Stage 4 Prostate Cancer and Hormone Therapy quit working
My husband is at Stage 4 for one and a half years now...The hormone therapy (Apalutamide and Erleada) seems to have quit working. For the past 8 months, his PSA keeps climbing. It's up to 12 now..
We're scared. Anyone else got to this point? How are you doing when the hormone therapy isn't working anymore.
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I meant "median overall survival" — apologies for dropping a word.
I started on Firmagon (Degarelix) in 2021 because I was in a precarious situation after my PCa spread rapidly to my spine and paralysed me, and we needed to bring my testosterone down as fast as possible with no initial testosterone flare and minimal extra meds (I was already on a witches brew of steroids, blood thinners, insulin, etc trying to bring down the swelling in my spine, control DVT in my legs, and manage the steroid-induced diabetes).
Firmagon+Erleada (Apalutamide) have been working remarkably well to keep my mCSPC in full remission, but the immediate side effects from each monthly Firmagon shot were tough.
Orgovyxv (Relugolix) is a GnRH receptor antagonist just like Firmagon, but in daily pill form, and costs the same (about CA $325/month, though I haven't had to pay), so I wasn't nervous that I was taking a risk by switching.
Orgovyx seems to have become the standard ADT in the U.S. In Canada, it's still very new (Pfizer just got Health Canada approval less than a year ago), but they've priced it the same as Firmagon, and have a patient-access. programme to cover the cost until it gets added to the provincial formularies.
Is he still with us and what is he on now?
Was something better than Zytiga if you did it again?
Was C mets only in bones like mine or had it spread outside the bones to where?
I start something in Dec after Chemo gave me fluid on lungs so have to stop it
80 feel great Had prostae radiated out 2017 Then L1 radiated 2020 Then Xtandi, then Radium 223 and 2 chemo's
Must take Xgeva to push 600mg calcium back into bone pot holes caused by killing C with chemo
Chemo also gave me PSA flair from 40 to 7000 google PSA flair 30% get it
Also get Zolodex shots to lower testosterones FYI
Thanks I get my Zolodex shot 10 AM today in house by Zolodex people I will ask Q
See respologist this afternoon Breathing still tight 80 MG prednisone slowly being reduced
Feel good Lots of scans in December CTPET and bone.
I feel great yet cant walk far as breathing difficult caused by fluid on lung brought on by second chemo No more chemo
Also have now small embolism clot on lower lung
May start Zytiga or apalutimide late December
Keep C controlled in T 5 L2 and L5
Zytiga? Is it best for OS survival versus others? May have asked before NEED best one if doing
Bone only T 5 L2 some L6 near tail Nothing outside bone
My husband is still with us. His mets have been on his spine and other bony areas. He finished Pluvicto in August, and September scans and labs showed it was only moderately successful; his PSA indicates cancer is still hiding somewhere. He will have a PSMA PET, an abdominal and pelvic MRI, and labs in early January at Mayo Rochester and also meet with Dr. Kwon. Next steps depend on what the January tests reveal.
Doing all those scans In Dec here at CVH in Mississauga Credit Valley Hospital oncology
3 KM from my home across the stream we live on Luck me NO Praise God
My oncologist Is Dr Charles Lim wow