THERE WAS NO RESPONSE TO AN UPDATE REMINDER IN 2014 SO THERE IS NO UPDATE.
PSA in December, 2002 = 1.8, December, 2003 = 3.6 December, 2004 = 5.6 Off to urologist who did a biopsy and suggested surgery - no hurry but I elected to do it as soon as possible.
Surgery in March 2005. Following a radical my PSA reading was 4.2 and I was given a PET (positron emission tomography) scan, which was part of study at Peter Mac Cancer Centre in Melbourne. This involved injecting with radioactive ink loaded with protein. The result confirmed I had several small tumors well away from where my prostate gland was. Prognosis was 2-5 years before the end - chemo no value, radiation would bust me. Bad luck. No treatment yet - quality of life better than quantity at this stage. After a very anxious 3 months PSA was 3.4 in September, 2005!!! Prognosis changed to 2 to 5 yrs before treatment.
Since then, PSAs have been June, 2006: 4.8, July, 2007: 7.4, July 2008: 11.3
No treatment yet. No physical symptoms. Continence and sensation OK. Hormone treatment will be available and will slow things down - no urgency. Keep fit was the only suggestion.
I run 3 or 4 kms and work out in gym 3 times a week. I take selenium daily and make a juice drink with fruit and veggies each day. Recently I bought some apricot kernels and take 8 each day with cereal which I eat with soy milk.
In May 2009 my PSA was up to 22.0 ng/ml. I had a scan and it was evident the cancer had spread to flat bones - pevis and some ribs. Hormone deprivation treatment (ADT) prescibed (Zoladex 10.8 implant 3 months) After 2 months, reponse was good PSA down to 6.0; after 4 months 2.5 and 6 months 1.8. Oncologist wants it to drop to below 1 before a treatment break. Side effects have been some hot flushes - tolerable and loss of interest in sex. I was surpised that I was not frustrated by this loss of libido but I guess if you are not hungry you don't miss food either.
I continue to take selenium and make a daily juice with vegies fruit and ginger. I regularly go the gym and run most days. Recently ran in the 10 km run and broke PB by 8 mins. then found out that the run was 750m short!!!
In June I was very anxious and the demons were back. I started listening to the meditation discs daily for a couple of weeks and the demons were gone. Since then and particularly after the dramatic drop in PSA I am back to normal. Getting test results create anxious moments but I am dealing with that better as well.
Next test in February.
My last Zolodex implant was in June 2010 when my PSA had dropped to 1.2. By the end of September 2010 my PSA was to 0.7 and as promised I have been given a break from it.
Tested in mid January 2011 PSA had risen to 1.30 and testosterone is on the rise. My Libido is back!
Oncologist happy with this result and I don't see him again until late June.
After recent knee pain and X-ray my GP has suggested I quit jogging so I now get my cardiovascular hit on the exercise bike and continue with weights at the gym 2 or 3 times a week and of course continue chase the little white ball around the golf course. Since last entry I have had two more holes-in-one.
Roger
I have been off the Zolodex for well over a year now and PSA has been gradually rising - slower than I expected but within my oncologist's expectations. Next test is in mid May when I expect that it will be close to 20 and treatment using ADT will once again be prescribed.
Have not been running but suspect that the pain was due to apricot kernels which I have been off for 6 months. Pain got worse and when I saw an orthopaedic surgeon in Nov 2011 he said my knees were as good as any 65 year old knees as he had seen and I could run a marathon if I wanted to. I was so chuffed I forgot to ask what had caused the pain. But I am doing well and have no symptoms of any pain from cancer.
Oncologist stated that he believed that I was good for a couple more bouts of intermittent ADT before I would be resistant to that treatment. After that he said there are several exciting and effective treatments options available inc chemo that is more than just palliative.
After surgery in 2005 my PSA gradually rose from 4 (6/2005) to 22.5.(4/2009) A bone scan revealed evidence of metastases in flat bones (ribs, hips, shoulder blades and scull) and I started a course of Zolodex. 3 monthly slow release pellet inserted in fatty tissue of abdomen. PSA gradually dropped to 0.7 (9/2010). I had a break from the Zolodex until PSA rose to 45 (5/2012) a big rise from 12.5 (1/2012).
The Oncologist at Peter Mac Cancer Centre who is managing my treatment was not surprised by the sudden rise. Bone Scan revealed similar metastases as in April 2009. Now back on Zolodex, the expectation is that I will have a similar response to the last bout of treatment and should have a further break from it after 15 to 18 months. He expects that it will be available for another bout of treatment with it before the cancer becomes resistant to this treatment.
Good news was the oncologist said a new regime of hormone treatment is proving to be very effective in trials - so much so that he believes it is the "Achilles heal of PCa - but not yet available on the PBS. And this should be available for me when the currently available forms of hormone treatment fail. I was a still absorbing my big jump in PSA and by his statement about the breakthrough I didn't catch the name of the new drug.
My libido is gone and I am having about 10 hot flushes a day. I am tolerating this well and there are no lifestyle changes. I continue to spend an hour or so in the gym 3 times a week and I have had no physical symptoms of pca.
PSA dramatic drop from earlier this year when it was 45 - was 5 in August.
Oncologist keen for me to be involved in a study testing nuclear medicine - but MRI revealed that tumours seen 7 years ago are now not visible (hormone deprivation proving very effective).
Will be off the Zolodex by the end of the year and I may be used in the study next year.
Oncologist said in March that I would need another 6 months on Zolodex before I can have a break fom it. Should be OK for a year and then another slug which should be effective
Roger's e-mail address is: roger_grigg AT dodo.com.au (replace "AT" with "@")
NOTE: Roger has not updated his story for more than 15 months, so you may not receive any response from him.
