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PSA LEVAL HIGH

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User
Posted 15 Nov 2017 at 17:01

Hi, Have you had a telephone call with the Prostate Cancer UK Specialist Nurse, if not give them a call they will be able to help you understand all these numbers. Have you got any Prostate Cancer UK literature, if not the Specialist Nurse will sort out the right ones for you. Don't loose faith, at the beginning it is all very confusing and it is hard to take it all in the big C word blocks the understanding. Has your hospital assigned a hospital specialist nurse if not ask for one. My best regards and wishes.

User
Posted 15 Nov 2017 at 20:22

From what we see as reported diagnosis, the Gleason score is still the more widely used one to report how different from normal cells cancer cells have become. (This could change over time). With more advanced cancer cells there is a higher risk that the cancer will spread and be more difficult to eradicate. The T score on the other hand along with other staging criteria reports on how far it is believed the cancer has actually spread or if it is contained within the capsule. I believe it is less vital to have a higher Gleason in a contained prostate which can for instance be removed or dealt with by other radical treatment than a lower Gleason scored cancer which has for instance advanced beyond the prostate and beyond the ability of surgery to eradicate and possibly even beyond RT.

I hope the foregoing illustrates the differences between these two assessments which look at cancer from different aspects.

Barry
User
Posted 01 Jan 2018 at 14:49
Sorry long time since I've been on here, so I'll update you all, my hubby had his biopsys. One side showing up 75%other side of prostrate 25%. His PSA WAS 70 after a month of tablets, and one injections his PSA went down to 17, he's just had his second injection, in a months time he will be having a stronger injection lasting 3months,hes absolutely fine. But his oncology said he will become poorly, he's got to have 37 radiation shots. Feel quite worried bout that, hope it doesn't make him feel to worn out, I have an illness he's my rock, so feel very worried, when he had the nuclear medicine to look at his bones, there was a suspicious area of the pelvis, doctors were pretty sure it was cancer, he then had another MRI SCAN it looks more like wear and tear, so now they have f one another MRI in that area, bit confused again, his oncology said it handent broken out, so how could they still be looking at the cancer of the bone, then his Dr said it doesn't match up,his PSA LEVEL BEING 70 BUT HE'S COME OUT AT GRADE 2, VERY CONFUSED,

User
Posted 01 Jan 2018 at 15:10

It is two different things. The cancer can spread to the bones from tiny clusters of cancer cells moving in his blood but the main cancer has stayed inside the prostate gland and not broken the edges.

Imagine the prostate being an orange. The cancer is inside the orange and the skin is still intact so when you look at it, it looks like it would be nice to eat. It is only when you bite in that you realise it is rotten. Now imagine that someone sticks a needle into the orange and draws out some of the juice to put in a cake - the juice looks normal but it spoils the cake because it tastes rotten.

Not everyone feels poorly when they have the radiotherapy - my husband had no side effects at all so try not to worry about it unless it actually happens.

"Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards." Soren Kierkegaard

User
Posted 01 Jan 2018 at 16:43
So it still could be cancer, another scan been done waiting for results on last scan, we see the oncolog first week in February, why do they wait so long for radiation to start, doesn't start till April, then he said June and July he will have to recover,
User
Posted 01 Jan 2018 at 18:21

The longer you wait between starting hormones and starting radiotherapy the better. The hormones are starving the cancer which shrinks it and makes it weaker so the radiotherapy hits it harder. The average in the UK used to be 3 months and now it is most usually 6 months of HT first but there has been research that said waiting 12 months was even better!

Try not to feel impatient. The HT is doing its job and your specialist seems to know what he is doing. If they are still talking about doing radiotherapy it is because they believe it is curable (ie they don't think it is in his bones) and the scan is just to double-check.

"Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards." Soren Kierkegaard

User
Posted 08 Feb 2018 at 22:00
My PSA level has gone from 70 to 17, does anyone no any think of the stampede trail .OR who have been on this drug, my husband got to give an answer by Monday, we really don't no what to do,
User
Posted 08 Feb 2018 at 22:12

Which drug is he being offered Bobbypoppy? The stampede trial has been going for a very long time and has had many different drugs over the years. Lots of men on this forum have been or are still on the Stampede trial for one treatment or another.

"Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards." Soren Kierkegaard

User
Posted 08 Feb 2018 at 23:05
Sorry he's to be put on metformin, got to give an answer by Monday, really don't no what to do, starts radiation mid April, thankyou for replying so quickly.
User
Posted 09 Feb 2018 at 17:51

Hi,
Has he actually been told he will be taking Metformin? If it is part of the STAMPEDE trial for that drug then men who volunteer to be part of it are then chosen by computer to be either Arm A or in this case Arm K. A is the control group ie are part of the trial but don’t get Metformin while K do take Metformin and then the results are compared. I am on Arm A for that particular trial which just means I get bloods, a check up and a questionnaire to fill out every three months.

If your husband is being asked to sign up make sure you are given all the literature about it. I was only given the Arm A info initially but insisted that I be given Arm K info before making a decision because there are likely side effect with Metformin.

All the best

Dave

User
Posted 09 Feb 2018 at 18:11

Yes your quite right Dave, hospital ringing him on Monday, to see if he will accept going on it, then he has all these extra tests. Then fed into a computer, then they half it, so if he goes for it, then he's not chosen does he still get extra checks up, didn't quire take everything in,

User
Posted 10 Feb 2018 at 10:49

One of those extra tests is to see if he is diabetic because if that is the case he won’t be eligible for that particular trial as Metformin’s main use is to treat diabetes.

And yes, if he is chosen he will get the extra checkups & blood tests. If you choose not to take part it will not effect normal treatment procedures and if you do take part you can still change your mind at anytime.

Dave

User
Posted 12 Feb 2018 at 13:50
Hi hubby decided to go on this trial, goes in the morning for more check ups, hope he's doing the right thing,
User
Posted 12 Feb 2018 at 15:36

He has nothing to lose by joining the trial and possibly a lot to gain.

As I think has been said, he can leave the trial at any time. While he is on it he will get a lot more checks that if he wasn't won't he?

We can't control the winds - but we can adjust our sails
User
Posted 12 Feb 2018 at 18:39

The only thing that can be an issue is if he can’t tolerate side effects of Metformin if selected for Arm K. If that is the case he can withdraw at anytime - there are no penalties.

User
Posted 19 Feb 2018 at 20:52
Hi update on my husband, he's been accepted for the stampede trail, he starts on the metformin on the 8th March, just hope we doing the right thing, Then starts his radiotherapy middle of April, fingers crossed,
User
Posted 19 Feb 2018 at 20:55
Forgot to say his PSA LEVEL AT THE START WAS 70 THEN IT WENT TO 17, NOW TODAY BEEN TOLD ITS 2.3
User
Posted 20 Feb 2018 at 09:40

Great news on the PSA level , my OH has been on the stampede trial arm J for nearly 2 years and has had good results .
At the beginning we weren’t sure but the constant monitoring has been great ,luckily we live 10 mins from hospital and Gary’s work has been fantastic for allowing him time off .If at any time your OH feels it’s not right for him he can opt out but I think they may well offer to still monitor him for their data .
Best wishes
Debby

User
Posted 21 Feb 2018 at 21:24
Has your hubby not had any radiation, my hubby starts in April he's going to have 37 blasts, but he's not been offered any chemo, good luck, he's so young as well, all the best
User
Posted 21 Feb 2018 at 22:41

Men wouldn't usually be offered both Bobbypoppy - radiotherapy is a curative treatment and chemo is a treatment for men who are incurable.

"Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards." Soren Kierkegaard

 
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