himself to go out for a 20-mile ride today. He came back with a quart of our local strawberries. So that's the PCa roller coaster for today.

[Hidden in reply to spouse21]

I’ve yet to experience prednisone. Strawberries make up for it