Prepare for the worst

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User

Posted 09 Oct 2018 at 21:40

My dad was diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer in October 2015 and he had chemo and radio therapy last year - his psa got down to 4 and he seemed to be doing okay even though it had spread to his spine hip and pelvis.

he visited his consultant this week to be told his psa is now 64 and to prepare for the worst !

any idea what time scales we are looking at ?

User

Posted 09 Oct 2018 at 23:03

There is no way of knowing, Milly. It sounds like his hormone treatment is not working properly - they may add another hormone called casodex to it or perhaps they have suggested a complete change of hormone? If he tolerated the chemo well in 2017 he may be able to have that again.

Some men go downhill very quickly, particularly if the cancer has spread to the liver or brain but if it stays in the bones, the right treatment could keep him well for a couple of years and possibly more.

Has the oncologist changed his treatment?

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

User

Posted 09 Oct 2018 at 23:06

What about Abiraterone too??

User

Posted 10 Oct 2018 at 00:13

Abi or enzalutimide was what I meant by 'a complete change of hormone' - it may be that this is what the onco has suggested.

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

User

Posted 10 Oct 2018 at 06:43

no they are not offering any other treatment - I’m not sure what hormone tablets he’s on but the consultant didnt really have much to say - he looked at his scan results and the cancer is now in his neck too and has spread since his last scan 3 months ago but he just told my mam to expect the worse and get things in order if she needed to !

does this mean he doesn’t have long left ?

User

Posted 10 Oct 2018 at 09:20

This is dreadful care. Phone his allocated nurse specialist and ask:

- why can't he try a different drug

- exactly where has it spread to

- has anyone referred him to palliative care services such as the local hospice team

If he doesn't have an allocated nurse, ask his GP and phone the nurses here at the number above. You will need a bit more information like exactly which hormones he is on now (or has just stopped) and what he has had in the past.

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

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