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@mmacaulay

About two years ago I was Gleason 9, rated stage 4b, metastatic. High PSA. My urologist at Mayo confirmed my diagnosis with intraperatoneal biopsy and PET Scan. Also had a biopsy on a lymph node in my chest, near my heart. I started treatment with Lupron. Shortly thereafter I started darolutamide and proceeded with six sessions of docetexal chemo. Next came twenty six sessions of intensity modulated radiotherapy. Follow-up PET scans were clear. By then my PSA was negligible as was my testosterone. I went off Lupron after 13 months but continued darolutamide. After all of that I am very weak. My testosterone is coming back (now at 40 ng per deciliter). I’m 74. i can play golf again but have to use a cart. Glass is half full. Thanks to Dr. Kwon and his Mayo-Rochester team.

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Replies to "About two years ago I was Gleason 9, rated stage 4b, metastatic. High PSA. My urologist..."

Your story is very similar to mine. However, after my chem with Doxetaxel for 3 months, my MO at Johns Hopkins took me off Darolutamide and then after one year of Lupron, took me off that as well. PSA is currently undetectable and T is 33 (March 2024). I play golf 4 to 5 times a week and walk but it has become difficult. I don't know if it's the age or the disease/treatment. I will carry on and trust God.

@mmacaulay

I am interested in the sequencing of your therapies as I am in the same boat. Now on Lupron and will begin Proton the end of May. I am concerned my treatment pathway may not be aggressive enough given 4+5 and metastasis to the pelvic region.

Could you be more specific about how long after Lupron you started darolutamide? Did you start docetaxal simultaneously with darolutamide? I presume the six sessions of docetaxel were three weeks apart. How long after last session of docetaxal was IMRT started? And if I understand correctly you were taking Lupron and darolutamide during IMRT.

Many thanks for any info, Rick

Just wondering about docetaxel chemo...What kind of side effects did you have? My PSA has gone up every month now form 2.5 and now it's 4.0
I've been on Apalutamide and Eligard injections every 4 months for a year now. But, because my PSA is going up, I'm seeing an Oncologist next month and they might start Chemo. This is also so scary. I thought I'd be on the hormone treatment for a few years before the Chemo. I feel okay. No pain but it's spread now to a lymph node. Before it was just metasasized to bones.
This is all so unbelievable. I was so healthy then last year, I had blood in my urine and now they give me 5 years to live...
It's really scary