1. < Prostate Cancer
Profile picture for gkgdawg

PC spread to some lymph nodes; radiation, ADT. intermittent ADT

Posted by gkgdawg @gkgdawg, Oct 4 12:08pm

My husband has Prostate Cancer. PSMA showed microscopic spread to some lymph nodes near the prostate. He had 5 weeks radiation August 2025, and has had 17 months of ADT. HIs PSA has shown less than .1 since Sept 2025. He had a CTscan of his chest, abdomen and pelvis on Sept 14 2026. No pathologically enlarged pelvic lymph nodes , no suspicious nodules or metastatic spots in lungs or abdominal organs. He had a prostate MRI in September , 2026. No suspicious regional lymph nodes , no visible sins of tumour recurrence or spread. I have asked my husband's oncologist if he can stop his ADT for now and be monitored every 6 weeks or so. She was hesitant. She has never introduced intermittent ADT to a patient. Once they are on ADT they stay on ADT. He will have a baseline blood test this coming week and then go off the ADT. Has anyone else ever done this?

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

Profile picture for surftohealth88
surftohealth88 | @surftohealth88 | Oct 13 10:41pm

At this point one really needs to stop and rethink this whole jumbled up argument about ADT in this thread.

I mean, ADT is prescribed so that patients can have better control of the cancer - it is not optional thing for MANY, many PC cases.

One can argue that the length of the treatment should be adjusted and personalized and scientists are working on a fine tuning of the same as we speak, but in the meantime there is no contra argument about its effectiveness in controlling cancer.

Does ADT have side effects - yes, some we can see and feel, some we don't, but they are all well known. One can argue like this about any other medication that has systemic effect on a body - how about so called bilologics that suppress immunity so patients with Lupus and multiple sclerosis can have slow progression of their disease ? Those meds cause whole slew of possible side effects inclooding developing a CANCER. So - patients have an option of slowing down their auto-immune diseases or dealing with possible worse events down the road.

Nobody is forcing anybody to use any meds, so I really do not understand what is the whole commotion about here ? Your doctor might insist that you reconsider since he/she knows what is standard of care and what many studies showed and he/she is following those recommendations. You have the right to refuse. You might decide that you will not treat cancer at all from the day one !

If you do not like side effects and are fine with possible cancer progression - do not take ADT - as simple as that ! There is NO road ahead with no risks once one has diagnosis of having a cancer. EVERY single treatment has side effects seen and unseen - what do you think that much radiation does to your body, for example. How about comparing man's life expectancy who had RT and did not have RT ? We know for example that there is 5% chance of developing SECONDARY cancer - so should we skip RT completely ? How about rates of ED after radiation that range from roughly 30% to over 75% depending on age, baseline function, etc.. How about developing incontinence : 5-10 % . How about proctitis , cystitis , scar tissue, etc etc. I mean those effect quality of life BIG time, ask any of our members who have to deal with that on daily bases.

Sometimes I have a feeling that people forget WHY they are having all those treatments 😞.

Cancer shortens life expectancy in many, many ways - just the stress of all of this shortens life expectancy. There is no way around it, unfortunately.

So, bottom line - educate yourself and than choose your path. You can refuse doing anything , or just doing something and not all of it, but don't expect that all other patients will be agreeing with your unusual path - it is not going to happen. You want TRT - have TRT, your body, your life. You wish to wait till your PSA jumps to 20 till you have PSMA - your choice.

At the same time please do not expect that everybody here will all of the sudden throw all guidelines up in the air and agree with your path - it is unreasonable, as simple as that.

REPLY
1 reply
Profile picture for heavyphil
heavyphil | @heavyphil | Oct 14 5:37am
In reply to @surftohealth88 "At this point one really needs to stop and rethink this whole jumbled up argument about..." + (show)
Profile picture for surftohealth88 @surftohealth88

At this point one really needs to stop and rethink this whole jumbled up argument about ADT in this thread.

I mean, ADT is prescribed so that patients can have better control of the cancer - it is not optional thing for MANY, many PC cases.

One can argue that the length of the treatment should be adjusted and personalized and scientists are working on a fine tuning of the same as we speak, but in the meantime there is no contra argument about its effectiveness in controlling cancer.

Does ADT have side effects - yes, some we can see and feel, some we don't, but they are all well known. One can argue like this about any other medication that has systemic effect on a body - how about so called bilologics that suppress immunity so patients with Lupus and multiple sclerosis can have slow progression of their disease ? Those meds cause whole slew of possible side effects inclooding developing a CANCER. So - patients have an option of slowing down their auto-immune diseases or dealing with possible worse events down the road.

Nobody is forcing anybody to use any meds, so I really do not understand what is the whole commotion about here ? Your doctor might insist that you reconsider since he/she knows what is standard of care and what many studies showed and he/she is following those recommendations. You have the right to refuse. You might decide that you will not treat cancer at all from the day one !

If you do not like side effects and are fine with possible cancer progression - do not take ADT - as simple as that ! There is NO road ahead with no risks once one has diagnosis of having a cancer. EVERY single treatment has side effects seen and unseen - what do you think that much radiation does to your body, for example. How about comparing man's life expectancy who had RT and did not have RT ? We know for example that there is 5% chance of developing SECONDARY cancer - so should we skip RT completely ? How about rates of ED after radiation that range from roughly 30% to over 75% depending on age, baseline function, etc.. How about developing incontinence : 5-10 % . How about proctitis , cystitis , scar tissue, etc etc. I mean those effect quality of life BIG time, ask any of our members who have to deal with that on daily bases.

Sometimes I have a feeling that people forget WHY they are having all those treatments 😞.

Cancer shortens life expectancy in many, many ways - just the stress of all of this shortens life expectancy. There is no way around it, unfortunately.

So, bottom line - educate yourself and than choose your path. You can refuse doing anything , or just doing something and not all of it, but don't expect that all other patients will be agreeing with your unusual path - it is not going to happen. You want TRT - have TRT, your body, your life. You wish to wait till your PSA jumps to 20 till you have PSMA - your choice.

At the same time please do not expect that everybody here will all of the sudden throw all guidelines up in the air and agree with your path - it is unreasonable, as simple as that.

Jump to this post

@surftohealth88 Very well said! Somebody has an untoward side effect - which is clearly explained beforehand - and suddenly all the medical journals need to be re-written: DON’T take this drug - it’s BAD!!
But Yoo-Hoo, the disease you’re taking it for just might kill you, so would you rather stand by your opinion…or die?
Phil
Phil

REPLY
Please sign in or register to post a reply.