Prostate cancer has spread to the C5 vertebrae

Posted by alliblue @alliblue, Feb 13 11:57am

Prostate cancer diagnosed 3 years ago. Today, found C5 vertebrae cancer detected. Prostate surgery was not recommended due to areas wrapped around prostate. Surgery allegedly could have caused paralysis. PET shows no cancer cells in the prostate but cancer moved to the spine. Anyone experience this? And if so, what treatment did you chose? Any information would be helpful even the hard truth about this. Thank you

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@lag

My husband has had many metastases on his spine since 2011, which is a common location for prostate metastases. All of his have been located on the thoracic and lumbar spine, designated with T and L. They were generally treated with spot radiation until a large number of them appeared at once, which is when he had systemic treatment with docetaxel chemotherapy.

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Thank you -

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@jeffmarc

Your message is confusing. The C5 vertebrae is in your neck. I’ve had C1 through C six operated on, Not cancer related just open them up and stop paralysis

They don’t usually operate on prostate metastasis they use radiation to kill them. Did they not want to do radiation either. I’ve had a metastasis on my spine radiated. I know many other people that have had the same treatment, but I don’t recall any anyone mentioning it in the C1 through C5 area.

Have they mentioned putting you on ADT to try to shrink the metastasis?

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I'm rather confused right now..Y I may not be making sense. Radiation, chemo and meds for the prostate cancer. Results today concerning the C5 issue. Absorbing this and looking for info others may have. Thank you..

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alliblue, it's good you are involved; it can be overwhealming. It sounds like metastasis to the adrenal gland and then to the fifth cervical vertebra. Lytic means the bone is breaking down. Most vertebral metastases are sclerotic meaning that the bone becomes more dense. So his situation is quite rare.
It helps to get second opinions. And now it is easy with telehealth. If he has copies of imaging, you might send the CDs out for treatment options.

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Spot radiation of c5
Get on enzalutamide and Xgeva plus take 600mg calcium plus k2 d3

Zolodex to reduce testosterone

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@jeffmarc

Your message is confusing. The C5 vertebrae is in your neck. I’ve had C1 through C six operated on, Not cancer related just open them up and stop paralysis

They don’t usually operate on prostate metastasis they use radiation to kill them. Did they not want to do radiation either. I’ve had a metastasis on my spine radiated. I know many other people that have had the same treatment, but I don’t recall any anyone mentioning it in the C1 through C5 area.

Have they mentioned putting you on ADT to try to shrink the metastasis?

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I’ve seen it in the clavicle as a single metastasis in a paper on PSMA PET. It’s the “C5 adrenal” part that is confusing; adrenals are in thoracic/lumbar region so where is cervical coming from?
Are there perhaps 2 things occurring at once - metastatic PCa to the C5 AND a separate issue in the adrenal?

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@northoftheborder

I needed surgery for the metastasis on my spine *because* it was paralysing me. I got 10 hours of emergency debulking surgery first, then 20 gy of post-op SBRT radiation a month later. It still took over a year before I could walk with out a walker or cane, and I'll never get all my sensation and mobility back.

Long story short: if safe and possible, fry that sucker with radiation now, before it grows and compresses your spinal cord. Mine went from a slight pain in my mid spine to complete paraplegia in just over 4 weeks.

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Hey my boyfriend is experiencing just about the same thing. He went from walking one day to being completely paralyzed in a matter of no time. The examined him and determined he was not a candidate for surgery. They sent him home to die on” comfort care” . We only have state funded medical insurance so he was put in a post Acute place. You know the nice name for a rest home. Now he is basically there to die. We went through radiation his psa went from 4.5 to 1.4. The dr. Basically said he would probably never walk again. ????????????what do we do

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@missjeanette64

Hey my boyfriend is experiencing just about the same thing. He went from walking one day to being completely paralyzed in a matter of no time. The examined him and determined he was not a candidate for surgery. They sent him home to die on” comfort care” . We only have state funded medical insurance so he was put in a post Acute place. You know the nice name for a rest home. Now he is basically there to die. We went through radiation his psa went from 4.5 to 1.4. The dr. Basically said he would probably never walk again. ????????????what do we do

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I'm so sorry for what you're both going through!

I don't know enough about your healthcare system in the U.S. to suggest how to navigate it in a situation like this. Would Medicare/Medicaid allow a second opinion?

Some details of your boyfriend's situation may be different from mine, but at least sometimes, a single large spinal lesion that's compressing the spinal cord and causing paraplegia *can* be treated (as I've experienced). It just takes tight coordination among the different medical teams (neurology, orthopedics, oncology, physical and occupational therapy, etc).

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Hope you are doing well !
My questions: my what was your
PSA?
Glendon score?
Type of cancer: Adenocarcinoma, Acinar?

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@missjeanette64

Hey my boyfriend is experiencing just about the same thing. He went from walking one day to being completely paralyzed in a matter of no time. The examined him and determined he was not a candidate for surgery. They sent him home to die on” comfort care” . We only have state funded medical insurance so he was put in a post Acute place. You know the nice name for a rest home. Now he is basically there to die. We went through radiation his psa went from 4.5 to 1.4. The dr. Basically said he would probably never walk again. ????????????what do we do

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Hi @missjeanette64 ,
So sorry you two are facing such a tough situation! Several questions come to mind. As Medicaid coverage varies from state to state, what state are you in? How old is your boyfriend? What is the issue that precluded him from being a candidate for surgery or other forms of treatment for advanced metastatic prostate cancer?

As @northoftheborder has mentioned in other posts, it was his being seen and treated by one of the preeminent surgical specialists at a major university cancer center that contributed to his remarkable outcome. Was your boyfriend diagnosed and treated at a major cancer center such as one at a large university medical center? If not, consider arranging for him to be seen at one as soon as possible.

Medicaid programs in most states cover second opinions. I would obtain second opinions from a highly qualified team of surgical, radiological oncologists and genitourinary oncologists at the best medical center in your state as soon as possible. Sometimes it takes aggressive advocacy to get what you need from our medical system.

Sending good thoughts your way. I hope you will continue to share updates with the MCC community so we can provide support to you two and continue to learn from your journey.
Bill

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