Heading to Dr. for my quarterly shot of Eligard. I am also on apalutamide as part of a two year trial . I am a year and a half into treatments, including Brachytherapy and EBRT. I have tested < .04 psa for 6 months now despite initial diagnosis of Gleason 9. Everything seems to be gong according to plan.Nevertheless, I am worried that my PSA will start going up. What questions should be asking the doctor ? What can I expect in terms of future symptoms etc. Trying to figure out plan B is all this treatment doesn't work . I am at a Major Cancer Center, 3rd largest in the County.
Thanks
Written by
68Guitar
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My only advice is for your peace of mind, figure out Plan B if you have to. You have had a therapy that will hopefully be curative. As far as you know today, you will be cured. Living in the present moment is best for you. If you find out later that is not the case, you will take advantage of the best therapies available then for your situation (which may not be available now).
As TA has said, focus on the now, your PCa is under control, live...
It may be useful to discuss what criteria may constitute a decision in the future, PSA increases, how many, spaced how far apart, at what PSA would you image...
For my medical team and I, that criteria is three PSA increases spaced three months apart and, or, PSA between .5-1,0. Informed by that clinical data and my clinical history we would make a treatment decision based on the choices then, when to go on treatment, with what, for how long...
As I have said on other posts, I've learned to change my window from 10-5 years to "will this work for the next 3-5 years..." if so, new treatments will have worked their way through clinical trials into mainstream clinical practice, NCCN guidelines...and my medical team and I will have choices.
I came off this last treatment of SBRT and 12 months of Orgovyx on 3 April, labs in July were good, PSA .01 and T 328, next ones are in October. I don't worry about the next one because we have decision criteria as I've discussed and can deal with it when they are met. In the meanwhile, wife and I are going to Glacier National Park, Waterton and Banff in September!
From my experience and it may not be yours I have come to understand the relationship between Testosterone and PSA when off ADT. As I regained T my PSA rose slightly. I was concerned but was told this was normal.
I have been stable at .05 PSA for over 6 months. I suspect that is my radiation nadir although no one has said as much.
My RO released me for a year and my MO switched from 3 to 6 month follow ups. Life is good! Enjoy the NOW moments. I have learned to not worry about things that may never happen. It distracts from the enjoyment of life.
I flew fighter type aircraft for over 20 years if I became preoccupied with whether I was going to have an emergency I would not have been able to handle a real emergency properly because I was thinking “what if” rather then “what now”. More importantly I would have not enjoyed all those amazing thrills.
In the Navy? My son is in Navy jet fighter school in Meridian , MS. I'm very proud but somewhat anxious. But dealing with PC has helped me control anxiety.
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