treatment decision

dragnut

Hello All,

             I just found this forum and it seems to be most informative regarding questions and information. I am at the point where I need to decide treatment options to discuss with my Urologist.

A little background if I remember it right. I was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 1999 with a PSA of 6.4. 31 biopsies showed cancer in 10% of them. The Urologist wanted to do immediate surgery and was offended I refused. I changed to another Urologist.

I elected watchful waiting( I will condense things here) since 1999 my PSA went to 9.7 in 2000. I tried 100 different suggestions for treatment and my PSA went to 14. I tried Prostasol and it dropped to 1.7 in 6 weeks. I watched some more and it eventually went to 27.2 about 2010.

I tried Prostasol again for a month and it dropped to 17.I tried Avodart for a year and it remained the same. I watched some more until  May 2013 it was at 28 and in Sep 2013 it was still at 28. I had a scan then that showed one lymph node infected but the Urologist was not concerned. Last week my PSA was 52 so now he is concerned and recommends Hormone Therapy with seeds.

My prostate is 5cm and hard as a rock he says. I am now trying to determine if I should proceed with his recommendation or is there a better option for me?

I am 69 y.o. and disabled from back surgery in 2000( benign tumor in spinal cord required severing 3 nerves that have never healed causing constant sciatic and lower back pain). I will gladly provide any other info that might be needed to compare cases. Thank you.

BLUEpac6

dragnut

In 2000 after bloodwork I was told my psa was 9 and it was probally a infecrion as the doctor could not feel anything and he had me take antibiotics for 30 days but never said come back or that it might be prostrate cancer so I did nothing.In jan. 2009 Iwent to a doctor for flu symphtoms and he did blood work and my psa came back 110 and was sent to a urologist .Biopsy was done and came back cancer with gleason of 8.he said it was aggresive carcinoma. To make along story short two different doctors refused surgery as it would be to dangerous as it was out of the prostrate they thohght.I was scheduled for seeds and radiaton for aug.2009 after having to take ahormoe shot and wait 90 days before starting radiation. In meantime a friend of mine whose daddy died with prostrate cancer was talking to his urologist about me and he told him that I needed to have it removed as if cancer returned after radiation there was no cures left to try.His doctor called me and put me in touch with surgeon at baylor clinic in houston.After looking at my mri and cat scans and records of what I had already done he said he would open me up but if the cancer had spread to lymph nodes he would close me back uo but they were clear and he removed my prostrate. My psa stayed close to 0 for almost 2 years and then climbed to .06 and was told I needed salvage radiation which Idid in june 2011.I have had psa tests every 3 mo,since and my psa tests hahe been almost 0.I have not had a erection since all this started and I have no trouble with incontniceand did not have any pain or side effects from susgery or radiation.Thats a ovrview of what I went through and I am doing fine as I was tlod ffrm start how serious i was suppose to be. No doubt peoples prayers got me through this .I am 67 years old and still working.Hope and pray everythingworks out for you.

VascodaGama

BLUEpac6 said:

dragnut

In 2000 after bloodwork I was told my psa was 9 and it was probally a infecrion as the doctor could not feel anything and he had me take antibiotics for 30 days but never said come back or that it might be prostrate cancer so I did nothing.In jan. 2009 Iwent to a doctor for flu symphtoms and he did blood work and my psa came back 110 and was sent to a urologist .Biopsy was done and came back cancer with gleason of 8.he said it was aggresive carcinoma. To make along story short two different doctors refused surgery as it would be to dangerous as it was out of the prostrate they thohght.I was scheduled for seeds and radiaton for aug.2009 after having to take ahormoe shot and wait 90 days before starting radiation. In meantime a friend of mine whose daddy died with prostrate cancer was talking to his urologist about me and he told him that I needed to have it removed as if cancer returned after radiation there was no cures left to try.His doctor called me and put me in touch with surgeon at baylor clinic in houston.After looking at my mri and cat scans and records of what I had already done he said he would open me up but if the cancer had spread to lymph nodes he would close me back uo but they were clear and he removed my prostrate. My psa stayed close to 0 for almost 2 years and then climbed to .06 and was told I needed salvage radiation which Idid in june 2011.I have had psa tests every 3 mo,since and my psa tests hahe been almost 0.I have not had a erection since all this started and I have no trouble with incontniceand did not have any pain or side effects from susgery or radiation.Thats a ovrview of what I went through and I am doing fine as I was tlod ffrm start how serious i was suppose to be. No doubt peoples prayers got me through this .I am 67 years old and still working.Hope and pray everythingworks out for you.

