How long does PSA stay down after chemo?

[Newyork6264]

Just finished my tenth session of taxotere. It dropped my PSA over 80% to under 5 and my alk Phos over 80% to 61. The doc wants me to take a few months off the have my body recover. The last two sessions kicked the stuffing out of me. For those that have had Taxotere how long did you see your drop in PSA last after your last session? I’m hoping to get a couple of months of stable PSA out of the treatments.

[DarkEnergy]

Wow, 10 sessions, I only took 6 Taxotere shots, after #4 started to feel fatigue, but felt good about attacking the cancer!

My Dx PSA 1000+, large tumors making me scream when urinating, then after a few days of Lupron injection (before chemo) all symptoms relieved.

I'm currently PSA <0.02 after chemo for a year now, not on any meds, it takes awhile for Lupron to reduce, my cancer was/is hormone sensitive, my next move, should I pump T?

[Hidden]

It took me 12,13 months for my PSA to bottom out ((0.03) after chemo.

[Newyork6264 in reply to Hidden]

So your PAA kept dropping after Chemo was done?

[Hidden in reply to Newyork6264]

Sorry, I should have posted my PSA when I finished with my chemo, it was 0.6, from 850. It took 12, 13 months to slowly decrease to 0.03. I continued on Lupron and Casodex after I finished my 6 Taxotere infusions. 6 years later my PSA is less than 0.1. I'm currently on Lupron and Zytiga, into my 7th year with metastatic prostate cancer.

[Newyork6264 in reply to Hidden]

Great results. My PSA stopped at 5 after chemo from 30. Previously Zytiga took it down from 260 to 5 then it went back up. My onc said 5 might be my baseline since I still have my prostate. I hoping for it to at least stay stable for awhile. Next treatment in his mind is Jevtana if PSA rises or scans show progression. Chemo did heal some bone mets and got rid of my soft tissue tumors. Sorry rambled a little here.

[Hidden in reply to Newyork6264]

Not a problem. We had a member here who sadly passed on several years ago. He fought metastatic cancer for 12 years and his PSA never fell below 2.

[DarkEnergy in reply to Hidden]

Has your doc mentioned to go off meds? I'm Just 2 years into this, from PSA 1000+ to PSA <0.02, I'm off meds now for 3 months (Lupron/Prednisone) per suggested by my doc. Next month will do labs, lets see what my T is at to know what's happening.

[Newyork6264 in reply to DarkEnergy]

Not until he sees if PSA stabilizes for awhile. Here’s hoping. Would even love a summer with just Lupron.

[dockam]

Hi, had 15 Taxotere sessions (MO went outside box, gave me 9 more than protocol) PSA was at 840.2 and dropped to 0.7 in 12/2015 with a nadir of 0.1 in the Summer of 2017.Now back on Taxotere as PSA went up to 9.6 in 12/2020 tho was on Abiraterone and Xtandi the entire year.

With one more of 6 to go, the PSA back down to 4.2.

Will have another Axumin scan to see if the 2 one cm lymph nodes have resolved

Fight on

Randy

[pka21]

In our case, after Abiraterone (2.2 yr), started Docetaxel with PSA 15 (March 20), it dropped to 10 ->7 ->4.6 after 9 cycle (Sept 20).Then it started increasing 4.6 -> 6.9 (Dec ) -> 15 (Feb 21), so started Cabaxitazel in Feb 21.

[Newyork6264 in reply to pka21]

How is the Cabaxitazel working for you?

[pka21 in reply to Newyork6264]

4 days back after our 3rd cycle, we have checked PSA , it was 13.64 However Dr. had recommended to check after 4 cycle.

Dad is tolerating the chemo well and continue with his daily routine life. He is also on some pain medicine from 5 months.

So current plan is to continue max 10 cycle if he is/will tolerating well and then next for Lu177 or Enzalutamide.

[Zetabow]

My first round of Chemo my PSA was 1386 when I finished the 6th round it was 0.028 and my Lymph node had reduced by 2.5cm, it lasted 11 months before PSA started to rise which was half way through Radium 223 treatment, they stopped the Radium and switched me to Zytiga and it was working at first but by month 3 my PSA had jumped to 360. I'm back on Chemo and 3rd round has got my PSA down to 70 and has also improved my blood numbers, I'm not sure how long it will last this time but the Oncologist thinks my options are very limited now as it seems to find it's way around whatever else they throw at it.

Just got to keep positive and my fingers crossed. Now I'm feeling better I'm trying to get some fitness back by walking everyday, it's not been easy as I still run out of steam pretty quickly but my theory is the stronger I am the better chance I have of coping with treatments, I get the impression people who lose this battle is because they just cannot handle the treatments anymore, trying hard not to end up in that position, I have my age to help, two years ago at diagnosis I was 55 and pro sportsman, I feel my fitness played a big part in helping me recover from the first ADT. Chemo treatments.

[Newyork6264 in reply to Zetabow]

Good luck with the fight. Thanks for input.

[dadzone43]

crystal ball question. No one of us can answer this with any accuracy or specificity.

[Woodstock82]

In my case, Lupron had already dropped my PSA dramatically by the time I got started with Taxotere. At my first infusion my PSA was 7.28. At my last infusion my PSA was 2.87. It dropped some more after that, my nadir was two months later at 1.54. Then it started rising slowly. It took seven months to double, which is when I started abiraterone (Zytiga) plus prednisone plus cabazitaxel. Had my last cabazitaxel session a month ago, got the PSA down to 0.1, and I'm hoping to get more than seven months this time before having to think about what to try next.

Good luck!

[Newyork6264]

Well not great news. First blood test 5 weeks after finishing 10 sessions of chemo showed my PSA rising from 5 to 7.85 and alt Phos from 61 to 91. This is depressing. I was hoping for a few months of lower PSA.

[MarkBC]

I was diagnosed with a PSA of 103. It dropped quickly after I started ADT and chemo and then continued a slow decline to a nadir of 0.17 about a year after diagnosis. I have heard that it is good to have a long slow decline. I continued on ADT injections for about 2 years. During that time, my PSA bounced around a little but always stayed below 1.0. Two months ago, when it reached 1.0, my oncologist added bicalutamide which has brought my PSA back down to 0.17.

Best of luck to you.