finasteride 8,months later

kenRRTX

New Member

Joined : Aug 2014

Posts : 17

Posted 6/30/2015 7:32 AM (GMT -5)

Good morning Y'all. It's been 8months since I started finasteride and my tumor has shrunk and my PSA is almost cut in half;1.83 to 1.03. Not too bad since I am still on TRT. My Dr. says we will monitor and if it goes up we should look at cutting the testosterone and let the finasteride push my PSA to zero. I thank God for being so blessed that the PC was found so early and it probably would not have been found at all if it wasn't for the close monitoring for the TRT. Just wanted you all to have a update. I do have a question; has anyone out there had DNA sequencing associated that resulted in a different or customized treatment? Thanks guys and blessings to all of you with PC.

Tall Allen

Elite Member

Joined : Jul 2012

Posts : 10645

Posted 6/30/2015 11:38 AM (GMT -5)

Hi Ken,

I'm glad the finasteride is working so well for you. I've been very impressed that half the guys taking it while on AS were not able to detect any cancer on a f/u biopsy - and even with a smaller prostate.

It's not exactly genetic sequencing, but there are two major genetic tests, Prolaris and Oncotype Dx, that are sold for use for guys on AS. One man in my support group had a low Prolaris score, and that gave him comfort to stay on AS. Another had a middle Prolaris score and didn't know what to do with it. One guy had a high score, and G9 was subsequently found on an mpMRI-guided biopsy.

They are expensive - $3,000- $4,000. The average guy will have an average score, by definition, which will give little guidance for treatment decisions. If you have a very high score, unlikely with your PSA and biopsy, it may push you to move to treatment. However, a multiparametric MRI is very good at finding any high Gleason score cancer on a follow-up biopsy, anyway.So it comes down to your own cost/benefit analysis.

-Allen

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