Chemo

[Fight11]

I know you guys have mentioned that usually when you start a treatment you have a flare and your PSA can go up. My husband started chemo and his PSA did go up how long would it take for the PSA to go down how many chemo treatments? When do you think I could see some downward trend in the PSA? Before chemo his psa was 34.5 one week after chemo 44.5 two weeks after 49.6. Just wondering if anyone has maybe had a similar situation.

[Tall_Allen]

It can take several treatments.

[Fight11 in reply to Tall_Allen]

Will The PSA continue to rise during that time?

[Tall_Allen in reply to Fight11]

How can anyone know? You'll find out.

[NotAlwaysSunshine]

Hello Fight11 - my husband has been on a roller coaster with this treatment over 2 years. He unfortunately has not found any treatment to lower his PSA. #notgivingup

[Fight11 in reply to NotAlwaysSunshine]

Just gets so stressful!!!

[NotAlwaysSunshine in reply to Fight11]

Stress and Anxiety are over the top. I just wish there was something out there to cure the men we love.

[Fight11 in reply to NotAlwaysSunshine]

Agreed. What has your husband tried?

[NotAlwaysSunshine in reply to Fight11]

I sent you a private message. The list is long. After xofigo he'll try Docataxel. His first chemo was Taxotere. (failed after 4 treatments) He's hoping to have his 3rd xofigo this week.

[Shooter1 in reply to NotAlwaysSunshine]

After #4 my PSA leveled and rose slightly...added Xtandi and nailed me and my cancer. Lasted over 4 yrs so far..on 1/2 dose.

[Docker53 in reply to Shooter1]

My husband started Xtandi over 3 months ago. Prostate cancer moved to the bones. Oncologist put him on Xtandi when his PSA was 48 and it went down to 28 in the 2nd month and 3 month down to 22. He is on Eligard every 6 months as well as Xgeva injection every month. Are you saying you have been on Xtandi for 4 years and if so what is your PSA?

[Shooter1 in reply to Docker53]

Xtandi for about 3 1/2. PSA started gentile climb 7 mo ago and then 5 mo. ago skyrocketed. Na-f18 scan showed 2 mets in bones. Normal scans were clear. RO zapped the 2 spots and PSA dropped to 0.91, down a lot, before final shot... Provenge done during Aug. Waiting for blood draw and test later this month. It will be a long 11 days waiting for next PSA. Wish your husband a long run on Xtandi. Good luck to us both....

[Docker53 in reply to Shooter1]

Thank you. My husband's next appointment is Monday. The waiting each month for PSA results is so stressful, as I'm sure you already know. Wishing you the best and many more years of a good quality of life.

[Shooter1 in reply to Docker53]

I was lucky to have over 3 years of no PSA rise and got real used to not worrying. Not so much now. I have confidence that next test will show even more improvement and I can relax again for a few years//

[Docker53 in reply to Shooter1]

That is great news.

[Fight11 in reply to Shooter1]

You on chemo?

[Shooter1 in reply to Fight11]

Still on half dose (80 mg) Xtandi. Orchiectomy instead of third Lupron shot years ago.

[tango65]

Around 8 weeks

annalsofoncology.org/articl...

[Fight11 in reply to tango65]

Did your psa continue to go up in the mean time

[tango65 in reply to Fight11]

"Among patients who achieved either a response or a stabilization, 8 of 41 (20%) had a serum PSA rise during the first 8 weeks of chemotherapy, followed by a subsequent decline in serum PSA"

annalsofoncology.org/articl...

I never had chemo.

[MarkBC]

I did chemo shortly after diagnosis and shortly after starting ADT. My PSA dropped tremendously from 103 to around 1.0 after a few months. I don't know how much of that was from the chemo and how much was from the ADT. It continued to decline slowly until reaching a nadir of 0.17 about a year after diagnosis. I hope your husband gets good results from his chemo.

[Dastardly]

This will not answer your question, but may give you some perspective. In March 2019, my PSA was 148 and I was put on a 28 day course of Bicalutamide followed by 3 monthly injections of Zoladex from May 8th. By June 6th, and after only 1 implant of Zoladex, my PSA was 1.88. After 5 cycles of chemo, my PSA was undetectable and has now just risen to 0.25. My chemo didn't do a great deal to reduce my PSA but it certainly reduced the size of some of my larger mets, and killed off some of the smaller ones.

Hope all goes well with your guy.

[Back2future in reply to Dastardly]

Chemo may be next for me after new scan showed new mets with Abiraterone & Orgovyx since April/ May 2021. My question, during your chemo what was done to increase the white/red blood cells and platelets? I understand all chemo patients have drops post chemo.

[IngridEM]

My dad is going thru the same , even thou he is on his 6 round of docetaxel his psa keeps rising . His imaging shows reduction of lymph nodes but bone Mets stable not reduced .. it’s tough but doctors are giving more weight to how he his feeling clinically and his blood work is good .. keep on fighting .. my dads a trooper

[Back2future in reply to IngridEM]

Good that your dad is adapting to chemo. Chemo may be next for me as well. My question, what is your dad taking to increase the white/red blood cells and platelets? I understand all chemo patients have drops in these markers during chemo.

[IngridEM in reply to Back2future]

He eats liver twice a week, takes iron pill, magnesium, calcium , 4000 units of vitamin D and we give him spinach , greens, meat and reduce sugar and no alcohol

[HB1966]

According to my oncologist, it makes sense to measure the PSA after the 3rd cycle at the earliest (because of the flare-up).

I am on my 4th cycle of DOCETAXEL today. My PSA was a little over 300 at the beginning (July 5). After the 3rd cycle, it was about 200 (August 16).

A recent CT scan shows a mixed picture. Some of the metastases are the same, some are smaller and some are larger.... 🤷 However, the pain has reduced significantly and I can get by with less pain meds.

In 2016 I had 6 cycles of chemo before. At that time my PSA went up and down during treatment (between 20 and 6).

Greetings and all the best ! Theo

[Back2future in reply to HB1966]

Good that chemo has added years to you life. Chemo may be next for me as well. My question, what did you take to increase the white/red blood cells and platelets? I understand all chemo patients have drops in these markers during chemo.

[HB1966 in reply to Back2future]

Until now I was lucky and the blood values were always ok. Some times at the lower limit but I have not had any problems.

If there were any problems (e.g. high fever), I would be treated with antibiotics. Furthermore, medication would be administered to stimulate the formation of new blood cells. This is how my oncologist explained it to me.

Best of luck ! Theo