Day 2,241–Doctor’s Visit

On By DanIn Prostate Cancer7 Comments

My visit to the doctor this afternoon to review my latest PSA results (0.06 ng/ml) went just as I expected it would:

  1. There’s no definitive explanation for the elevated PSA yet.
  2. The elevated PSA seems to be stable, so no need to panic about recurrence.
  3. Retesting in four-month cycles will continue for the foreseeable future.

I’m okay with all of that. I seem to have turned the corner where I’ll always be concerned about my PSA, but I’m not going to let it control my life. It’s too consuming.

He reminded me of how slowly PSA can change and that we shouldn’t even begin to think about any intervention unless the PSA starts creeping up into the 0.15–0.18 range. That’s fine by me. If we get to that point, I’m going to be much more deliberate in selecting what, if any, salvage therapy would be appropriate given where I’m at in life and the potentially debilitating side effects that impact quality of life.

So I’ll call that visit a positive end to 2016. Let’s hope for a happy, healthy 2017!

BBC News: Prostate cancer laser treatment ‘truly transformative’

On By DanIn Prostate Cancer, ResearchLeave a comment

I came across this article on BBC and found it to be an interesting development in yet another potential treatment option. It will be interesting to see how future trials pan out.

Prostate cancer laser treatment ‘truly transformative’ – http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-38304076

Blasting Prostate Cancer with Testosterone

On By DanIn Research4 Comments

Here’s an interesting development in the field of prostate cancer research. The headline is a bit sensationalistic, but the researchers seem to be seeing “unexpected” and “exciting” results.

Professor Sam Denmeade, from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore, US, who led the study, said: “”Our goal is to shock the cancer cells by exposing them rapidly to very high followed by very low levels of testosterone in the blood. The results are unexpected and exciting.

Man ‘cured’ of prostate cancer after doctors shock tumour to death with testosterone 

Update: 3 December 2016

Here’s the link to the abstract highlighting the preliminary results:

Rapid cycling high dose testosterone (Bipolar Androgen Therapy) as therapy for men with metastatic castrate-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC)

Day 2,212 – PSA Results

On By DanIn Prostate Cancer11 Comments

My latest PSA test on 28 November came back at 0.06 ng/ml, up slightly from the 0.05 ng/ml back on 1 August.

That could just be the difference between a new moon and a full moon or simple instrument error. It’s a concern, but certainly nothing to panic over at the moment.

I’m glad to see that I’m consistently hovering in that 0.04–0.08 range, although, if I were to lay a trendline over the data, it would certainly be moving in an upward direction towards that recurrence threshold.

The one nagging thing that hangs over my head is those recent studies that showed PSA at 0.03 ng/ml can be predictive of recurrence. I’ll press the doctor on that again at my appointment on 29 December.

Lastly, I’ve accepted the fact that this will be my new reality: Testing, waiting, and wondering every four months. Not the path I hoped to be on six years out, but it is what it is.

Thanks to everyone for your thoughts, support, and prayers.

psa-tracker-20161130

 

Day 2,210 – PSA Test Time

On By DanIn Emotional Aspects, Prostate Cancer9 Comments

Time to buckle up for the next ride on the PSAnxiety roller coaster. I had my blood drawn this morning for my next PSA test. Now we wait, typically three days before seeing the results online.

On the good news front, I’ve been completely unemotional leading up to this PSA test. I’m not sure why, but it’s been a refreshing change from the last PSA tests.

My appointment with my doctor is on 29 December, and I’ll post my results as soon as I have them (and geekily update my spiffy little PSA chart).

Six Years

On By DanIn Prostate Cancer2 Comments

Six years ago today, I was told I had prostate cancer. Guess what? It’s six years later and I’m still alive and kickin’. Woo-hoo!

PSA Trend 20160803Of course, the cancer storm clouds may be brewing as I head into my next PSA test in a few weeks. Who knows what crazy result it will yield. Remember, in the last 15 months, we’ve gone from undetectable to 0.05 to 0.04 to 0.08 to 0.05. Any bets on the results this time around??

