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Lupron Treatment Duration: How long were you on it?
I have been diagnosed with Grade 3 prostate cancer with a 4 + 3 Gleason score of 7. This after having 2 PSA scores last year between 4 and 7. The cancer has not spread to the bones. I have received two Lupron injections 3 months apart and will complete 28 radiation treatments in the next couple of days. No surgery. I have tolerated the Lupron shots well with few but manageable side effects. I have an appointment to receive a third Lupron shot next month. My first PSA test after completing radiation won't be scheduled for 3 months. From researching Lupron, it appears that this is used for advanced stages of prostate cancer. From what I was led to believe, I was not advanced. My question: How long and how many Lupron shots might I need to go through? I will have this discussion with my urologist hopefully before proceeding with the next shot. Thanks for any information provided by the group.
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Thank you for your reply. I’m in the process of buying a new house for my family. I would like to be able to enjoy it with them for a while. I’m looking forward to the Detroit Lions going to a Super Bowl 😀
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1 ReactionGlad you are a Lions fan. I trained in Endocrinology at Henry Ford Hospital and I enjoyed my time in Detroit. Keep going. Trust God and stay positive. It’s a mind game sometimes fighting cancer.
I wonder why the age and general health of a person diagnosed with PC never seems to be mentioned as a factor for HT. In my case, at 84 I completed 28 days of radiation, started on HT about a month before the radiation. My care plan recommends a minimum of 18 months of HT, but suggests 24 months would be idea. For my age, my health is fair to good.
The question I asked the urologist - can an argument be made, because of my age, am I exposing myself to another risk? i.e. Injury from a fall because of my weakened muscles as the result of HT. (plus losing muscle strength because of aging) This would of course make my EOL experience more challenging. It seems to me, a patients age and general health don't seem to be part of the calculus. Your thoughts...?
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1 ReactionYou may want to read "Radiotherapy with or without androgen deprivation therapy in intermediate risk prostate cancer." It says there is no advantage in Biochemical relapse free survival in patients older than 70 years old. Since you are 84 I thought you might want to read the article. You are much more likely to die from the Lupron than the prostate cancer.
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2 ReactionsMy husband, 71, was also recently diagnosed, PSA 8, Gleason 4+4, no spread. He decided on surgery because several rad oncologists said he would need 18 -24 months of Lupron. For him that was a dealbreaker. I think with your husband's Gleason score he could have a shorter course of the hormones.
My Gleason was 9, aggressive PC cancer. My surgeon at UCLA recommended 6 months of Lupron and Erleada before surgery as that softens up the cancer and gives a better chance of removal, then surgery, then 6 more months of those meds. It was aggressive advanced PC, CR, had spread to seminal vehicles. The cancer was and is still bad, but the surgery and 13 months of meds were noticeable but manageable. It was a good decision for me. I am now 1 year post surgery and 6 months after all of the meds have been terminated and doing good and better each day. When the cancer returns I will probably be back on the same meds and maybe more. I don’t dread it as the meds have kept me alive and they were manageable. For aggressive, CR, advanced cancer for someone who has a life expectancy of 10 or more years, I believe that ADT is appropriate, expected and appreciated, (provided that the ADT does not severely effect the quality of life).
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1 Reactionhttps://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/01/health/prostate-cancer-hormone-blockers.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare
Hormone Blockers Can Prolong Life if Prostate Cancer Recurs
I read this article often to remind myself that Lupron is helping to extend my life…I am just finishing 2 years of Lupron and am a healthy 73 year old….everyone is different in terms of other health issues…BUT I HAVE NO REGRETS….
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/01/health/prostate-cancer-hormone-blockers.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare
Hormone Blockers Can Prolong Life if Prostate Cancer Recurs
I am a healthy 73 yrs old and just finished 2 years of Lupron….no regrets on taking Lupron…it is extending my life…everyone must make there own calculus
I was on lupron and Erleada for 13 months. It worked wonders and I had manageable side effects. Off all meds for last 7 months, doing really good, undetectable PSA and testosterone gradually rising. Thankful for the treatment.
Yes, I my case, my doctors generally dismissed any notion that Lupron was the cause of anything that might ail me! But it has kept me alive; I’m just a 145 pound weakling!