Get a second opinion from a radiologist

Dragnut

Welcome to the board.

I do not know much about Prostasol but I read somewhere else that it is a "copy" of the old drug PC-SPES. This one was "classified" as a Quack drug twelve years ago. In fact what these sort of pills are about is that they have componds of estrogens similar to the typical drug DES. They manage to lower the PSA but they are more "toxic" than typical hormonal drugs. Estrogens are used in the treatment of prostate cancer when the common hormonal drugs fail.
In any case, this drug in you managed to hold the bandit during ten years which is excellent.

What surprises me is the urologist that did not recommend you to do someting after been diagnosed with metastases in the lymph nodes. I hope you change doctors and get more advices.

The combo of HT plus RT is typical for patients with aparent metatases. The cancer is not contained so that a wider field of attack is needed. RT (radiotherapy) may be the proper way but braky (seeds) which has been recommended by your urologist should include in the protocol a seriews of sessions (radiation) directed to the lymph nodes. You need to get a second opinion from a specialist radiologist.

The hormonal component in the treatment is done neoadjuvant and followed by a period adjuvant to enlance the effectiveness of radiation. The results from trials have shown 35% success increase in the outcomes.

You PSA is high and estrogens alone cannot hold it for ever. Radiation will provide you with an opportunity of being cured.

Best wishes and luck in your continuing journey.

VGama

 

dragnut

VascodaGama said:

Get a second opinion from a radiologist

Dragnut

Welcome to the board.

I do not know much about Prostasol but I read somewhere else that it is a "copy" of the old drug PC-SPES. This one was "classified" as a Quack drug twelve years ago. In fact what these sort of pills are about is that they have componds of estrogens similar to the typical drug DES. They manage to lower the PSA but they are more "toxic" than typical hormonal drugs. Estrogens are used in the treatment of prostate cancer when the common hormonal drugs fail.
In any case, this drug in you managed to hold the bandit during ten years which is excellent.

What surprises me is the urologist that did not recommend you to do someting after been diagnosed with metastases in the lymph nodes. I hope you change doctors and get more advices.

The combo of HT plus RT is typical for patients with aparent metatases. The cancer is not contained so that a wider field of attack is needed. RT (radiotherapy) may be the proper way but braky (seeds) which has been recommended by your urologist should include in the protocol a seriews of sessions (radiation) directed to the lymph nodes. You need to get a second opinion from a specialist radiologist.

The hormonal component in the treatment is done neoadjuvant and followed by a period adjuvant to enlance the effectiveness of radiation. The results from trials have shown 35% success increase in the outcomes.

You PSA is high and estrogens alone cannot hold it for ever. Radiation will provide you with an opportunity of being cured.

Best wishes and luck in your continuing journey.

VGama

 

thank you for the reply. It

thank you for the reply. It is very helpful.

dragnut

BLUEpac6 said:

dragnut

In 2000 after bloodwork I was told my psa was 9 and it was probally a infecrion as the doctor could not feel anything and he had me take antibiotics for 30 days but never said come back or that it might be prostrate cancer so I did nothing.In jan. 2009 Iwent to a doctor for flu symphtoms and he did blood work and my psa came back 110 and was sent to a urologist .Biopsy was done and came back cancer with gleason of 8.he said it was aggresive carcinoma. To make along story short two different doctors refused surgery as it would be to dangerous as it was out of the prostrate they thohght.I was scheduled for seeds and radiaton for aug.2009 after having to take ahormoe shot and wait 90 days before starting radiation. In meantime a friend of mine whose daddy died with prostrate cancer was talking to his urologist about me and he told him that I needed to have it removed as if cancer returned after radiation there was no cures left to try.His doctor called me and put me in touch with surgeon at baylor clinic in houston.After looking at my mri and cat scans and records of what I had already done he said he would open me up but if the cancer had spread to lymph nodes he would close me back uo but they were clear and he removed my prostrate. My psa stayed close to 0 for almost 2 years and then climbed to .06 and was told I needed salvage radiation which Idid in june 2011.I have had psa tests every 3 mo,since and my psa tests hahe been almost 0.I have not had a erection since all this started and I have no trouble with incontniceand did not have any pain or side effects from susgery or radiation.Thats a ovrview of what I went through and I am doing fine as I was tlod ffrm start how serious i was suppose to be. No doubt peoples prayers got me through this .I am 67 years old and still working.Hope and pray everythingworks out for you.

thankyou vry much.

thankyou vry much.