Worried the cancer has spread

David, sorry to welcome you to the Club but this is a great site for getting help from guys who have been through PCa.

My diagnosis was the same as your T3b N1 M0 over 6 years ago.  We are all different and respond to treatments/drugs in different ways but I guarantee your oncologist will have a range of options awaiting even if your PET Scan isn’t good.

No point in saying don’t worry because we all go through the highs and lows.  Make sure you have a list of questions/concerns and if possible have someone with you when you have your appointment. Above all, try and stay positive.

Wishing you all the best for your appointment.  Fingers crossed for good news.

David

Thanks David, my wife will be with me when I go to the appointment as well as our Guide Dog puppy Euston who has been a great help to have with us at difficult times like this.

David

Hi David,

It is, of course, worrying that it may have spread. Your question is what can be done. Well, if and I say if, it has spread, you will probably be on the hormone therapy, maybe injections, tablets or both. You may also be offered chemotherapy. My husbands psa on  initial diagnosis was 1200 and due to other health conditions, he cannot have chemo, just the hormone therapy. That was two and a half years ago and the pca does not seem to affect him other than incontinence for which he wears pads. He has had several hospital stays but none have been related to his cancer. I believe that once it has spread to the bones (metastasised), this is deemed incurable. However, that does not mean untreatable and there are so many new drugs becoming available which can keep the cancer at bay. I was told, even after such a high psa reading, that most men die with prostate cancer, not because of it.

I will keep my fingers crossed for  you for Friday.

Regards

Gina

Thanks Gina

David

David,

Great that your wife is going with you.  I know what a support it was having my wife at each appointment.  We both heard different things and could compare notes afterwards.  This journey is going to impact both of you and you will get through it together!  Any questions now or later, the guys on this site have got all the tea shirts, so just ask.  David

Hello DCL So sorry I am late to the party but a warm welcome to the Community

I see you have already received a reply from my good friends David2017 and Sidsmum . They are both right to encourage you to take your wife (and Euston - I would take my Greyhound but he's only good at chasing squirrels now he's retired from racing!!) I think it's going to be a tough call BUT there are plenty of options still open to you - if indeed the PET scan shows a change in circumstances.

As David says - get your question list sorted and there will be treatments available for you.

We as a Community are with you here - let us know how you get on on Friday and whatever the outcome - remember we are all with you on this journey. Thanks for sharing and please stay strong.

Best wishes - Brian.

Hello David.

A warm welcome to you. My husband is also on this rollercoaster of fluctuating PSA's so I can fully understand what you are going through. He initially had 33 sessions of radiotherapy alongside Bicalutamide and Prostap as he is T4 with distant metastasis and lymph node involvement and a very aggressive form. In his case the first thing that was added in when the PSA rose for the first time was Enzalutamide which proved effective for over a year. He has recently been through 6 rounds of Docetaxel as his PSA started rising again and we have been assured that there are more treatments available further down the line if necessary. Apart from some side effects during chemotherapy he has maintained a reasonably good quality of life for the last 40 months since diagnosis. So in answer as to what can be done -PLENTY. Keep a positive attitude as this enhances your bodies own healing mechanism. I hope everything goes well on Friday and let us all know what happens.

Thanks Brian

Thanks Alwayshope

Hi David,

My partner is similar at diagnosis. it's possible you may need an extra boost with either Abiraterone or Enzalutamide if you are becoming hormone resistant to Decapeptyl on its own. My partner has a Zoladex three monthly injection and the Abiraterone pills daily. They are both hormone treatments but work in a different way. The combination is really effective at keeping things under control. Try not to worry as there are lot's of different hormone treatments and combinations that are also very effective. Obviously it's impossible for us to know your cancer, but it feels like your next step could be a combination of Ht. What was your original PSA btw?

 Here's a link below to a few of them, ignore the word and initial bit about "Metastatic" on the link and scroll down to the HT as these strong drugs are used in a precautionary way as well.

Best wishes L

https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/prostate-cancer/metastatic-cancer/treatment/hormone-therapy-for-metastatic-prostate-cancer