Lowering your P.S.A. Reading.

Nothing other than 6 monthly (24 weeks) hormone injections.

Kevin

Thank you Kevin, I am already on HRT, have been since June 2018, month jabs. 

Malcolm, by HRT I think you mean Hormone Therapy.  HRT actually means Hormone Replacement Therapy and is sometime used in women to relieve menopausal symptoms!

For good reasons there is a lot of emphasis on getting PSA levels down and a lot of anxiety generated by having PSA tests.  The underlying mechanism however is that PSA is produced by prostate cells and cancerous cells produce a lot more PSA.  The PSA level then is just an indicator of how advanced and how active prostate cancer is.  Therefore the only thing things that lower PSA levels are things that treat the cancer.

I've never actually researched the truth of this, but when I was being investigated for prostate cancer, the urologist said to me that if you have prostate cancer nothing will bring the PSA down!

This is actually a good thing to.my mind.  If there was something that just brought the PSA down, how would you know it's treating the cancer?

Luckily, if you're having treatment and your PSA does go down, then you know the treatment is working.  That's the whole point of it really.

There is nothing that lowers PSA without treating the cancer.

Thanks Urobros, that's a really good piece of info, I feel so relieved   . I have been racking my brain, examining everything, I have input into my body, to see if it's a change needed, by either diet adjustmemt, or medication change. Thank you again.  You have lifted  a lot of concern off my brain. PSA, was 84, now after 3 weeks, it's up to 135. Which shows the Chemo is slowing it, but that's all its doing,  perhaps I might need the next stage, Radiotherapy ? . Not sure about this, though. I need advice about the way forward, as I don't want to ruin my health further, if you understand that. Any thoughts on this ?. 

Thanks again  

M.

Hi Malcolm

I don't think that Radiotherapy is the answer at this stage.

However it could be used to help with any bone pain issues that u may have now or in the future.

I don't know that much about Hormone therapy but  possibly u could change medication if psa keeps going up.

The other thing to consider would be to try and get on a clinical trial. 

What does your specialist say about the current situation and the way forward for you?

Steve

Well he is a Dutchman, so he never really says a lot,only how are you feeling.  I shall mention a change of HT, perhaps this way it

might help. It's just that chest is ok at the moment, so I don't want to end up, getting CO!PD  because of RT. I'll see what he says. Cheers big lad.M

Are u in the UK?

If all the Dutchman says is 'how are u feeling'  maybe time for a change.

Steve

yes his in England,North Yorkshire. He is a very calm man, but I'm working on him.  

M.

If your cancer is advanced, radiotherapy isn't the "next stage".  It is only palliative, i.e. used to relieve symptoms cause by small metastases and can be helpful in that respect.  Your doctor might consider a change of HT or chemotherapy.

It's worth exploring anything else which might improve your general well being both physical and emotional that might not however affect your PSA.  Quality of life is important.

If you contact the Macmillan helpline on 0808 80 00 00, they should be able to give you information on "well being" or well being services.  Macmillan do run a course called the "Hope" course which, although designed for people following cancer treatment, can also help people "living with cancer" like yourself.