Big concern

[Fight11]

What makes you castrate resistant early on? My husband was only diagnosed about 18 months ago and already is!!! Seems like being castrate resistant puts a whole new spin on things!!! Also very worrisome. Doesn’t seem like there is a lot of treatment that lasts very long.

[Magnus1964]

That is a very short time to become castrate resistant. What treatments has he received?

Castrate resistant means Pca no longer responds to low testosterone.

[Fight11 in reply to Magnus1964]

He is going on Zytiga and prednisone. He has only been on Lupron!!! This is why I’m so nervous. I just fear he won’t have a long life with this

[Magnus1964 in reply to Fight11]

Maybe he should start with casodex then move on to zytiga. Does he have any bone met?

[Fight11 in reply to Magnus1964]

Yes three areas

[Magnus1964 in reply to Fight11]

Then he may be eligible for zofigo.

[Fight11 in reply to Magnus1964]

What is that?

[Magnus1964 in reply to Fight11]

It's a once per month injection of radium 223 which is absorbed into the bone am kills the cancer.

[Fight11 in reply to Magnus1964]

Does it work pretty well?

[Magnus1964 in reply to Fight11]

I am on the treatment now next month is my last of six. I haven't had any scans yet. I will let everyone know.

[Fight11 in reply to Magnus1964]

🙏🙏🙏🙏

[Magnus1964 in reply to Fight11]

Thanks, I need all the prayers I can get.

[Fight11 in reply to Magnus1964]

I’m praying for all of you!!! Breaks my heart

[Hidden in reply to Magnus1964]

We are all

Pulling for you mangnus..I’m praying that it works well for you .🙏

[Magnus1964 in reply to Hidden]

Thanks

[Hidden in reply to Magnus1964]

🙏😷

[pjoshea13]

16 years ago at age 56, I read a lot of papers on PubMed that began with "... unfortunately, ADT fails within 18-24 months for most men."

Which is why I delayed Lupron until I needed it for palliation.

The boiler plate wording still applies to "classic" ADT.

But Abiraterone [Zytiga] or Enzalutamide [Xtandi] can still be effective.

Those too are effective for a limited period for most men. But, unlike 16 years ago, there are still treatment options after Abi/Enza failure.

There are men who beat the odds & will argue that they have been on androgen-related therapy for many years, but the majority do not get to report success stories.

Apologies if this response is a downer, but many men have been in your husband's situation, & fortunately, there are options for men with CRPC today.

Best to you both, -Patrick

[Tall_Allen]

It varies a lot. The cancer is actively changing. There are lots of good treatments for casration-resistant PC and many clinical trials.

[Doggedness]

Have you heard of Bipolar Androgen Therapy? It might be worth asking the doctor about it. I think that the resistance is part of the cancer being 'clever' and developing ways around the low testosterone. If I understand the Bipolar Androgen Therapy (BAT) correctly, I think one way the cancer gets around the low testosterone, the cells can increase the numbers of testosterone receptors on their surface, so if a man, who has become castrate resistant, is given a surge of testosterone, these super-sensitive cells are destroyed, leaving the person in a position where he can go back onto his hormone therapy!

[Hidden]

At 53 years old, I was diagnosed with Gleason 9 PC and my PSA was only 18...I had a radical prostectomy in November 2017...they start checking PSA about 10 - 12 weeks after an RP...the first was 1.2, the second (one month later) was 2.3 they put me on Firmagon...and no effect. I was castrate resistant right out of the gate! About 2 months later, I started taking Erleada and it worked...the PSA dropped to undetectable in about 3 months time....Erleada is not a cure, but it did work for me. I stopped taking it last October (2019) because the side effects were getting worse by the day. I then started Taxotere in January (2020) because I was told that Taxotere while undetectable statistically increases survival. I finished the Taxotere in May and remained undetectable until July...Now my PSA is slowly rising (I'm still on Firmagon). Last PSA was .54. Still low, but heading in the wrong direction.

That said, I remain really positive...there's a lot of new drugs coming out...I start Provenge next week, and then I think I'll go to Darolutamide. I hope the combination drops the PSA to undetectable.

Bottom line, it's scary, but I firmly believe I can live with this condition for a long time. Stay on top of it, ask questions, and make sure no stone is left unturned.

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

I too was 53, gleason 8 , high PSA 20 .. “no stone unturned” Imlike it! Good luck

[Hidden]

I’ve read these pages over three years now. I see there is no real heads or tails to why one man goes resistant quickly while others do not ..Some have gone 12 yrs on Lupron then an uptick. With stage #4 we are told it’s inevitable.. Unfortunately, we can never say “ I won ” with PC. I’m sorry for this for him. Now a days there are a few options for him . I’m not a dr. Think there is more to be done in his favor. Whatever happens keep plugging away at it . I believe he can push it down . The dr shall figure a way . You two aren’t alone on this voyage. We are on the same ship . Some at different stages ? but all in the same leaky vessel .. Be strong . 🙏🙏🙏

[Fight11]

🙏🙏🙏🙏

[Hidden]

Same boat for me as I was termed CR after roughly 18 months. I am on my second treatment since going CR. Number 5 Radium 223 coming up. Then it sounds like Carboplatin, then followed by PARP inhibitors. Might be a good time for genome testing for mutations. It could possibly open up other treatments for you. I am feeling pretty good overall. Still fishing in the Pacific Ocean and NW rivers and walking 2 hours this morning.