Are urologists too optimistic?

I don't think the radiation dose from the bone scan will have any impact at ALL on the cataract operation..

Thanks a lot

T Levels:

My Doc says that T levels vary in healthy men, but around 500 is in the ball park.

Many docs say that a T level of less than 30 is considered to be castrate level.

Other docs say that a T level of less than 20 is castrate level.

Just for a comparison, my testosterone level went from normal to 20 after 10 months on Lupron -castrate level and I sure knew it.

Now, 6 months after the Lupron wore off my T level is 180. Still very low but shows that the body is trying to get back to normal.

Hope that helps to answer your question.

...Don K.

Hi,

We had Dad's PSA test done after 9 months of orchiectomy and it has gone up to 0.1 from 0.02.
We are worried and need your suggestions.

Is this hormone refactory?
What should be the course of action now?

His oncologist suggests we should wait for another reading due in 2 months as this is too early to predict anything.

Mar 2010 - >500
Jul 2010 - 0.04
Aug 2010 - <0.04
Oct 2010 - <0.02
Jan 2011 - 0.1

He is on 50mg Bicalutamide at the moment.

Thanks for all your help.

Regards
Chadhas

Sorry you had no response. I don'tknow enough about HRT to offer an opinion. Hopefully others who do know will respond

Thanks James C. and tarhoosier.

We got his testosterone level test done in October 2010 which was <0.1 ng/mL then. It was not tested this time.
We are thinking of getting his PSA done again from a second lab in few days, just to be sure. Do you think his testosterone level should also be tested?
Also, do you think we should also get his DHT (Dehydro-testosterone) test done?

Your suggestions mean a lot.

Thanks and good luck to all.

Regards
Chadhas

Hello,

We had dad's PSA done and it has increased from 0.10 to 0.43 which has got us worried.

Mar 2010 - >500
Jul 2010 - 0.04
Aug 2010 - <0.04
Oct 2010 - <0.02
Jan 2011 - 0.10
Mar 2011 - 0.43

Testosterone level is now 0.1
In Jan it was <0.1

We also had his bone scan and ultrasound done.
The bone scan showed that some metastasis is remaining in shoulder and knee joints and lumbar vertebra.
Ultrasound showed the prostate has further shrinked.

--> We are confused and worried at the same time. Should we be releived by bone scan report (Dad had widespread metastasis at the time of diagnosis in March 2010 and now it remains in shoulder and knee joints and lumbar vertebra) and further shrinkage of prostate OR still be worried about increasing PSA.

--> Can the metastasis remaining in bones cause PSA to rise? If yes, should we suggest more Zometa infusions to the doctor?

We will see the urologist over the weekend. but your thoughts are valuable.
Please suggest what should be the course of action now.

Dad had orchiectomy and is now on Bicalutamide (50mg) + Dutasteride.

Regards
Chadhas

You should have an oncologist that specializes in PCa.

Another treatment for advanced PCa is Emcyt.  That is what Dr. Lee in Michigan has usedon himself for many years after finding mets.  He is also one of the most renowned doctors for prostate imaging.

A great prostate specialist oncologist would be the best to see now.

You are in the Twilight Zone area of PCa, lots of possible treatment protocols and many can be sequenced or played out like a chess game.  Finding out who's rules and how to play this out is amongest the most challenging of all. You might find the independent oncologists as the most open minded in treatments (in the U.S.) anyway. Good hunting.

Post Edited (zufus) : 6/25/2011 5:35:20 AM (GMT-6)

Some people have psa reduction via AAWD (anti-androgen withdrawal), in other words going off the 'anti-androgen drugs' useage. You may get lucky and see that response. Look into both low dose and high dose keto options, Dr. Myers has a video discussing Keto in better detail as to watching other drugs taken which your doctor would have to know ahead of time and check and see if they are on the good or bad effects list. (it is tricky alittle on Keto)

Cheapest is in Canada via mail www.northdrugstore.com ($130 for 90 count).

Post Edited (zufus) : 6/28/2011 10:08:51 AM (GMT-6)

Hi Newporter,

Thanks for your encouraging words. They mean a lot.

My dad is in India and he is getting treatment from one of the best urologists there. As I mentioned, right now he has stopped bicalutamide for a month and wants to see the effect. The next treatment in line is ketoconazole. I am hoping that it keeps dad's PSA in control for some good number of years.

He does have tomatoes, pomegrenate juice and flax seeds as suggested by a member here.

I have taken onboard your suggestions about other medicines. Infact I was reading about thalitomide before reading your post and would be greatful if you shed some light on its use for hormone refactory PC.

Being here in the UK far away from family, internet and this forum has been a great support for me.

Thanks

Chadhas

 

Hi Chadhas,

Sorry I do not have any first hand knowledge on the medication. I am a patient and not a health care provider and so can only provide you and your father with support and some information which I gathered while deciding on treatment options when I was first diagnosed.

What I learned from this forum is that prostate cancer is very individualized. Members encountered very different cancer stages and chose different treatment plans. So,there will be some who happened to use the medications you are interested in and can share their experience and outcome with you.

Here in the US, urologists are surgeons and usually not experts in prostate cancer oncology. I urge you and your father to seek the advice of a medical oncologist who specializes in prostate cancer oncology. I read some very different treatment protocols from posts in the past, some with very wonderful outcome. There are also some very encouraging clinical trials here that could be helpful to prostate cancer patients.

The US National Cancer Institute kept survival statistics and the trend for prostate cancer survival is very encouraging with increasing high long term survival rate. So, best of luck.