I completed six Pluvicto treatments at Mayo in Rochester in December 2023. Choline-11 Pet scan in January 2024 showed no evidence of PCa, and PSMA Pet scan on May 22, 2024 continued to show complete remission. Pretty incredible to compare scans from a year ago, riddled with PCa, to the most recent scans, which were completely clean. I know the cancer is still there, and likely to emerge again, but so happy and humbled with results so far (especially since no other treatment had worked). I am currently on Lupron and Nubeqa and my PSA and testosterone remain undetectable. I will rotate C-11 and PSMA scans every three months going forward. Question: my doctor has told me that I will likely stay on Lupron and Nubeqa for the next two to three years. Any thoughts about changes I should consider to my current medications or other steps I should be taking at this point?
Pluvicto results (good news), next steps - Advanced Prostate...
Pluvicto results (good news), next steps
You are a "super-responder". I think, as long as no tumor can be detected with imaging, Lupron and Nubeqa will work for a long time. C-11 will also detect PSMA negative tumor, so rotating that with a PSMA scan makes sense.
Good news. But funny they still use C-11 Choline -- greedy!
I’d love to understand your comment, please elaborate.
With hindsight, Mayo made a bad investment in on-site facilities to generate C11-Choline. C-11 only has a half-life of 20 minutes, so it has to be produced at an in-house cyclotron and the choline has to be immediately synthesized from it. This was before Axumin and the various PSMA PET scans were developed. The C-11 Choline PET was inferior to both in terms of sensitivity and specificity. But Mayo keeps giving it to patients because they have to recoup their investment.
This explains about the various PET scans, if you are interested:
i read your bio and wondered about this part
“to undetectable and stayed there until May 2022 when it went to .41, and then in August 2022 it went to .53. By September 2022 it reached .93. In early September, I went to see an orthopedic surgeon”
given your initial staging and serious initial treatments why weren't you told to check psa every 3 months and therefore act in May 2022 or earlier?
Good question. As the cliche goes, hindsight is 20/20. When my PSA was at .41 and .53 I was in Tampa, Florida being treated at Moffitt. They wanted to wait until 2.0 before doing any kind of a scan. Very passive, following what they considered to be Standard of Care. With the already recorded behavior of my PSA (low) and PCa (aggressive), I think they should have taken scans sooner. At that time, I moved to Massachusetts, received my .93 PSA and was fortunate enough to see the orthopedic doc who sent me for an MRI, and that showed a lesion on my L3 vertebrae. The lesson I learned from this experience is that one has to listen to one’s own (including family) voices/gut and then push one’s team to respond, or find a new team. When I moved to MA I went to see a respected medical oncologist at Mass. General Hospital. I didn’t feel like he was being aggressive enough with me, and he was difficult to reach, so I contacted Dr. Eugene Kwon at Mayo. He threw the proverbial kitchen sink at my PCa and I credit his aggressive treatment and intent to cure (although I know that’s not likely) with getting me to where I am now.
I might not do that. Lupron is a problem for your body. Ask him what he thinks of mono therapy with the less destructive drug Nubeqa
😀🥂 I have no advise,just congratulations!!!
Thank you!
I know several other men being guided/treated by Mayo with most excellent results. All the best with yours!
As my focus is to not give this beast time and obscurity, I am beginning my rotation of imaging methods having had three PSMAs; two Ga-68 and Pylarify. I for one applaud the Mayo for continuing to offer their C-11, as it is clear individual cancers vary in their responsiveness to contrast agents.
Especially, as the Ferrotran nanoparticle MRI is unavailable awaiting approvals - which may take into late 2025 or even 2026. I had the nanoMRI over six years ago at usPSA 0.11 - it identified five suspicious pelvic node sites while the Ga68 was 'clear'. Subsequent ePLND confirmed six cancerous nodes including common iliac and para-aortic.
Great news! I’m going through chemo now but likely to get the same meds you have had great success with. I have something positive to look forward to. Continue to be strong.
Man, that's a knee slapper if I ever read one.........GOOD JOB!!!
Good Luck, Good Health and Good Humor.
j-o-h-n
Great!!