My schedule in early December is quite hectic, so I’ll likely go for the blood draw during the week of 28 November. As usual, I’ll wait three days to get the results online, and then my appointment with the urologist is on 29 December.

Stay tuned. In the meantime, here’s wishing everyone a Happy Thanksgiving with family and friends!

Month 71 – More Studies on Early Salvage Radiation Therapy

On By DanIn Prostate Cancer5 Comments

With the change in my PSA over the last year, you can bet that I’ve been seeking every bit of information as to what it means and what to do about it. One of my go-to resources for the latest information in the field has been The “New” Prostate Cancer Info Link.

On 21 September, they published the following blog post that really piqued my interest:

Very early salvage radiation has up to fourfold better outcomes and saves lives

It’s certainly a topic of discussion for my next urologist visit in December. By the study’s definition, I’m still in the “very early” group—the group with the best survival if salvage radiation therapy (SRT) is started while I’m still in that group.

If we have to go down that path, my biggest concern with starting SRT is knowing that we’re actually radiating where the cancer is located. That concern is amplified if imaging can’t show where the cancer’s actually at, and we just radiate the prostatic bed because that’s what makes the most sense. Why risk some long-term, potentially nasty side effects on something so uncertain? (Yes, I know nothing is certain dealing with cancer.)

Of course, this is just one study and making a decision on it alone would probably be unwise.

We’ll just have to wait for the December PSA readings to come back and go from there.

On a happier note, I took a little drive through the country last week to tackle a few things on my travel bucket list: October Odyssey: The Mountain West. Check it out if you want to see what it was all about.

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Cimarron Canyon State Park, New Mexico

Say what? Medical jargon leaves cancer patients feeling lost in translation

On By DanIn Prostate CancerLeave a comment

Whether its topsy-turvy language or murky medical jargon, most cancer patients run up against a “lost–in-translation” moment with their doctors. Writer Diane Mapes and Fred Hutch experts weigh in on the importance of good patient-doctor communication.

Source: Say what? Medical jargon leaves cancer patients feeling lost in translation

Month 70 – Sharing Awareness

On By DanIn Prostate Cancer4 Comments

We’re about half-way through Prostate Cancer Awareness Month and it seems as there’s been some progress in getting the word out. More organizations seem to be helping to increase awareness than in the past, and that’s a good thing.

I’ll have to admit that my own approach to PCAM has changed slightly. I’m more inclined to tell people to educate themselves before making the decision to test.

Those of us who have been dealing with prostate cancer understand how complex, convoluted, conflicting, and confusing it can be. If you’ve never entertained the notion that you can get prostate cancer, you probably haven’t paid much attention to the raging debates in the field. DRE or no DRE? PSA test or no PSA test? Over-treatment versus under-treatment? Active surveillance versus treatment? That’s why it’s so important to educate yourself before being tested.

One of my former managers always said, “If you can’t stand the answer, don’t ask the question.” Your decision to get screened for prostate cancer is exactly that: your decision. You have to be comfortable with either path you take, and the best way to make that decision is by being educated. Please take a few moments this month—Prostate Cancer Awareness Month—to learn more about prostate cancer and how it can affect you. You can start with my Resources page.

I finally made my family and friends aware of my detectable PSA shortly after my visit with my urologist in August. There was concern from those who responded but, on the whole, the reaction was good. I knew that sitting on this for a year would cause some deserved criticism, too, but they seemed to understand my rationale.

It’s a relief to have it out in the open now. As one of my readers wrote on his own blog, “A burden shared is a burden halved.” Yep. It is. (Sorry, I can’t find the quote again to give credit where credit is due!)

On the whole, I’ve been able to push aside the emotions and thoughts that the cancer may be returning, and it feels good to be reengaged in the world. The next PSA test is in December.

Now if I can just get used to the fact that it’s dark when my alarm goes off in the morning… It wasn’t that long ago that the sun shining through my east-facing bedroom window woke me up and not the alarm. Autumn and shorter days are here! (In San Diego, shorter days are about the only indicator of it being autumn.)