My Husband's prostate cancer has come back after 15 years.

Emily2015
Emily2015 Member Posts: 8 Member
edited July 2023 in Prostate Cancer #1

My husband was diagnosed in 2007 with prostate cancer. He was given hormone treatment, and radiation treatment. After being monitored by his consultant, and PSA level was coming down . I remember the last time his consultant said that his PSA level was undetectable, he was clear of cancer. Once every 6 months he would take a blood test, just to an eye on the PSA. He notice it was creeping up from 0.1 now 4.6. This has gone up in a matter of 8 months. He has been referred back to oncology clinic. He has had scan, which has shown the cancer in now outside the Prostate. They have moved very first with Androgen deprivation therapy . Also had his first Zoladex injection yesterday. He has been told this will be for life. After 15 years of being free. This is such a shock for us as a family.

Comments

  • Clevelandguy
    Clevelandguy Member Posts: 1,177 Member
    #2

    Hi,

    Sorry to hear about your husband’s reoccurring Prostate cancer. Do you know what kind of scan he had? If it was me I would be pursing locating the cancer and treating it with radiation. I think I would get a second opinion from another Urologist/Oncologist to look for other ways to kill the cancer other than being on an ADT drug for extended periods of time if that is your doctors plan. Just my 2c worth.

    Dave 3+4

  • Emily2015
    Emily2015 Member Posts: 8 Member
    #3
    https://csn.cancer.org/discussion/comment/1705601#Comment_1705601

    He had a nuclear scans. Which showed a small mass in his lower stomach. I have already been in touch with his previous oncologists, who is now a professor in the field of prostate cancer. He is very sorry that it has returned. If we want to have a second opinion, we have to asks our GP for a referral's. My husband has another meeting on the 30th May with the consultant who is treating him now. I will be going with him to hear what they are going to do. Depending on what they say and do. My husband will asks them to do a referral. Something else showed up on this scan , a hotspot was in his bone where he had a hip replacement. They are going to look into this as well.

  • centralPA
    centralPA Member Posts: 322 Member
    #4

    No advice, just want to say I’m sorry to hear the cancer has recurred. Thinking of you and your husband, @Emily2015 .

  • MGTD
    MGTD Member Posts: 7 Member
    #5

    Just some words of encouragement and some info that may help. I have a friend who was 20 years cancer free and his PSA started to rise. So they did a PSMA- CT scan and found the issue and went in with radiation to treat it. Seems to be working so far. So keep your chin up and do what you need to do. There is HOPE at the end of the tunnel.

    He told me that those Full body and pelvic scans are good but the PSMA scan is state of the art.

  • Old Salt
    Old Salt Member Posts: 1,505 Member
    #6

    Sorry to read that, of course.

    It's too late now, but once the PSA rises above nadir+2, it's time for an in-depth evaluation. How did your consultant miss that?

  • Emily2015
    Emily2015 Member Posts: 8 Member
    #7
    https://csn.cancer.org/discussion/comment/1705846#Comment_1705846

    My husband was having his PSA taken every 6 months. Nothing to be worried about for years. But, recently the PSA started to creep up. from 3.11.2020 PSA was 0.41.

    20.5.21 PSA was 0.46. 22.6.21 PSA was 0.34. 27.7.21 PSA was 0.82. 11.8.21 PSA was 1.11. 28.8,21 PSA was 1.16.

    30.9.21. PSA was 0.55. 24.11.21 PSA was 0.55. 13.7.22 PSA was 0.77. 2.11.22 PSA was 1.08. 23.2.23 PSA was 3.17

    28.4.23. PSA was 4.18. So you see his PSA level have been up and down. Was told this something that does happen. But after having a scan, where they notice the hotspots in two places. Now had his first Zoladex , after all these years.

  • Old Salt
    Old Salt Member Posts: 1,505 Member
    #8

    It's not unusual for the PSA level to jump around after radiation. But the sudden increase from 1.08 (Nov '22) to 3.17 (Feb '23) and then to 4.18 (late April) is indeed worrisome.

    As MGTD already mentioned, do inquire (on May 30) whether it is possible to irradiate the spot(s) that are outside the prostate.

    Best wishes to both of you.

  • Emily2015
    Emily2015 Member Posts: 8 Member
    #9

    We went for our appointment with the Urologist yesterday. My Husband was told that the cancer in out of the prostate and in his lymph nodes as we were previously been told. Also, they said that the hotspot showed on the recent scan Indicate on his thigh bone. This might be an infection, as he has had hip replacements which he has had a few times. They are not 100% if its cancer or not. That gives us a bit of hope. The Zoladex injection which he has just started again, only one so far. They are thinking of stopping all drugs and give him radiotherapy treatment. He has been discuss at a meeting on his case, sounds like they are not sure what to do at the moment. I asked if they could do more checks on the bone, she was n't to keen in doing any biopsy on the bone. We will wait and see now, expecting a phone call next week to see where we are going from here.

  • MGTD
    MGTD Member Posts: 7 Member
    #10

    Hang in there. That waiting and not knowing is really hard.

    two weeks ago a good friends cancer returned. They found it via a PSA test. It had been “cured” for 20 years. The good news they were able to deal with it with radiation. What they can do today with those modern radiation machines is amazing.

  • hinei
    hinei Member Posts: 5 Member
    #11

    I'm so sorry to hear.....best wishes in everything moving forward. I'm glad that your husband had 15 years of freedom from this horrible disease. May he have many, many more years to come.

  • Emily2015
    Emily2015 Member Posts: 8 Member
    #12

    Just keeping you updated, My husband has been told that he should now take Enzalutamide tablets. There is a lot of side effects, we have been sent the paper works about this tablets. My husband will have to sign to say he has given his permission to take it. Just asking, have anybody on this discussion board taken it.

  • SV
    SV Member Posts: 183 Member
    #13

    Try the Eclipse clinical trial. I've had two injections of LU177 I&T and already PSA is down from 3.3 to .580.

    https://eclipseclinicaltrial.org/

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