Prostate cancer - PSA levels.. anyone?

[Woowee]

Hi everyone,

My FIL got diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer around 4 months ago, it has spread to his spine and his leg.

At the time he was diagnosed his PSA levels was around 6000

Around 2/3 months ago he had an appointment and they were amazed it was down to 50-60

And now!! He has just had a phone call from the nurse at his surgery to say his PSA level is 1.1!!! I’ve been reading online and there are some men who have a higher PSA level who don’t even have prostate cancer

We are all absolutely over the moon but also abit confused as the doctor told him when he was diagnosed that he doesn’t know how long left he has, and that his medication will eventually stop working, but his PSA levels just keep improving!

Anyone with any experience of this and could help us out?

Thank you!

Anyone

Has he been on an treatment like hormone injections?

He is on a new type or oral medication which he takes every day and gets a hormone injection once a month. He’s only been on the medication for around 2 months but looks to be really working.

That is amazing. I hope his PSA continues to stay down. My DF had the injections (although not the oral medication) and they worked for him for about 8 years, although his PSA was not as high, 57 on diagnosis. My FIL has currently been on them for 2.

Oh wow 8 years! The doctors tell you the treatment will work but can’t tell you how long it will work for, which is always worrying but my FIL said if he gets 5 years he will be so happy. I hope your FIL gets on ok!

In my experience it is so personal and you are right, the Drs can't really say how long. As long as your FIL feels well that is the main thing. Wishing him all the best.

Had to click on this thread as my dear old dad has just received his most recent psa levels today. Hope you don't mind me sharing my story.
He was originally diagnosed around 15 years ago in his early 70s and had radiotherapy. The doctors said he would probably survive another 15'years and something else would carry him off in the meantime. And here we are, 15 years on and it's come back.
Apparently you can't have radiotherapy twice, so he's now on hormone injections. His psa levels are minuscule compare to your fil's but I've always understood it's more to do with the rate at which it multiplies, rather than the actual number. My dad's has doubled in 3 months, even whilst having the hormone therapy, so we think it's back, and I don't think it's going away this time.
Don't think this is helping you. Just am also feeling a bit shit about it all.

0DimSumMum0 - thank you, wishing you are your FIL the best too.

OhDearGodLookAtThisMess - I’m so sorry to hear that, I wasn’t aware you couldn’t have radiotherapy twice. My FIL was told he would need chemo but as he has diabetes, your not able to do both apparently. I’m so sorry to hear your news though, it’s no wonder you are feeling shit. All we can do is keep our fingers crossed and hope for the best. I hope he gets better results at his next check x

Thank you.

It’s really good that your FIL has had such a positive response to the medication.

You can’t really compare the 1.1 result with someone without prostate cancer as obviously it’s in response to the treatment which will now be for life - but it’s still great to get down to that level from where it was.

Although it’s not cureable there are a number of treatments now available and many men with advanced prostate cancer are now able to live for a few years with it - so his 5 years is certainly not impossible .

Pyra - I keep meaning to reply but my heads abit all over the place at the moment! I can’t remember the name of the medication he is on just now but I can find out. It’s 1 tablet a day plus one steroid a day and then a hormone injection once a month. That’s great your fathers PSA has came down from 16 to 1, it’s really reassuring! Of course you are always on edge as you don’t want the number to start creeping up again