Is it normal taking lupron shots and after awhile doesn’t work?

[Angelface52]

Writing for my husband, he had his prostate removed and after his first blood to test his psa , it wasn’t zero so the doctor wanted him to do radiation but he refused. Since his psa was raising he decided to take Lupron and at the beginning was working but his last psa it doubled. We don’t know if there’s anything else that it would help him. Any suggestions?

[EdBacon]

What is his PSA now?

[Angelface52 in reply to EdBacon]

3.2

[Tall_Allen]

How long before it stopped working? It is unusual that it would stop after 1 shot. What is his testosterone level?

[tango65]

He should request a PSMA PET/CT to determine where the cancer is located and then decide what therapy is the most appropriate.

If the cancer is localized in the pelvis and there are not distant metastases, radiation to the prostate fossa plus whole pelvis radiation and 6 months of ADT could offer control of the cancer for years or be curative.

If there distant metastases he will need systemic therapy with ADT plus one of the new anti androgens or chemo.

It is very rare that the PSA increases that quickly after Lupron. What are the values of the testosterone.? The PSA should decrease if the testosterone is below 50.

[Gl448 in reply to tango65]

Is it very rare for PSA to rise after Lupron? Maybe that quickly, but isn’t that what castration resistance is? Lupron no longer (as) effective.

[tango65 in reply to Gl448]

Thanks, I thought I had included that statement.

[Hidden]

Hi. Your profile says you joined on April 2019. If he has been having routine lupron shots, unfortunately that is the way of things. At some point the pca figures out a way around the lupron. For some people that happens fast (months) and others it happens slowly (many years). The next step is often adding one of the 2nd generation hormonals (Xtandi, Zytigia, or Erleada) to the lupron and the cat and mouse game starts over again.

[Angelface52 in reply to Hidden]

Thank you for the information, he needs to talk to his doctor about adding it .

[drb1966]

Prostrate cancer does reach the point where it no longer reacts to hormone therapy, such as Lupron. We are just now reaching that point and we are 5 years post diagnosis, however each case is different. When my husband was on Lupron, he also took another hormone therapy called Casodex (pill form). This time with hormone therapy, the cancer isn’t paying much attention and his PSA has only dropped 3, from 27 to 24. Because of this, they feel it has now began to build up the resistance to this treatment.

[Tinuriel]

Our MO noted that Lupron continues to hold the PCa at bay, even when the PSA begins to rise, because not all of the cancer cells figure out a way around it at once. Worth considering and discussing with your doctor.

[j-o-h-n]

Greetings Angelface52, Would you be kind enough to tell us your dear Husband's age? location? and treatment center? All info is voluntary.

I've been taking Lupron and Casodex beginning March, 2008. My M.O. stopped the Casodex last month (February 2023) and put me on Nubeqa beginning March 9, 2023. I am 86 years old and still a Chippendale dancer.

So the answer to your question is: Yes there are plenty of meds out there that can help him.

Keep posting here an have faith and try to enjoy life with laugher. Regards....

Good Luck, Good Health and Good Humor.

j-o-h-n Wednesday 03/22/2023 8:05 PM DST

[NecessarilySo]

What rising PSA means is that the prostatectomy did not remove all of the prostate cancer, and it remains somewhere in his body. Also since it did not react to Lupron, part of it is castrate resistant, meaning it needs to be controlled otherwise than Lupron.