Are Axumin scans worthwhile as I see many PC patients get PSMA. But little mention of Axumin scans. My local cancer center only does PET or CT scans. Axumin scan is still closer for me than PSMA in Seattle.
Should I get a scan? I’ve had no scans since 2020 My MO said we’d do scans if PSA went higher. I have micrometastatic PC he says. Castration resistant
I see my MO in late October for 90-day ADT check. I’m on Zytiga and Lupron 90-day injection. After several months of PSA rising from 0.24 to 0.36, my PSA on July 27 dropped to 0.17. Lowest ever since diagnosis. We’ll see what October brings. I’m Gleason 9 (5+4).
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happycamperguy
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PSMA scans have a better detection rate particularly at low PSA values and they may have a lower incidence of false positive findings than the Axumin scan. The detection rate of the Axumin scans becomes closer to the one of the PSMA scans when the PSA is over 2.
the Ga PSMA scan avaiable in Seattle? if so, where? also, where is the facility for Axumin located? Sounds like I'm in same neck of woods, and thinking about possible initial scan....bone , CT, and MRI all negative, butIm 4+5...ugh!!
Congrats on the dropping PSA! I’m on the same drugs at Seattle Cancer Care Alliance and was seen monthly my first nine months of Lupron/Zytiga but have became undetectable within two months of starting the Zytiga. Now I am going in quarterly for my shot and bloodwork. I believe you can get the Axumin locally (Swedish First Hill?) but as Tango mentioned you need a higher PSA. Good luck!
I had an axumin scan in September 2020 when my PSA was 3.1. It showed a suspicion of cancer in the center of my prostate (I had seeds and EBRT in 2006). I was thrilled it was still local. Just before I did the scan, I was accepted for a clinical trial of rhPSMA. They said we would use the axumin as a baseline. We did the PSMA the following month. It showed nothing in the prostate but it lit up on the T8 vertebra. The axumin showed nothing on any vertebra. I had proton beam on the vertebra. Due to this major difference, I have zero faith in an axumin scan. YMMV.
You are certainly in a happy camper place right now. Congrats on that. It does not appear that a positive scan of either type would lead to any change of therapy at this time. Keep doing all positive adjuncts. Consider discussing a bone protecting regimen such as Prolia to protect against future bone mets. And combine it with celecoxib for anti-inflammatory benefits. Such combination has been shown to be beneficial in STAMPEDE (with Zometa but probably extends to Prolia).And otherwise try to get Provenge since you are CR and micro metastatic, though they may require a positive scan for a visible met to pay for it.
I would go for a PSMA PET scan when you get to 0.5 PSA for this reason. Ay that be a long time coming.
Provenge immunotherapy looks very interesting. I’ll ask my MO about that option if my PSA goes back up. Nearest Provenge treatment is in Spokane, about a 3-hour drive one way. My RP last year was in Spokane so I’m familiar with the drive. Glad to see Provenge treatment is 6 visits to Spokane in about a month. Challenging but Doable in Spokane. Except maybe during this Delta pandemic wave.
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Are Axumin scans worthless after brachytherapy? What about PSMA scans?
PSA vs PSMA
More information on Lu PSMA treatment failure
Is it useful to get a PSMA-PET scan with low volume cancer, newly castration resistant and PSA below 1?
