Please help

[Mand84]

Please can someone tell me how long hormones work against cancer which has spread to pelvic lymph nodes after radical prostatectomy

[Dachshundlove]

Hormones can work for decades! And PC specialists are strategically sequencing PC drugs and chemotherapy to get max number of years for people.

My husband said something about PC the other day that I found hilarious—he said it’s kind of like “termites” in a house, meaning they are there but the damage is done over a longer period of time— not like a fire or flood.

[Mand84 in reply to Dachshundlove]

Thankyou so much for replying my dad has refused chemo and has tried radiation therapy so it’s just hormones consultant said cancer will out smart the hormones eventually but gave no time frame , your husband has a great way of thinking it made me smile 😊

[Catiemma in reply to Mand84]

Lupron can last a year like my husband or many years as others can attest to. The chemo drugs they use with Lupron, when needed, are most commonly Xtandi or Zytiga and are taken orally. The usual efficacy is about 1 1/2 years before PSA starts to rise but my husband lasted 3 1/2 years on it. I tell you this because maybe your father fears “chemo” because he lacks understanding when speaking with his doctor. Hope you are with him during appts. Catie

[Mand84 in reply to Catiemma]

He was offered docetaxel but has refused he says he has no quality of life now due to double incontinant and as hard as it is to accept I respect the choice he has made

[Echotango51]

I have been on lupron now for five years. No problems with the shots, only side effects are hot flashes, mostly at night, but I have gotten use to it. Good luck with you dad.

[Mand84 in reply to Echotango51]

Yes he is suffering with these to we’re going to try acupuncture for hot sweats hopefully he may see an improvement

[Magnus1964]

Everyone responds differently to medications. I got 3 1/2 years from zytiga and 4 years from xtandi.

[Docker53 in reply to Magnus1964]

My husband has been on Xtandi for 7 months. PSA was at 48 at beginning now it is 18 and Oncologist seems pleased. What was your PSA throughout taking Xtandi. What are you on now?

[Magnus1964 in reply to Docker53]

When I was on xtandi my PSA went as low as 6 and stayed there for 3 1/2 years, then my PSA started to rise. I stayed on it for another 6 months. I was on a clinical trial with xtandi and another mystery drug. I was the last person on the trial in the US.

Currently I am not receiving any treatment. I have run out of options accept for chemotherapy.

[Docker53 in reply to Magnus1964]

Thank you for your response. I'm hopeful that the Xtandi will work for many years for my husband. He is my life.

[NOCanceros in reply to Magnus1964]

Good Luck Magnus ,i hope it will give you longer and longer life, we are in the same boat with different problems.

[Magnus1964 in reply to NOCanceros]

Are you running out of options also?

[AlanMeyer]

Hello Mand84,

I have known of men who get hardly any benefit from androgen deprivation (i.e., "ADT" or "hormone therapy") while others have lived,literally, for decades on it.

It has been said that the best indicator of future success is PSA reduction. If a man gets on ADT and his PSA drops to an undetectable level, he's had the best possible response to the drugs and he is most likely to have a response with a relatively long duration. On the other hand, if his PSA only goes down a moderate amount, his duration of response is not likely to last a long time. However, even men with a limited response to first line ADT drugs (e.g., Lupron, Zoladex, Eligard) might still turn out to have a good response to the newer and more powerful hormone related drugs such as Zytiga, Xtandi, and Erleada.

Best of luck.

Alan

[Mand84 in reply to AlanMeyer]

Yes when he was first put on hormones psa dropped but then kept rising then he had radical prostatectomy my worry is if hormones didn’t work then surely they won’t work now he is on 2nd injection and has had one psa which dropped so consultant is saying save xtandi as a back up , but she never stated if that was last option he is doublet incontinant now due to radiotherapy so has ruled out chemo due to side effects

[Yank66]

It’s definitely an individual reaction. After surgery and radiation, Lupron worked for 5 years. Then added Xtandi to the Lupron. On Lupron for life according to MO.

[Mand84 in reply to Yank66]

That’s really positive, I just wish consultant could give some time frame I understand she can’t as everyone is different , I think I’m struggling with the not knowing part , I can’t imagine how my dad is feeling he attends Macmillan counciling so I know he speaks with them more than me as he just says he doesn’t want to upset me I’ve never seen him upset , he just asks why secondary cancers can’t be cured ? But I have no idea I think he assumes they would just whip them lymph nodes out

[BobbyMac07]

I had persistent PSA after my 2016 Davinci surgery.Went to have PSMA scan which detected uptake in pelvic lymph nodes

Went on hormones and subsequent salvage radiation.

As of last PSA blood draw still undetectable.

[Mand84]

I hope hormones do the same for my dad as he has ruled out chemo and radiotherapy now

[RonnyBaby]

I was G9 and NODE positive at DX 5 1/2 years ago.

Today, I'm undetectable and doing well after treatment(s).

I have continued on a monotherapy that doesn't work for everyone, but it has for me.

The cancer continues to 'slowly' recede - we are optimistic that the trend will

continue.

There is reason to be optimistic (to a point) - don't panic and expect the worst.

That's no way to live - enjoy life and get the best of the time that remains !

[j-o-h-n]

To Mand84,

Please refer to my prior post (above) addressed to you. Thank you...

p.s. You keep referring to a consultant, hopefully that consultant is a Medical Oncologist (M.O.) who specializes in Prostate cancer (Pca).

Good Luck, Good Health and Good Humor.

j-o-h-n Wednesday 01/19/2022 8:15 PM EST

[33Ford]

It can be just about any length of time, for me it failed after about 9 months.