1. < Prostate Cancer

Share your test results (if you'd like)

Posted by northoftheborder @northoftheborder, May 28 5:25pm

I thought it might be helpful to have a thread dedicated to sharing routine test results, good or not-so-good. My intention is just to provide a place for sharing, support, and encouragement, not for debating tests and treatments

I'll start. I've been at stage 4b oligometastatic for over 2½ years, and last Friday I did my routine 12-week bloodwork. My PSA remains below 0.01 (undetectable), Orgovyx and Erleada are holding my testosterone at 0.2, and the other tests are in normal ranges, except for those related to iron, which are slightly low.

Overall, it was a banner day! 🎊 I always treat myself to a masala chai at the little Indian café across the street while I'm waiting for my results to pop.

Do you have any recent test results you'd like to share?

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Prostate Cancer Support Group.

stevecando54 | @stevecando54 | Jun 10 3:45pm
In reply to @aldenrobert "RRP March 2021 post surgery PSA 0.37 ( PSA was 11.6 prior to surgery) 7 weeks..." + (show)
@aldenrobert

RRP March 2021 post surgery PSA 0.37 ( PSA was 11.6 prior to surgery)
7 weeks of salvage radiation ended Nov. 2021 PSA was 0.69 at start and 1.29 after radiation
November 2022 PSA 6.56 PET/CT scan followed finding metastatic lymph node in my chest
March 14 2023 PSA 13.46 at start of 24 week drug trial with 5 rounds of radiation to lymph node
August 28 2023 at end of trial PSA < 0.01
Dec 2023 PSA 0.02
Jan. 2024 PSA 0.08
March 2024 PSA 1.02
Today June 10 2024 PSA 6.57 PET/CT scan scheduled for July 22

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Prayers and best wishes to you, hang in there, I get it, going to seem like a long time until the test date, do your best.

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northoftheborder | @northoftheborder | Jun 11 2:00am
In reply to @aldenrobert "RRP March 2021 post surgery PSA 0.37 ( PSA was 11.6 prior to surgery) 7 weeks..." + (show)
@aldenrobert

RRP March 2021 post surgery PSA 0.37 ( PSA was 11.6 prior to surgery)
7 weeks of salvage radiation ended Nov. 2021 PSA was 0.69 at start and 1.29 after radiation
November 2022 PSA 6.56 PET/CT scan followed finding metastatic lymph node in my chest
March 14 2023 PSA 13.46 at start of 24 week drug trial with 5 rounds of radiation to lymph node
August 28 2023 at end of trial PSA < 0.01
Dec 2023 PSA 0.02
Jan. 2024 PSA 0.08
March 2024 PSA 1.02
Today June 10 2024 PSA 6.57 PET/CT scan scheduled for July 22

Jump to this post

I'll be cheering for you. Like my radiation oncologist told me, there are lots of options now, so when one thing doesn't work, they just move on to the next.

For example, Pluvicto is radiation in pill form that can find prostate-cancer cells in your body and target them individually, even if they're too spread out for conventional radiation therapy:
https://us.pluvicto.com/about-metastatic-castration-resistant-prostate-cancer/understanding-metastatic-prostate-cancer

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2 replies
aldenrobert | @aldenrobert | Jun 11 5:51am
In reply to @northoftheborder "I'll be cheering for you. Like my radiation oncologist told me, there are lots of options..." + (show)
@northoftheborder

I'll be cheering for you. Like my radiation oncologist told me, there are lots of options now, so when one thing doesn't work, they just move on to the next.

For example, Pluvicto is radiation in pill form that can find prostate-cancer cells in your body and target them individually, even if they're too spread out for conventional radiation therapy:
https://us.pluvicto.com/about-metastatic-castration-resistant-prostate-cancer/understanding-metastatic-prostate-cancer

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Thanks for the encouragement.
My treatment is through Northwestern in Chicago.
They are on top of the latest treatments and clinical trials. My last treatments were part of a clinical trial and there were only 100 participants throughout the whole Country.
I trust my medical team but do my own homework as well. I have had as many as five different Oncologists with different specialties on my team at one time.
Right now we need to get the PET/CT scan done to determine the next course of treatment.
I am also blessed to have loving and helpful friends and family close by.

