Brian
Sweet and Shirlene live in Mount Gambier, South Australia. He was 49 when he was
diagnosed on March 10 2004. His PSA was 29.48 ng/ml, his initial Gleason Score
was 7 and he was staged T2c. Here is his story:
Eight
out of the eight biopsy samples were positive but bone scans show no evidence
of spread.
I
was started on hormone therapy straight away and as it is a high risk cancer I
have had the following treatments.
Under Dr. Scott Caruthers at the Royal Adelaide Hospital I have had 23 external
beam radiation treatments to the pelvic area, starting 12 July 2004 and finishing
11 August 2004.
After 2 weeks recovery I had 3 High Dose Rate Brachytherapy treatments at the
William Buckland Centre at Melbourne's Alfred Hospital under Dr. Jeremy Millar
30 August 2004 - 01 September 2004.
I am now to stay on the hormone treatment for 2 more years, monthly then 3 monthly
Zoladex implants.
As my oncologist is still only talking a better than
50% chance of a cure, I wrote to Dr Holt in Perth, hoping his treatment would
help to improve these odds. I have since been notified by Dr. Holt that his treatments
are not a cure for prostate cancer and although he can help some sufferers he
can not help me.
From my research I have had the best options: Hormone,
External beam and HDR brachy treatments. I am feeling well and confident but the
treatment side effects are a bit nasty as I had no symptoms before and the PSA
was only found because of a routine blood test that I enquired about. The hormone
treatment is having all the usual effects with low sex drive and lots of hot flushes.
One good effect is that I have been going bald for years and everyone says it
is starting to grow back. The radiation has affected bowels and bladder quite
a bit.
I
have tried having Androcur as well as Zoladex which gives a 100% hormone blockage,
this was great for relieving the hot flushes but you don't feel human and are
very hard to live with. My oncologist says there is no evidence that this improves
results so I have stopped the Androcur and feel much better. Have been taking
a herb called black cohosh for several months which is used for menopausal women
for hot flushes but it does not seem to help at all.
At
present I am still on Zoladex implants 3 monthly for another 9 months, mixed feeling
about it ending i.e. be great to not have the side effects but will my PSA stay
down (presently less than .05).
I
am still having hormonal treatment for 6 more months with Zoladex implants 3 monthly.
When these are finished I will have had a total of 2 and half years of treatments
and feel I will then be on my own. I am trying to form a back up plan if my PSA
should start to rise again. I have asked my oncologist what he would do and he
said more hormone treatment which I think is not an answer. Is this because he
is a radiation oncologist and should I seek another opinion? I have read of a
drug called phenoxydial which is used to kill cancer cells that are hormone treatment
resistant. I am wondering if this has ever been used as a preventative on someone
with high risk prostate cancer. How do I receive any new treatments that my oncologist
does not know about?
My
brother who is 63 has had PSA tests and the result last year was 8 and last week
10. His urologist is sending him for ultra sounds in a month and back to see him
in another month. As he is my half brother and we have different fathers I thought
my diagnosis would have little bearing on him, but his urologist says it can be
passed on through a mother and especially so as the mother supplies the X chromosome.
I
had my last Zoladex implant in June last year. PSA. remaining low at <0.05 ng/ml.
Still suffering side effects of Zoladex - no sex drive, hot flushes, muscle loss
& bone density loss. Mood swings are better and feeling good. Have been talking
to others through the Bravenet
forum and would recommend it.
My
older brother ( 12yrs. older at 64 ) has recently had his prostate removed and
has recovered well. Other 60 year old brother tested OK. Two friends have also
had problems recently: the 60 odd year old's was just an infection but the other
who is only 48 has prostate cancer in his bones.
This
backs up what I think about PSA testing : it should start well before 50 years
of age as if you get prostate cancer young it is much more aggressive and harder
to cure. NOTE:
THIS IS BRIAN'S PERSONAL VIEW WHICH IS NOT CONFIRMED IN ANY STUDIES.
Brian's
e-mail address is: BSweet@KraftAsia.com.
