Husband 72 Gleason 9

jacqui.g

Hi this is my first post on the internet ever, so please bear with me.I have been reading the information on this site for a few months now and have seen how helpful and supportive everyone is.My husband is 72 and was diagnosed last May 2009 with PC Gleason 9 P.S.A 29.In June he was seen by an oncologist and put on Casodex 150 next P.S.A was 49.This was explained as tumour flair.The following reading was 9.9 and today he was told the latest reading is 13.6.I am worried because his reading never went down near 0 and now it is rising, does this mean the hormone treatment has not worked at all? He has had no symptoms or pain .Doctor told us there was cancer in one lymph node, but bone scan was clear.PC was found by a routine P.S.A test and DRE suggested by our family doctor while he was in his office about another matter.We live in Northern Ireland UK so we use the National Health Service.Our local cancer centre is only a few years old and very good.However we do not get all the reports nor do we have a say in who treats him etc.We are pretty much in their hands.Sorry to ramble on but its been hard , my hubby had a bowel operation a few years ago and has trouble with his new diet and side effects from treatment.He is trying to follow the Snuffy Myers book.Two years ago my step son died from lung cancer ( aged 40) 6 months before he was to get married.I am 54 and my husband and I have a son aged 22 he has asthma and I worry about him also and how all this is affecting his health.Thank you for any help or advice.

lewvino

So sorry to read of your
So sorry to read of your families and husband's battles. I'm new into the prostate cancer world and just coming up to my six month post surgery check up in two weeks. I'm sure someone will come along and give you some thoughs on the hormones. Also try going to www.healingwell.com they also have a VERY active prostate cancer forum over there.
Best wishes to you and your family.

Larry Age 55 in Tennessee

jacqui.g

lewvino said:

So sorry to read of your
So sorry to read of your families and husband's battles. I'm new into the prostate cancer world and just coming up to my six month post surgery check up in two weeks. I'm sure someone will come along and give you some thoughs on the hormones. Also try going to www.healingwell.com they also have a VERY active prostate cancer forum over there.
Best wishes to you and your family.

Larry Age 55 in Tennessee

lewvino reply
Thank you for your warm wishes and advice.I have followed your journey for a while now and its been very encouraging.Its good to know that there is life after cancer.My prayers and best wishes to you and yours.

jacqui.g

Kentr

jacqui
I am so sorry your have had to go through all you have. I don't know much of anything about Casodex so I can't addresss the expectations related to it's use. That said, remember that as long as your husband has a prostate, it will produce PSA at some level or another.

I'm not trying to minimize the situation, just trying to keep things in prospective. My urologist had a patient with a PSA reading of 19,000 (that's NOT a "typo") and that guy lived for many years (I think the doctor said to age 85). This disease is not always a fast growing one. In fact, it's usually slow growing so don't panic at don't lose hope.

You are now among many new internet friends so ask questions whenever you feel the need.

Kent
Age 68
Brachytherapy Jan 2008
Still kicking

2ndBase

Hormone Treatment
My psa was at 24 with Gleason 9 when dx at age 52 and I took one Lupron shot to shrink the tumor then radiation. My psa dropped to less than 1.0 and has now gone up to about 100 now six years later. I am not going to take any more treatment and fully plan to live another 5 years which will be about 8 years longer than I was told in the beginning to expect to live. I believe the radiation gave me more time and am not sure the hormone shot did anything more than shrink the size of my prostate. Psa readings after treatment are just a number and if men are walking around with psa readings of 18000 then a reading of 100 is nothing. I firmly believe I will live just as long or longer by refusing treatment and certainly enjoy not having to endure the side effects of further treatment. So keep the stress out of your husbands life and he will do fine. All the best, Mark

jacqui.g

2ndBase said:

Hormone Treatment
My psa was at 24 with Gleason 9 when dx at age 52 and I took one Lupron shot to shrink the tumor then radiation. My psa dropped to less than 1.0 and has now gone up to about 100 now six years later. I am not going to take any more treatment and fully plan to live another 5 years which will be about 8 years longer than I was told in the beginning to expect to live. I believe the radiation gave me more time and am not sure the hormone shot did anything more than shrink the size of my prostate. Psa readings after treatment are just a number and if men are walking around with psa readings of 18000 then a reading of 100 is nothing. I firmly believe I will live just as long or longer by refusing treatment and certainly enjoy not having to endure the side effects of further treatment. So keep the stress out of your husbands life and he will do fine. All the best, Mark

Thank You
Many thanks to Kentr and 2nd Base it has realy helped to hear from you all.So good to know that the psa scores are not the bottom line on feeling well and keeping going.I will make sure hubby does not get stressed, mind you he has taken all of this amazingly well considering what the last few years have brought.Please keep passing on your experiences here on this site till we're all old and grey.
God Bless

jacqui