Agressive recurrence

dwgifford
dwgifford Member Posts: 4
edited March 2014 in Prostate Cancer #1
I am 55 and had the surgery to remove prostate in 2001. Gleaseon was 7 and T2 score. Up until last year I had a psa of 0.
My wife and I moved from Oregon to FLorida to get more sunshine and since we were both cancer survivors we did it sooner than later.
During a routine blood workup for my Type II diabetes, I noticed that my psa was 4.9 this May. I had them pull the one from OCtober and it was 1.9, so we are definitely doubling in less that 10 months. From May 12 (4.9) to June 12 (6.3) it is still going up.
I was going thru the VA in Miami and they referred me to a specialist in this field at U of Miami hospital for next Wednesday. I had a bone scan last Wednesday but due to the holiday weekend I have no result info yet.
My VA doctor conferred last week with the specialist and they are recommending the Celodex with the injection, first one to start next Wednesday.
Obviously I am scared and concerned with this rapid doubling of the psa. I wouldlike to know if the hormone treatment is worth it or not? I have heard horror stories about side effects and right now I feel pretty good. I guess their game plan is to use the hormmone therapy to try and slow things down and see what they can find.
My original biopsy showed cancer on one side only so they elected to do nerve sparring on one side. While that is probably a plus for the past seven years for my wife and I, the post-surgery biopsy of the prostate showed it fully involved on both sides. So I can hope that it is still only there and can be treated effectively.
I guess I will have more info soon but I would really like to hear about initial reaction to the hormone therapy versus long term results.
THanks.

Comments

  • JoeMac
    JoeMac Member Posts: 77
    #2
    Aloha dwgifford,
    That is a difficult position you are in. Especially with no information ... very difficult. Ask as many questions as you can about your future. There are several web-sites that have lists of questions for the doc. My wife & I find that most of what we experience was not explained or even mentioned. I was on Lupron Depot 3 month shots for one year, ending June 08. The injection sites, my hips, both hurt, one side was 6 months ago, the other was 3 mths ago. LD leaves you with no sex feelings, nor response. I had EBRT in Sept/Oct 07. I still have hot flashes & cold sweats, I have learned to control my MINOR irritations.
    Wish you the best of luck.
    Have you posted on www.yananow.net? They have a lot of experience.
    JoeMac 66 Hamakua Coast, Hawaii
  • tarhoosier
    tarhoosier Member Posts: 195 Member
    #3
    DW:
    Damn the luck. I presume the Celodex you mention is actually Casodex, an anti androgen which should be used before LHRH Androgen Therapy to prevent testosterone flare. I think you are best served by the Miami specialist, if such a person is an oncologist, and not a urologist. The fact that the psa was undetectable for seven years suggests that your recurrence is likely local to the prostate area, which means that radiation has a chance to be effective, if initiated early enough in the recurrence.
    Hormone treatment is certainly "worth it". Median response to ADT is greater than ten years (Moul, et al). Each man experiences the therapy differently. In my case I was spared hot flashes. There are treatment for all of the commmon side effects of ADT. Impotence certainly is a side effect, perhaps even the main effect, though there are ways to continue a loving relationship. More on that later.
    Vitamin D, Celecoxib, and pomegranate have shown effectiveness in slowing doubling time in phase II trials. Find a good prostate cancer support group and attend. It will do wonders for your psyche. Miami area must have many such groups.

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