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← Return to Rising PSA years after radical prostatectomy
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Rising PSA years after radical prostatectomy
Prostate Cancer | Last Active: Mar 5 7:14am | Replies (206)Comment receiving replies
I had my prostate removed in 2015. For 7 plus years my PSA remained at < .01 then it started to head north. The first test came in at .01, then to .5 then to 1, then to 1.31 and finally to 1.61. The VA doctor tried to tell me early on that the rise in my PSA was perhaps an anomaly! The cancer was spreading and I was told that I have an aggressive recurrent prostate cancer. From late August through October I received 39 external beam radiation treatments and the Lupron shot. The side effects of the anti-hormone shot along with the radiation has left me sick. Now I’m on an every three month blood test for PSA and testosterone levels. If my levels increase together I have to decide if I take the anti-hormone shot the rest of my life or wait until cancer lands someplace and fight at that time? Decisions!
Replies to "I had my prostate removed in 2015. For 7 plus years my PSA remained at <..."
Dear Scottyrussell,
There are many relatively new FDA approved drugs available for treating recurrent PCa. According to the Johns Hopkins' website on Chemotherapy for Prostate Cancer, after starting the drug docetaxel, "many men experience improvements in disease-related symptoms, including pain, fatigue and loss of energy." I'm not a urologist or oncologist, but as a PCa survivor (8 years recurrence-free, post-prostatectomy), I have followed the progress in diagnosis, treatment and symptom management for many years. The good news is that much progress has been made in all these areas and it can be difficult for some PCa specialists to keep up. Good luck and seek more than one opinion on the best treatment plan, especially at a medical center of excellence in treating prostate cancer.
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It sounds like if you received 39 radiation treatments that your health team determined that the biochemical recurrence (BCR) was isolated to just a few places in your body. If they found it in many places, usually radiation isn't a treatment option. Hopefully your current PSA tests are less than 0.1 and unfortunately "welcome" to the club of overcoming & managing the side effects of Lupron (ADT treatment). My health team indicates that my ADT treatment will last for 24 months, and presuming the efficacy is good and my numbers remain undetectable, I will stop the ADT and aim to resume normal activities (natural rise of testosterone, and all that comes with it!). Getting back to your situation, treatment options are a personal choice and no one knows how the velocity of a BCR. Other options that you need to consider and possibly share with all of us, are your age, overall health, co-morbidities. These factor into the quality of life equation. Overall, you are not alone, so keep reading and asking questions. Keep The Faith.