Working while on HT

Hi Millibob !

Have been meaning to ask you; now when you have come off HT and Testorone will or have returned, are they changing the intervalls of PSA measurement to take into account that PSA might change with the increase of Testosterone. Just curious how the strategy looks like.

Best wishes - Ulf

This is the guidance given by Macmillan but I expect different UK health authorities may have different criteria. Testing for testosterone recovery I presume will depend on whether you were on 1, 3 or 6 monthly injections or daily tablets.

https://www.macmillan.org.uk/cancer-information-and-support/prostate-cancer/follow-up-after-treatment-for-prostate-cancer#:~:text=You%20will%20not%20have%20your,after%20the%20first%202%20years.

Hi Alwayshope !

It makes sence that you perhaps adjust PSA screening depending on the type of HT you’ve been on.

Hopefully they take into account that you’re actually going off HT, your T hopefully starts to rice and perhaps that also affects your PSA and they take all this into account which they probably do of course.

Just curious as I understand that Millibob has passed this milestone and was curious what the plan is going forward 

Best wishes Ulf

Good Morning Ulfhbg 

I was on 3 years HT Treatment and on 6 monthly Decapeptyl from day 1. I had my last injection on 7 June 2024.

I am under s specialist NHS cancer trust here in the North West of England - The Christie. They have a Self Management programme for people who are/have been on HT. My PSA will be checked every 6 months for the next 5 years (next check due February 2025) and if all is well annually then lifelong. There are no plans for regular testosterone testing.

The system works well and I have been on it since August 2023 (full details in my profile).

Best wishes - Brian.

Hi Millibob !

Thanks for your respons and now it makes sence that your next PSA test will be in 2025, especially as you have 6-months HT and this needs of course come out of your body in order to be able to see how T-levels and PSA responds.

But if I understand you correctly there is no extra measurements when you go off HT as i understand then. Always interesting to see how other countries and it’s PC healthcare do and there is always something to learn.

Thanks and best wishes - Ulf

Hello Ulfhbg 

Yes, 6 monthly PSA tests only - No testosterone tests (I understand these are an expensive test to conduct).

Under my current system I complete an online health question form at the same time as my PSA test. It's quite detailed and there are specific questions regarding everything from ED to frequency of toilet visits.

Under the system I have open access to my 2 named cancer nurse specialists should any issues arise.

Best wishes - Brian.

Hi Brian.

We have to pay a portion of each test that is carried out so the full price of each one is listed. The PSA and the testosterone tests are the most expensive elements of the blood test at about 12 to 14 Euros each - we pay 10% of it. I think that a testosterone test could be useful after the time the hormone therapy should be out of the system just to check that the endocrine system is working properly after being suppressed for so long. This could then give valuable information if there is a slight PSA increase which could be attributed to a response as the testosterone increases or if it is due to a different cause like a met.

Thank you Alwayshope 

That's a great piece of information. Like most men I was assuming that as the old testosterone made it's reappearance one or two bits that sadly have been redundant these past 3 years may have sprung back to life (albeit slowly spring).

I will see how it goes in the next few months (probably more than a few months).

Best wishes - Brian.

Hi Alwayshope !

Your actually pointing out something that I personally consider important for me at least.

Because I’m on HT and Abiraterone I really feel I need to know that I’m also responding well to my treatment; e.g. Test PSA as well as T-levels to know that my T-levels are really supressed.

If / when it’s time to hopefully come off HT and Abiraterone then I would like to know both PSA and T-level as a help to hopefully see that a rising PSA hopefully correlates with a rising T-level.

Always good topics and thanks for good input  Sorry for hijacking this thread.

Best wishes - Ulf

Hi !

Always good information and like you say, it will show itself down the road but now you also have the possibility to perhaps ask (or not) for Testosterone test as well.

I know I will, both in the near future and further down the road 

Best wishes - Ulf