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Hello, dear friends!
My name is Denis, 49 year old.

My story

When I was 47, I was diagnosed with prostate cancer after an abdominal ultrasound. I started urinating frequently.
I had tests (PSA, bone scan, chest X-ray, prostate MRI, and prostate biopsy), and they showed a PSA level of 531 (Gleason 4+5), three bone metastases (rib, pelvis, and elsewhere), and lymph nodes (groin, cervical, and lungs).

Then my oncologist sent me for genetic testing, which revealed a mutation in the ATM gene. In other words, the cancer was hereditary. My father didn't have prostate cancer, but my grandmother did, and it most likely affected me.

The doctors refused surgery and said that if they removed the tumor, the cancer would quickly kill me. I listened to them and began treatment.

In the first month (only the first month), I took bicalutamide tablets and was given Zoladex 10.8 injections (every three months). I also completed six cycles of docitaxel chemotherapy over the course of six months.

After six months of treatment, my PSA dropped from 530 to 18.

I had a Positron Emission Tomography (PET) scan in August 2024, which showed a reduction in the size of the metastases in my lymph nodes and bones. The primary tumor in my prostate remained almost intact, having only shrunk slightly.

In September 2024, the doctors held another consultation and prescribed two more courses of Docitaxel chemotherapy, after which my PSA dropped further to 6. The cancer persisted.

Throughout this time, I was receiving Zoladex 10.8 injections.

In January 2025, I had another Positron Emission Tomography (PET) scan, which showed a significant reduction in the size of the lymph node metastases and the complete disappearance of the bone metastases. The primary tumor remained virtually intact, with only a 10% change in expression.

In February 2025, We had a third consultation, after which I was prescribed and start apalutamide, which I've been taking for almost a year, and Zoladex was replaced with Diphereline 3.75 (injections every month).

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Replies to "Hello, dear friends! My name is Denis, 49 year old. My story When I was 47,..."

@denis76 It seems like removing the primary tumor with radiation or prostatectomy would be advisable.

@denis76
I feel for you and honestly I've felt like I hadn't seen anyone on here who's as bad as my husband's. His started a year ago with frequent peeing too, he was 55 and just finally went to the doctor with "enlarged prostate" and the doctor thought so too until the PSA came back at almost 300, then CT scan showed cancer outside the prostate and PSMA scan showed it all over his body! He started Firmagon (VERY reluctantly!!-he'd rather die than get his manhood taken away) he was supposed to switch to lupron but never did so we go monthly for injections, they also added zytiga with prednisone and over the summer he did 6 rounds of docetaxel.
Last week his PSA was 0.24 I think and it's been slowly going down after the initial decrease in the start and after chemo. It's a scary thought to know I might be a widow soon, but so far my husband is very active, he works out every day, eats pretty perfectly, looks fine, hair is growing back....Still it's hard, knowing that the end is nearer than we thought. His parents passed away in their late 90s 4 months before his diagnosis and my mom passed away 2 weeks after his diagnosis! I really can't handle another loss, with kids still at home too!
How are you feeling now and how is your family taking it?