PSA after 20 Proton treatments

Posted by brentbackus @brentbackus, Jul 27, 2023

My PSA has now dropped to 1.99 after my 20 proton treatments which ended in May 2023. At the highest PSA was 10. I was diagnosed with PC back in March of 2022 with a Gleason score of 3 +4. Was it only the proton treatments or the use of my repurposed drugs and the proton treatments that dropped my PSA?

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This is my question as well. I've had Salvage Radiation treatments last summer and I'm still on orgovyx, another year is the prescription from my dr..

I don't believe I'll know the answer to your question until I stop taking the drugs and start producing testosterone again. Everything I've read is that the drugs are supposed to essentially starve and weaken the cancer cells with the hope of making the radiation more effective. I don't think we can get a true picture until the drugs are discontinued. ....but I'm no doctor.

Best of Luck to you!

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I am seven months post SBRT proton beam, Mayo Rochester, Gleason 3+4, intermediate unfavourable. Highest PSA 13.8. Current PSA 2.7. Elected to forego ADT. Watching the PSA trend for the nadir. I'm one case for comparison. Good luck, and God bless ...

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@stebro

I am seven months post SBRT proton beam, Mayo Rochester, Gleason 3+4, intermediate unfavourable. Highest PSA 13.8. Current PSA 2.7. Elected to forego ADT. Watching the PSA trend for the nadir. I'm one case for comparison. Good luck, and God bless ...

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Thank you for your comment. No ADT for me. Ditto on trend watching. Have a great weekend...

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1.99 not so good after treatment. My PSA was 4.6 before proton and ADT treatment and went down to .01. The ADT left me so weak it was a struggle to get out of bed. Doctors just scratched their heads and recommended physical therapy. After reading comments by others in the same situation I went and got a testosterone test which came back low. Started TRT and imeadeatly found most of energy and bladder issues resolved.
My PSA now hangs around .14

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@brentbackus

Thank you for your comment. No ADT for me. Ditto on trend watching. Have a great weekend...

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I would rather die a slow death then take Lupron again

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I was told at my first consultation that the hormone treatment basically stops the growth as the cancer cells feed off testosterone. I was told about the side affects and they are not good. I did a Decipher test and it came back a lower risk than my biopsies (intermediate) to low risk of metastasizing.

I did 30 proton treatments for prostrate and margins. I did not have an spread to bones (bone scan) nor surrounding organs tissues (PET scan).

From what I read the hormone treatments affect the testosterone and why it is such a shock to a man's system. You basically stop the production. What I was told was the radiation does not kill the cancer cells is damages it. Thus it cannot reproduce and eventually dies. This differs from the other prostrate cells and organs as they are damaged too but are capable of repairing themselves and growing back.

I follow up with a lot of research and found this information recurrent philosophy of radiation treatment. I am glad I did not have hormone treatment or the need to have it. A low risk diagnosis, and confined to prostrate does not have (at least in my case) a recommendation for hormone treatment.

I wish you good luck. From my information the hormone treatments help stop the growth of the cancer as you stop feeding it (needs testosterone to grow) and the radiation damages the cells not allowing it to repair and replace the cancer cells.

Do you have a good urologist and oncologist. These are questions for them. I would not stop at one consultation and get second and third opinions. Remember every case and person is different and that is important to understand and what happens with one person may not happen to you.

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@stebro

I am seven months post SBRT proton beam, Mayo Rochester, Gleason 3+4, intermediate unfavourable. Highest PSA 13.8. Current PSA 2.7. Elected to forego ADT. Watching the PSA trend for the nadir. I'm one case for comparison. Good luck, and God bless ...

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Could I asked what is SBRT proton beam? I had pencil beam proton therapy at UFPTI as Jacksonville Mayo did not have proton. Mayo did MRI and biopsies. There was a scatter beam that could have been done but I have a pacemaker/ICD and physic department wanted to limit the radiation. I think the SBRT means scatter beam radiation treatment but thought I would asked. What is difference if you know.

I also did not do hormone even though first diagnosed with intermediate 3+4=7. But was changed to low risk from Decipher test and no hormone treatment recommended.

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@narus

1.99 not so good after treatment. My PSA was 4.6 before proton and ADT treatment and went down to .01. The ADT left me so weak it was a struggle to get out of bed. Doctors just scratched their heads and recommended physical therapy. After reading comments by others in the same situation I went and got a testosterone test which came back low. Started TRT and imeadeatly found most of energy and bladder issues resolved.
My PSA now hangs around .14

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.14 sounds like a great PSA. I have not had my tested yet after my proton treatments. Was to be done 3 months after which is October.

Unless you have prostrate removed their will be some PSA in blood. I think what you watch is rising levels as is either inflammation or cancer.

Where did you have your treatments done?

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@narus

I would rather die a slow death then take Lupron again

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Get on Xtandi no issues And Xgeva if in bones I get Zolodex 3 mos injections
At 78 I feel great Stage 4 under control thanks to Jesus and the meds he directs in my path

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@narus

1.99 not so good after treatment. My PSA was 4.6 before proton and ADT treatment and went down to .01. The ADT left me so weak it was a struggle to get out of bed. Doctors just scratched their heads and recommended physical therapy. After reading comments by others in the same situation I went and got a testosterone test which came back low. Started TRT and imeadeatly found most of energy and bladder issues resolved.
My PSA now hangs around .14

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No ADT. PSA to be testes again in October.

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