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lag | @lag | Jun 11 6:36am
In reply to @northoftheborder "I'll be cheering for you. Like my radiation oncologist told me, there are lots of options..." + (show)
@northoftheborder

I'll be cheering for you. Like my radiation oncologist told me, there are lots of options now, so when one thing doesn't work, they just move on to the next.

For example, Pluvicto is radiation in pill form that can find prostate-cancer cells in your body and target them individually, even if they're too spread out for conventional radiation therapy:
https://us.pluvicto.com/about-metastatic-castration-resistant-prostate-cancer/understanding-metastatic-prostate-cancer

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Pluvicto is not a pill--it is infused under strict radiation safety protocols.

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1 reply
northoftheborder | @northoftheborder | Jun 11 11:22am
In reply to @lag "Pluvicto is not a pill--it is infused under strict radiation safety protocols." + (show)
@lag

Pluvicto is not a pill--it is infused under strict radiation safety protocols.

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Thanks for the clarification — I misremembered what my oncologist told me (or is there a different radiation "pill"?).

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northoftheborder | @northoftheborder | Aug 22 11:39am

My next round of quarterly tests is due at the end of the month, but I'm going to wait a few days so that in the unlikely event I have a worrying result, I won't ruin my spouse's Labour Day weekend away at a music camp she's been looking forward to. Hoping to report good news here again after the long weekend. 🤞

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ronc320403 | @ronc320403 | Aug 22 1:11pm
In reply to @ronc320403 "What ever works and it will be different for everyone. For me, i have just tried..." + (show)
@ronc320403

What ever works and it will be different for everyone. For me, i have just tried to stay outside myself. It has been rather easy as since 2017, when my PC popped up, my wife was suffering from COPD and slowly going down hill. As a result i became caregiver, house and yard husband which will certainly take your mind off of internal concerns other than I've got to survive to tend to her. It's worked so far but I lost her just over 60 days ago. For a very short time, I thought I'm finished now and considered giving up. She would not have wanted that so I'm back. No more depression and will continue to fight it. Oh, forgot to mention, when she died, we only were short 28 days from celibrating our 61st anniversary.

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Thx!

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chipe | @chipe | Aug 23 10:55am
In reply to @ronc320403 "What ever works and it will be different for everyone. For me, i have just tried..." + (show)
@ronc320403

What ever works and it will be different for everyone. For me, i have just tried to stay outside myself. It has been rather easy as since 2017, when my PC popped up, my wife was suffering from COPD and slowly going down hill. As a result i became caregiver, house and yard husband which will certainly take your mind off of internal concerns other than I've got to survive to tend to her. It's worked so far but I lost her just over 60 days ago. For a very short time, I thought I'm finished now and considered giving up. She would not have wanted that so I'm back. No more depression and will continue to fight it. Oh, forgot to mention, when she died, we only were short 28 days from celibrating our 61st anniversary.

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I am so sorry for your loss. You are correct in stating that she would want you to fight for your life as hard as she and you fought for hers.

She is with you and will be a strength as you go forward fighting your PC battle.

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ronc320403 | @ronc320403 | Aug 23 8:30pm

In the years as her condition deteriorated, not one word of complaint from her. It was and is an inspiration. Our two kids, adults now, would expect no less from me.

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1 reply
ronc320403 | @ronc320403 | Aug 24 11:17am
In reply to @ronc320403 "In the years as her condition deteriorated, not one word of complaint from her. It was..." + (show)
@ronc320403

In the years as her condition deteriorated, not one word of complaint from her. It was and is an inspiration. Our two kids, adults now, would expect no less from me.

Jump to this post

Thank you!

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