PSA jump 16 to 30 in 6 months. Radiation candidate?

Posted by augustahus @augustahus, 6 days ago

Late 80s with biopsies and PET scan (no metastasis) diagnosed cancer 10 months ago. Average size prostate.
Concurrent problems: Moderate cardio CAD, Pre-diabetes.
Life expectancy 2-3 years based on current age.
Oncologist recommended 20 to 30 radiation treatments. A British study reported risk of dying from the cancer or problems associated with it was 5% over a 5 year period.
Get the radiation treatments or continue with watchful waiting?

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

Profile picture for heavyphil @heavyphil

What is your Gleason score? If by ‘late 80’s’ you mean ‘almost 90’ you are probably one of those men we’ve all heard so much about, but have never actually met: one who will die WITH prostate cancer, but not FROM it. Best,
Phil

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@heavyphil Hello Phil and thanks for your reply. A recent 5 year study of elderly men in England showed that 95% of the deaths that occured in that time were due to non-prostate or related reasons. It has been said that most all men, if they live long enough, will develop cancer cells in their prostates. (don't know the origins of that statement).
Art

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Profile picture for augustahuss @augustahuss

@jeffmarc Thanks for your reply Jeff. Ok on the newsletter, I will check it out.
I forgot to mention gleason scores in my original note, they are 8,8, 7 found in3 of 12 areas in the prostate. I haven't had radiation but have discussed that at length with an oncologist.
I have been doing watchful waiting since early in 2025 with no meds being taken for prostate
cancer .

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@augustahuss
Just to clear it up.

You are a Gleason eight. The seven doesn’t matter the doctors only go by the highest number.

A Gleason 8 is very aggressive so you don’t want to go very long watchful waiting, (Which is now called active surveillance).

At your age, radiation is the normal solution. Nubeqa is pretty easy on the body and could keep your cancer under control for a long time. ADT may be too much. Discuss this with your doctor.

At 78 I have some calcification And have to take Diltiazem, Losartan and Metoprolol twice daily For high blood pressure caused by Zytiga. Sounds like your problem is definitely worse than mine however.

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Profile picture for augustahuss @augustahuss

@heavyphil Hello Phil and thanks for your reply. A recent 5 year study of elderly men in England showed that 95% of the deaths that occured in that time were due to non-prostate or related reasons. It has been said that most all men, if they live long enough, will develop cancer cells in their prostates. (don't know the origins of that statement).
Art

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@augustahuss Thank you for the info…G8 is considered aggressive so your decision to treat it depends on what you think your odds of survival are vs your odds of succumbing to CAD.
G8 usually requires ADT, which may exacerbate your CAD, but as @jeffmarc points out, Nubeqa may be a way around that…
Don’t know the fine points of British health care system, so can’t say they will approve it in lieu of cheaper alternatives like Lupron - which may prove worse than nothing at all.
Again, there are different levels of CAD ranging from totally asymptomatic all the way to being housebound with shortness of breath, etc. IF (again, IF!) that is your situation, treating the PCa may not be worth the strain on your body.
Phil

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Profile picture for jeff Marchi @jeffmarc

@overage
At your age, it is fantastic to hear you are not having a problem with ADT and that radiation didn’t affect you and you were able to continue your activities even though you were going every day for treatment.

I had eight weeks of radiation so I had lower amounts of radiation and I had no side effects and went to work right after, Had it done first thing in the morning. Not many people are able to say they don’t have a problem with it.

A lot of people in their 60s and 70s are crippled by ADT.

I’m 78 and I’ve had ADT for eight years now. Can’t stop because my cancer keeps coming back because I have BRCA2. Still going strong after 16 years of PC.

The guy that runs ancan.org Had a Gleason eight and had radiation at UCSF 17 years ago and he has had no recurrences since. They have some really great meetings for advanced prostate cancer and many other issues. They have a great news newsletter that comes out every week that discusses some of the latest things going on in prostate cancer. Worth signing up just to get that newsletter. He could also watch some of the older weekly meeting since they are recorded.

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@I don’t believe I said I had no problems with ADT. I just try to identify them and apply the appropriate fix if one is available. ADT made me pre-diabetic, raised my cholesterol to 240, and gave me osteoporosis. I changed the diet twice to fight the high glucose and eventually asked for and received a prescription for Metformin, which has helped others in Trials on metabolic issues. A cardiologist prescribed statins and ezetiimbe, which cut the cholesterol in half. I started on Prolia last month for the osteoporosis. ADT is the pits but it something I have to live with.

Thanks for the reference to ANCAN:ORG, I will sign up.

@jeffmarc

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These are all great comments and good information, but have you had a second opinion from a cancer center of excellence like Sloan Kettering, MD Anderson or the Mayo clinic? There are other great prostate cancer doctors out there, but you only have one life, so do everything you can do to make it better. I've had some bad doctors in my life so I don't trust any of them without verification.

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Profile picture for augustahuss @augustahuss

@jeffmarc Thanks Jeffery your response is appreciated. Urologist hasn't mentioned ADT yet but I will certainly ask him about it at our next get together as well as the Nubeqa. Cancer was found in 3 areas, out of 12 biopsys with gleason scores of 8,8,7. Reason jump suggests more agressive treatment may be recommended by the Urologist.

I am 89 and in reasonable health however on lots of pills for Coronary Artery calcification plaque problems with moderate reduced blood flow. Cardio doc thought that would eventually get me as the best I can do now is to slow down the plaque buildup.
Art

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@augustahuss u can reverse the plaque build up. Read de Dean Ornish land mark study from 1990 re reversing heart disease a controlled study monitored via angiograms and reversing blockages via diet and relaxation and walking etc
It sold millions but oddly many doctors are not aware of the controlled study

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Profile picture for pezzy @pezzy

@augustahuss u can reverse the plaque build up. Read de Dean Ornish land mark study from 1990 re reversing heart disease a controlled study monitored via angiograms and reversing blockages via diet and relaxation and walking etc
It sold millions but oddly many doctors are not aware of the controlled study

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@pezzy
The Cleveland clinic tried to reproduce the study. They could not find people that wanted to have the rigorous requirements of the study in their lifestyle. I didn’t mind doing the dieting, but it required one hour of exercise every day and 2 sessions per day of stress management, private counseling with a physician, lectures and a group support meeting in the evening.

“But you have to be a very special kind of person to do the diet. No meat. No fish. No chicken. No dairy. I tried it for a week myself, and I couldn’t do it. I was hungry all the time. I quit at six days.”

Strangely he talks about studying the reversal of early-stage prostate cancer through a holistic approach

This is not as simple as it seems.

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Agreed it’s not easy but many people have reversed heart disease via rhia or similar diets and some lifestyle changes

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