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What next after Abiraterone stops working

User
Posted 31 Jul 2025 at 09:25

Hi

Dad was dx 2010 with Gleason 8 contained to prostate. He had it removed 2011 but his levels rose again. He has since been on casodex and zoladex until last year when we found he had widespread skeletal Mets and lung lymph nodes affected. He was put on Abiraterone and prednisone initially but when levels rose again he was swapped prednisone for dexamethasone. Unfortunately his levels are now rising again and I fear next week they will decide to bring him off Abiraterone altogether.

He is 85 next month with heart issues (AF and Atherosclerosis) he also has peripheral neuropathy so struggles to walk. 

I’m just wondering what we can hit it with now, if anything, and didn’t know what anyone was offered. I’m not sure he’s fit enough for chemo and don’t know if radium 223 would help? He has had a couple of single blasts of radiotherapy to his skull and lumbar but still has daily headaches and said his vision is a bit fuzzy at times. He is also now getting swollen ankles so has been prescribed compression socks for this.

Any advice or stories welcome - thank you 

User
Posted 31 Jul 2025 at 13:36
Hi, my OH (aged nearly 80) and G9 Tb3 N1 M1 was put on Abiraterone and prednisone and again needed the steroid switch to dexamethasone but his PSA kept rising. He was then given a PET PSMA CT scan which showed quite rapid growth on the thoracic spine. His PSA is around 67. He declined chemo but was offered either radiation to the spine or Ra-223. He will be going with Ra-223 but we don't have any dates yet. Abiraterone stopped with no bad effects but the weaning off dexamethasone was bad - he stopped eating and felt really bad. His oncologist has put him back on a small dose of dexamethsone and finally he has improved. He has the swollen ankles, needs compression socks and I am not sure where that came from. After Ra-223 I am not sure there is anything else they can give. I do worry that after 7 months on Abiraterone that never worked he is in danger of the spinal mets becoming t-NEPC, which is treatment induced neuroendocrine prostate cancer, which means the cancer cells mutate not to need the Androgen Receptor Pathway and get quite aggressive. But there is always something to worry about. Good luck.
User
Posted 31 Jul 2025 at 20:56

Hi - thanks for coming back, it sounds like a similar situation for them both. It’s good to have a bit of knowledge when going to the appointment so much appreciated 🙏

 
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