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Just curious about HT duration.

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Posted 1/4/2012 7:17 PM (GMT -5)
Please note the dates on this thread. OP has come back to update us after several years. Please read to the end before commenting. -- PeterDisAbelard

I'm due for my last 3 month Lupron injection and I was wondering if the one month of Bicalutamide can be calculated as part of the 12 months of HT? If so then I would consider getting two one month dosages rather then a three month injection. Any input would be appreciated.

Post Edited By Moderator (PeterDisAbelard.) : 11/25/2015 9:00:06 AM (GMT-7)

Posted 1/4/2012 9:42 PM (GMT -5)
FoxRun,
What has been your PSA response to androgen deprivation? That has to be key in your decision. Do you plan to have radiation treatment?

RalphV
Posted 1/4/2012 9:50 PM (GMT -5)

ralfinaz said...
FoxRun,
What has been your PSA response to androgen deprivation? That has to be key in your decision. Do you plan to have radiation treatment?

RalphV


As per my bio.....External Beam Radiation + Radiation Seed Implants & my PSA and T levels are where they should be.
Posted 1/4/2012 9:52 PM (GMT -5)
FoxRun,
What is the where they should be level?

RalphV
Posted 1/4/2012 10:01 PM (GMT -5)

ralfinaz said...
FoxRun,
What is the where they should be level?

RalphV

PSA - 0.03
T - 1.66 L
Posted 1/4/2012 10:21 PM (GMT -5)
Hi FoxRun,
That is an excellent PSA response and you could possibly shorten your deprivation period by having two one-month shots instead of the three-month shot. At what point do you plan to have the radiation treatment? The negative factor in your case is the high Gleason Score. Wish you the very best outcome.

RalphV
Posted 1/4/2012 11:19 PM (GMT -5)

ralfinaz said...
Hi FoxRun,
That is an excellent PSA response and you could possibly shorten your deprivation period by having two one-month shots instead of the three-month shot. At what point do you plan to have the radiation treatment? The negative factor in your case is the high Gleason Score. Wish you the very best outcome.

RalphV


Hey Ralph......I already had my RT, as per my bio, External Beam Radiation + Radiation Seed Implants......I had the seed implants at the beginning and at the end of my EBR.
Posted 1/5/2012 12:28 PM (GMT -5)
GlennK.
I am sorry to have interpreted your bio wrong. Take care and best to you.

RalphV
Posted 1/5/2012 1:24 PM (GMT -5)
I doubt that the two months versus three months of Lupron will be much of a difference in alleviatng side effects. Either way it takes several months for your T levels to recover and the side effects to subside. The casodex was probably started early to hold down the normal PSA flare when Lupron is introduced. Have you been on Casodex throughout the year or just Lupron? What does your oncologist tell you?

As Ralph said, you are at high risk due to the Gleason 8-10.   Take that very seriously.   The higher the Gleason, the less expression of PSA so there can be a significant amount of cancer with little PSA.   The key now is to kill all the cancer possible so it will either be curative or at least weaken the cancer enough so that you have a long and durable remission.   If it comes back, it may be much tougher to fight than it is now.  

If it were me I would error on the side of a longer period of HT rather than trying to shorten it.   I am now over 15 months on HT and will have another six month Eligard shot in April.   My docs are keeping me on at least two years because of my risk factors.

Posted 1/5/2012 1:24 PM (GMT -5)

ralfinaz said...
GlennK.
I am sorry to have interpreted your bio wrong. Take care and best to you.

RalphV

 

 

Hey Ralphv,

 Not at all, as I said in the opening thread, any input is welcome. It's always worth while to listen to other opinions, especially when you can't get any in the local capacity..........

 

GlennK

Posted 1/5/2012 1:59 PM (GMT -5)

JNF said...
I doubt that the two months versus three months of Lupron will be much of a difference in alleviatng side effects. Either way it takes several months for your T levels to recover and the side effects to subside. The casodex was probably started early to hold down the normal PSA flare when Lupron is introduced. Have you been on Casodex throughout the year or just Lupron? What does your oncologist tell you?


As Ralph said, you are at high risk due to the Gleason 8-10. Take that very seriously. The higher the Gleason, the less expression of PSA so there can be a significant amount of cancer with little PSA. The key now is to kill all the cancer possible so it will either be curative or at least weaken the cancer enough so that you have a long and durable remission. If it comes back, it may be much tougher to fight than it is now.



If it were me I would error on the side of a longer period of HT rather than trying to shorten it. I am now over 15 months on HT and will have another six month Eligard shot in April. My docs are keeping me on at least two years because of my risk factors.


I hear ya and will probably stay the course........and I had one month(+ an extra 20 days by mistake) of the bicalutamid and agreed to do12 MONTHS of the LUpron....my Brachy Oco and my URO had different opinions.......thanks for the advice!
Posted 1/5/2012 2:25 PM (GMT -5)

FoxRun said...

I hear ya and will probably stay the course........and I had one month(+ an extra 20 days by mistake) of the bicalutamid and agreed to do12 MONTHS of the LUpron....my Brachy Oco and my URO had different opinions.......thanks for the advice!

Although I was a bit older at diagnosis my condition was quite similar to yours in terms of Gleason score and PSA. I have had two oncologists, the first one who did the seed implant surgery and a second one who supervised IMRT. Both recommended two to three years on HT. I agreed to do two years and then evaluate the situation. At the two year point my PSA had been at the undetectable level for four consecutive readings over about one full year so I decided to take a chance and not do the third year of HT.

Please understand that with a Gleason of 9 or 10 the probability is that the PCa has already escaped into the blood stream so in addition to debulking the cancer with radiation it is important to deprive the cancer cells of androgen for a prolonged period so that they will hopefully die off while weakened. The key for you is to stay on the HT until your PSA drops to undetectable level and remains there for about a year.

The side effects of HT will continue for a number of months after your last Lupron injection. In my case it has taken about six months for this to happen.

San Carlos
Posted 11/25/2015 10:49 AM (GMT -5)
I know admin do not want/like older threads being updated, but this is my way of saying thanks for the ride. My next 6 month PSA screening will be my 5 year anniversary!
Posted 11/25/2015 11:01 AM (GMT -5)
Five years? Here in California, a lot of organized religions don't last for five years! Congrats, Glenn...both on how you're doing and for being so personally helpful to me on my own journey.
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