PSA Down after Hormone Injection

My dad just had his 3rd injection (Lupron/Eligard)... his PSA has gone down from 26 to 1.5 in 8 months. Specialist is planning on giving him one more injection in November and then wants to stop the injections. Has anyone heard of this procedure? He says it is so that he doesn't become resistant to the therapy and he's really comfortable with the way my dad's treatment is working. Dad is 74 - his Gleason was 7 (3+4)..... Doc says he has many cases like this and that things look great! Am worried that we are all celebrating and maybe we should continue with the HT. Any thoughts?

Interminent HT is a standard procedure as it allows someone to have a better quality of life while off Hormones. I would recommend you ask you doctor about taking Proscar while off the hormones as it has little side affects and has a proven record of allowing a longer period off the drugs.

Also while on hormones, ADT3, a protocol using Lupron, Casodex and Proscar works better than Lupron alone.

JohnT

Thanks.... he really had no side-effects though with the Eligard... what do you mean by better quality of life while off hormones? What are the chances that the PSA will spike up again if he is off the HT?

Your doctor right I read about quite a few prostrate cancer  patients on this CC forum who have continues to have ant-androgens (sex  hormone reduction) theripy years after there PSA droped  down then only to find  the anti-androgens no longer worked any more There cancer went from an androgens depenent cancer to an non-androgens dependent cancer Ive found with haveing cancer the two main thigs that work well is  stay away from Sugary foods and take a high dose vitamin C and zinc

http://www.mnwelldir.org/docs/nutrition/sugar.htm

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/09/070910132848.ht

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/06/050619193456.ht

Hormone Therapy usually has some pretty serious quality of life issues, loss of muscle mass, depression, extreme fatigue, hot flashes ect. Most get some or all of these side affects and time off treatment lets them lead a normal life while they are off treatment.

There is a very high probability, 99%, that his psa will rise again after treatments stop. In some rare cases the hormones cure the cancer, but hormone therapy is used to control the growth of the cancer, not cure it. Some have been on Hormone treatments for 10-15 years.

Some men, especially older men have fewer side affects than younger men. The Prostate Cancer Research Institute web site has a section on Hormone Therapy and side affects, very good information for you and your dad to have.

A good book to get is "Beating Prostate Cancer: Hormone Therapy and Diet" by Dr Charles Snuffy Myers. This is a must read for anyone on HT.

JohnT

John, Are you suggesting he not stop the HT if he's having no side-effects? I think his age has something to do with why he's not having many side-effects as his hormone levels are probably quite diminished to begin with. I'd hate to see the cancer continue to grow if we stop.... is it risky then to stop??

 

On 7/14/2009 Worried Daughter2 wrote:
 maybe we should continue with the HT. Any thoughts?

As previously suggested, the main reason for "Intermettent" HT use is in situations where people have severe side issues.

Apart from that aspect, it is not possible to say that there is any proven advantage to stop start therapy, which is why many choose to continue with the treatment that is doing the job when there are no severe problems.