Has this happened to ANYONE?

drs · New User Joined: 01 May 2008 Posts: 3

I had brachytherapy at the Mayo clinic April 2008. My PSA never went done and has actually gone up from 3.2 at the time of the proceedure to 6.5 last week. I don't mind telling you I am scared about this. Tomorrow I go in for a bone scan and CT. The doctors fear is that even though i was low with a gleason of 3-4 that it may have gotten outside my prostate and was undetectable.

i guess I am venting because I am scared about what this could mean and wondering if this has happened to anyone else

Thank you

Putt · Regular Joined: 04 Aug 2009 Posts: 27 Location: Kansas

drs

There are probably many on this forum, who have the background and experience to help you with your question, however a great deal is missing concerning your history of your cancer.

Could you provide the basics? Age, when Dx'd, Biopsy? How many cores taken? Gleason score, PSA history, are you seeing an Urologist or Oncologist?

If you do not have any of this information, then you should contact your doctors that were involved with your treatment, and get a copy of all of your test results and reports and start building your own medical file for reference. Using this personal nformation is critical when considering any type of followup, especially when you many be looking at a treatment failure.
_________________
PSA at Dx 105 at age 68, 4/04. ADT, RRP, 5/04. Gleason 4+5=9, Staged pT3c N0 MX, 3D rad, 40 treatments, 8/04. PSA 1/05 <0.01. ADT till 7/07. PSA 0.03 12/08, 0.07 4/09, 0.13 8/09. Will start ADT3 after PSA reaches 1.2.

johnT · Senior User Joined: 27 Apr 2009 Posts: 177

Dr,
Actually this is quite common with all treatment options, surgery, radiation, HIUF. No local treatment will work if the PC has already excaped the prostate. It is extremely important that any doctor perform additional testing to attempt to identify if the PC is local or systemic before any treatment is recommended.
The best advice is now to see a prostate oncologst as he is the best equipted to recommend the next steps.
JohnT
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psa at diagnosis 40 in nov-08
gleason 6 and 7
Treatment choice seeds and IMRT

G2e4n3e4 · Regular Joined: 13 Apr 2009 Posts: 25

Hi Drs,

I am not expert in seed therapy, but I myself had my PSA go from 8.4 or 8.6 down to 1.7 and then go up three times in succession to 3.9 after seed implants. So my docs, while not actually declaring the seeds a failure, started me on Lupron hormone therapy, an injection once every 4 months. It is probably too soon to determine how well the therapy is working, but my PSA went down after the first shot to 0.5 from 3.9, the highest after the seeds failed. I have had two shots so far and have not had my PSA tested since the second one. That will come around Dec. 10 to 15. So Lupron, or some other med might be appropriate for you.

By the way, when I saw my urologist for my first Lupron shot, my wife asked him if the cancer had spread. He said yes, locally. That's according to my wife. I do not remember hearing the word "locally", but I'm not too concerned as long as my PSA goes down and stays down. I hope I am not ignoring something, but I am relieved with the PSA drop.

I guess I am taking a long-winded way to say that the kind of treatment that I am getting might work for you.

I second the advice of others here get your medical reports and to see a medical oncologist and get more facts about your case so that you can make an informed decision about what to do next.

Gene in Md
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Age 70 Dx Dec 07 PSA 8.4 DRE positive. Gleason 6 (3+3), T2 PC confined to prostate. Brachytherapy Jan 2008 failed rising PSA's. Began Lupron 30 MG ea 4 mos. hot flashes, fatigue. Occasional urinary and rectal bleeding. Aug 09 - PSA 0.5. Lupron is working!!! Aug 21, 09 - 2nd Lupron shot. Continuing hot flashes. Doc recommends weight lifting - 20 to 30 lbs. July, Aug, Sep. rectal bleeding - hyperbaric chamber treatments.

Replicant · Moderator Joined: 01 Nov 2006 Posts: 744

drs,
I would agree with JohnT that it's time to find a medical oncologist who specializes in prostate cancer.
_________________
Replicant

Dx Feb 2006, PSA 9 @age 43
RRP Apr 2006 - Gleason 3+4, T2c, NXMX, pos margins
PSA 5/06 <0.1, 8/06 0.2, 12/06 0.6, 1/07 0.7.
Salvage radiation (IMRT) total dose 70.2 Gy, Jan-Mar 2007@ age 44
PSA 6/07 0.1, 9/07 (and thereafter) <0.1
http://pcabefore50.blogspot.com

Gordy650 · Regular Joined: 31 Oct 2009 Posts: 10 Location: NJ

I'm hoping not to burst G2e4n3e4's (or anyone else's) bubble, but my PSA has been undetectable for a long time, since being on ADT. However, the metastatic lesion on my pelvis and the numerous metastatic nodules on my lungs remain and slowly grow.

At this point, I don't give a rat's behind about my PSA.

G2e4n3e4 · Regular Joined: 13 Apr 2009 Posts: 25

Gordy650,

You raise an interesting point. Can PSA be relied upon to evaluate the amount/spread of prostate cancer? In your case, it apparently cannot. I wonder if you are receiving treatment and, if so, what it consists of.

Gene in Md
_________________
Age 70 Dx Dec 07 PSA 8.4 DRE positive. Gleason 6 (3+3), T2 PC confined to prostate. Brachytherapy Jan 2008 failed rising PSA's. Began Lupron 30 MG ea 4 mos. hot flashes, fatigue. Occasional urinary and rectal bleeding. Aug 09 - PSA 0.5. Lupron is working!!! Aug 21, 09 - 2nd Lupron shot. Continuing hot flashes. Doc recommends weight lifting - 20 to 30 lbs. July, Aug, Sep. rectal bleeding - hyperbaric chamber treatments.

Gordy650 · Regular Joined: 31 Oct 2009 Posts: 10 Location: NJ

G2e4n3e4-

I posted in the thread "It It Me Or Is This The Norm" and gave all my gory details.

I'm not a medical professional, so won't answer your question, although, I do have a strong opinion about it.

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