Happy and worried

UCSFHealth and NIH say
After 30 sessions of external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) for prostate cancer, most men experience a mix of short-term side effects, which can vary in intensity and duration:
• Fatigue is very common and can persist for several weeks after treatment ends.
• Urinary symptoms such as increased frequency, urgency, weaker stream, burning, and sometimes blood in the urine often develop midway through treatment and may last a few weeks after finishing, but typically improve over time.
• Bowel issues like diarrhea, softer or more frequent stools, rectal irritation, or occasional blood are also common, with most symptoms resolving within weeks, though some may persist longer.
• Sexual side effects, particularly erectile dysfunction, can occur and may persist or worsen over time.
• Emotional responses include anxiety about whether the treatment was successful, but many men adapt to the changes, often normalizing symptoms as part of aging.
Most men find the treatment more manageable than expected, though some side effects can be bothersome. While many symptoms improve within a few months, a minority may experience longer-term issues with urinary, bowel, or sexual function. Overall, quality of life tends to recover, but ongoing support and communication with healthcare providers are important

UCSFHealth and NIH say
After 30 sessions of external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) for prostate cancer, most men experience a mix of short-term side effects, which can vary in intensity and duration:
• Fatigue is very common and can persist for several weeks after treatment ends.
• Urinary symptoms such as increased frequency, urgency, weaker stream, burning, and sometimes blood in the urine often develop midway through treatment and may last a few weeks after finishing, but typically improve over time.
• Bowel issues like diarrhea, softer or more frequent stools, rectal irritation, or occasional blood are also common, with most symptoms resolving within weeks, though some may persist longer.
• Sexual side effects, particularly erectile dysfunction, can occur and may persist or worsen over time.
• Emotional responses include anxiety about whether the treatment was successful, but many men adapt to the changes, often normalizing symptoms as part of aging.
Most men find the treatment more manageable than expected, though some side effects can be bothersome. While many symptoms improve within a few months, a minority may experience longer-term issues with urinary, bowel, or sexual function. Overall, quality of life tends to recover, but ongoing support and communication with healthcare providers are important

Sounds like Lupron (a shot every three months) and one of the -lutamides (I take 4 Apalutamide pills every day). If my guess is correct, then the goal is to put the cancer to sleep for a while by blocking androgens like testosterone (its main trigger) at both ends:

Lupron is an ADT, which blocks your body from producing testosterone.

The -lutamides are ARSIs, which block cancer cells from receiving testosterone and other androgens (even, to a certain extent, once tumours become castrate-resistant and evolve to produce their own androgens).

It sounds like a good first strategy to my layperson's ears. If they reduce your PSA to undetectable in a few months (especially on the uPSA test), then you'll know that the cancer has gone dormant.

I'm on exactly the same doublet therapy. Had a blood test test today(after three months on the protocol), and PSA is .01. Given that I'm 83, I'm hoping this might see me through for a few years. But who knows?

Sounds like you're in a pretty good place at age 83 with your PSA down to 0.01.

Sounds like you're in a pretty good place at age 83 with your PSA down to 0.01.