I was way off on my latest PSA reading, way off. I don't shock easy, but it did this time. Last reading was right after Christmas, and it was 14.0, today's reading, 37.2. Yes, 37.2. Pretty close to tripling since Christmas.
Had my normal 1 hour meeting with the oncologist. They also took 3 extra tubes of blood, and they are running some other cancer related tests with that. Will be called with the results tommorow on that portion.
Due to the spreading of the pain in my body, my doctor for the first time, said that it may be directly related to the cancer, as opposed to "cancer pain" related to the severe nerve damage from the faulty SRT. He has ordered extensive new MRI's next Tuesday, both with and without contrasts. He will be looking at both sides of my hips, my pelvic area, and my lower back. Based on those results, he may or may not increase my pain meds.
After the MRI results, he is talking about ordering a Virtual Colonosopy and a Virtual Bladder scan to look for any evidence of cancer in those two areas.
We are going to do another PSA early in July, and then it will be time to stratagize about any other treatment. He is still leaning toward going straight to Chemo, as an attempt to shock the cancer. He still feels strongly that HT will not be an effective treatment for the aggresivness of my cancer strand.
He did say, that I am the poster boy for those that talk about the seriousness of having rapid PSA rises in the year before diagnosis. So far, my case has gone by the book in that regards. He said that an aggressive Gleason 7 can sometimes be the most dangerous type of PC to deal with. He agreed, with my pathology, Gleason, Staging, etc, that on paper, I should have fared much better than I have.
At a PSA now of 37, I am well in range of mets, or close to their formation. He still talks about probably having multiple sites at work, which makes it more difficult to locate or treat. He said that many Gleason 8's and 9's, tend to take a more predictable path, making it easier to slow down the cancer and to treat any bone mets that develop.
We talked again, about when you have PC, and you have rapid BCR after a primary treatment, and particually after rapid failure from a secondary treatment, it will be very difficult to slow down the cancer.
As usual, I was upset in the parking lot for about 5 minutes, being by myself, and then regained my composure and took it all in stride. It truly is, what it is. I am still going to live my life my way, and continue to do the things that I am still capable of doing, for as long as I can. As the cancer further advances, he assures me that he can keep the pain under control, though at some point, due to medications, I may or may not always be able to do everything I want to do. I understand and accept that.
So that's the lastest. Knew it wouldnt be good, I was expecting this PSA to be around 16-18. So I am in a new league here. It's still possible, even with this new rapid climb, that there may not be evidence of mets. I am more concerned about the cancer getting to an organ, as opposed to the bones themeselves, as that would greatly decrease an already poor prognosis.
David
Post Edited (Purgatory) : 4/11/2012 5:38:33 PM (GMT-6)