Father, 55yrs, diagnosed with prostate cancer

[Helllfire]

In August 2022 my father was having slight pain in lower back since 2 months, when MRI spine was done later it showed mets , PSMA PET showed positive lymph nodes in pelvic area and skeletal lesions. And PSA was 380.He had undergone BL orchiedctomy and biopsy 3 days after pet scan and biopsy revealed GS 9 adenocarcinoma .

Currently taking treatment suggested by Tata Hospital Mumbai. In Sept 2022, He has been started with 75mg/m2 dose of Docetaxel chemo 5cycles are completed out of 6 cycles. He is also taking Abiraterone (Zytiga)1000mg and prednisolone 10mg. Triplet therapy it said.

PSA initial diagnosis -380

15days after ADT done and before starting chemo , PSA was 36. And after 3 cycles of chemo it was 9.

He is also taking Tapentadol 50mg TDS and paracetamol 650mg TDS for pain palliative role.

I am worried if this PSA response is not good enough as I am advised by doctor it should be below 1.

Also regarding docetaxel cycles , 6 cycles are suggested as standard cycles. He has tolerated chemo very well ,Should I ask applicability for more cycles (perhaps like 9 or 10)??

Please suggest any new treatment more than this for this stage.

My mother and me are very scared due to this sudden shock. It took a while for all of us to come to this new reality .

Please help with ur vast experience and knowledge

[Izzygirl1]

My husband’s went down to 1.65 at his 5th Docetaxel treatment and we are hoping it goes below 1 after his final 6th treatment. He is also on Nubeqa every day (darolutimide) and Lupron every six months. I will pray your dads PSA goes below 1 soon! (((HUGS)))

[Helllfire in reply to Izzygirl1]

hope is best option for us now. Thank you

[dudubaya]

Hi there, I have been on the same boat as you are right now. First off I would suggest that you de-stress yourself right now from all the negative thoughts that are going on inyour mind right now. You yourself have to be mentally strong and appear calm externally at least otherwise your anxiety will rub off on your Parents too.

Secondly Tata Memorial is "THE BEST" cancer hospital in India hence you are in the best possible hands right now, I would not worry too much if my father was being treated there.

As such in PCa without visceral mets things wont go south abruptly (at least thats what my Oncologist told me to calm me down) so you have time , be positive do your part and leave the rest to almighty

[FormulaRob in reply to dudubaya]

I read your bio as well, I too am in a position where my father is battling prostate cancer. So far it has spread to 3 lymph nodes in the pelvic area. Gleason score 9. PSA 226. Unsure if this means that a cure is possible or not. I am just praying he has much more than just 5 years left on this earth with us.

I wish your father the best as well

[dudubaya in reply to FormulaRob]

In your Father's case it looks like it is still in locally advanced stage i.e stage 3, not sure but I assume it is still in curable stage, even if it turns out to be oligometastatic there is good chance that you can fight it off with the new emerging treatment modalities, experienced folks like TA might be able to clarify it. Hopefully it stays that way at Stage 3, wish you all the luck

[Helllfire in reply to dudubaya]

Thanks for ur kind words..

[Helllfire]

I hope this should happen, thanks

[Tall_Allen]

Good idea to ask his oncologist for more chemo infusions - it depends on his bloodwork. Maybe his doctor wants to give him a vacation before resuming?

[Helllfire in reply to Tall_Allen]

Thanks for ur reply. Means if his blood work are fine , increasing chemo cycles will be beneficial? And how exactly vacation works ? Can u please provide any data so that I can talk to doctor?

[Helllfire in reply to Helllfire]

Fathers PSA was 9 after 3 taxotere chemo along with ADT and Zytiga started at same time.