Cancer Recurrence After Radiation/Chemo

[fmh1]

I had external beam radiation and brachytherapy in 2016, then chemo in 2019; 18 months after chemo and still undetectable PSA, a bone scan revealed a cancerous spinal lesion, which was radiated with five treatments in April, 2020. Even though PSA is still undetectable, we must continually monitor.

[SPEEDYX]

Yes...My MO issues scans once a year to see what is happening even if all is stable!!!

[samahieb in reply to SPEEDYX]

Same here.....

[Tall_Allen]

I noticed in your profile that diabetes is an issue for you and you are looking for a Firmagon alternative. In an early trial of estrogen patches, fasting glucose was reduced in men using estrogen patches, whereas it increased in men using GnRH agonists (like Eligard). You may wish to discuss this with your oncologist:

thelancet.com/journals/lano...

[fmh1 in reply to Tall_Allen]

Thanks, I will definitely look into it!

[podsart in reply to Tall_Allen]

You have discussed various scan’s ability to see anything at different PSA levels. Leaving aside using , say a FDG to look for non PSA Pca, what scan would effectively see anything at a PSA at undetectable levels?

Even with a PSMA, I thought ones PSA has to be materially above undetectable levels.

[Tall_Allen in reply to podsart]

Where did you get the idea that I thought any PET scan is good if you have undetectable PSA?

[podsart in reply to Tall_Allen]

Must have misunderstood.

Thought there was a table that showed minimum PSA for finding metastasis, for each type scan , including PSMA

[j-o-h-n]

Gretings,

Tell us your bio please. Age? Location? Treatment center(s)? Doctor's name(s)? Thank You!!!

All info is voluntary, but it helps us help you and helps us too. If you do respond copy and paste it in your home page for your use and for other members’ reference.

Good Luck, Good Health and Good Humor.

j-o-h-n Tuesday 10/13/2020 7:48 PM DST

[fmh1 in reply to j-o-h-n]

Sure, I am 62 and was originally diagnosed as a T2a, Gleason 7 (4+3), in 2015, at which time I was treated with Firmagon, 25 external beam radiations, followed by brachytherapy with 66 seeds in Denver at The Urology Center of Colorado. PSA remained undetectable until 2019, when it quickly rose to 3.3 --- which the doctors at first thought was a "PSA bounce" --- to 9.5, at which time I was treated with chemo at the Rocky Mountain Cancer Centers/St. Anthony. About 18 months after the chemo, PSA is again undetectable, but a cancerous lesion appeared on my spine during my annual full body/bone scan. I was treated in April with five spinal radiation treatments. PSA is still undetectable, so my next bone scan will tell if the spinal lesion is gone.

[j-o-h-n]

Thank you for your prompt and detailed reply. If I did my math right you were diagnosed at age 57, a mere youngster. Was it via a routine psa exam or were you having symptoms. I only ask since you were a young whipersnapper (normally the past is the past and we can't do anything about it).

We are glad you are here where lots of info is available. Hopefully your next bone scan will tell you that your spinal lesion is gone!!! Keep posting here..... it's for free although you'll have to put up with my silly humor. Kill those tiny bastards.....

Good Luck, Good Health and Good Humor.

j-o-h-n Wednesday 10/14/2020 2:36 PM DST

[fmh1 in reply to j-o-h-n]

j-o-h-n, I started having some urinary symptoms and went to see my family doctor, who did the usual prostate exam as part of my annual physical, and I then was referred to a urologist, who did the biopsy, resulting as a T2a and Gleason 7 (4+3), for which they then scheduled radiation and brachytherapy. Sadly, it came back with a vengeance four years later. Keep up the good humor, I like it!

[j-o-h-n]

Hate to see that it came back "with a vengeance". Just sit tight and make sure you have a good Pca oncologist. I am a customer (don't call patients, patients anymore, we are customers) at Sloan Nettering in NYC.... one of the best cancer hospitals in the US maybe even the whole world. I see so many (non US) people from all over the world there...I think it would be benefical to go there....

Good Luck, Good Health and Good Humor.

j-o-h-n Thursday 10/15/2020 6:38 PM DST