YANA - YOU ARE NOT ALONE NOW

PROSTATE CANCER SUPPORT SITE

BRONZE

Brian Heller and Rita live in Ohio, USA. He was 72 when he was diagnosed on April 24, 2009. His initial PSA was 47.0 ng/ml, his Gleason Score was 9 (4+5) and he was staged T4NxM1. His choice of treatment was ADT (Androgen Deprivation Therapy). Here is his story.

Three weeks ago I was walking on a path near Lake Michigan and my left leg started to hurt. I went to see my primary care doctor early the next week and he said that it was probably a sprained muscle, but sent me for an MRI (probably because he was a friend of mine and I asked for one). The MRI was done on Friday and read on Monday. He called me Monday morning and told me that it looked like prostate metastases to the femur with pathologic fractures. I went into the hospital the same day.

There, I was x-rayed, scanned, PSA tested, DRE'd and given a preliminary diagnosis of T3 prostate cancer with metastases. My PSA was 47. I was started on Casodex and scheduled for a total hip replacement on Friday (10 days ago). I talked with physician friends of mine and decided to get a second opinion. I went to the University of Michigan Cancer Center two days ago and was told that I did not need hip surgery. They are setting me up with the oncologists at Michigan for evaluation next week.

I also got the results from the prostate biopsy done a week ago. It came out with a Gleason score of 9 (4 + 5).

My plan is to get whatever radiation/chemo help that I can and to continue with the androgen ablation.

Very worried here.

 

UPDATED

October 2010

 

 

I joined a clinical trial of X184 [I can find no links to this trial or any menion of X184 as a therapy] following hormone therapy that failed. XL-184 seemed to be working - PSA went down under 10 but I was switched to the placebo arm and things fell apart. My tumor blocked my nerve roots on my sacrum and I lost bowel and bladder control. I got a series of 10 Photon beam radiation to the sacrum combined with a heavy dose of Dexamethasone. It was very difficult but I'm back to almost normal bladder (self cath 1x a day) and bowel.

My current protocol is Taxotere plus steroids. I've had two chemo treatments - they are scheduled every 3 weeks. Not much negative impact, but I crashed seven days after the first one. Also getting Bisphosphonates and Lupron. Taking daily steroids. Recent 7 - 8 pain in femur has me walking with a cane. Not taking any scheduled pain meds., relying on Ibuprofen and the daily steroids. Appetite still good, not losing any weight (could stand to lose some).

Brian's e-mail address is: bheller@aol.com