Phil
Clarke and Pam live in United Kingdom. He was 54 when he was diagnosed on 10th
May 2005. His initial PSA was 6.5 ng/ml, his Gleason Score was 3+3. IT is not
clear what his clinical staging was but it appears he may have been staged T1c,
although his pathological staging was pT3aN0. His choice of treatment was Surgery.
Here is his story.
In the motor trade and lived all my life in same village
in North Wiltshire England. Married to Pam for 35 years, daughter Suzi 22 graduated
from Exeter University and now teaching in Greece, son Tom 17 left school and
started an apprenticeship in carpentry and joinery.
Diagnosis finally confirmed
cancer 10th May 2005.(Pams' birthday) Biopsy 2/4 cores left and 2/6 cores right
malignant. Gleason 3+3: PSA 6.5.
Had Radical Prostatectomy on 13th June
2005. Histology showed positive extraprostatic surgical margins and extracapsular
perineural invasion, capsular breach Gleason up to 3+4=7. The total volume of
the tumour was 6.4ml; Seminal vesicles clear; Lymph nodes clear; Stage pT3aN0
First
post operation test 26th July - PSA 0.4; Second test 25th August PSA 0.3; Third
test 27th September back to PSA 0.4. Seeing oncologist to arrange EBRT (External
Beam Radiation Therapy). Had bone scan and another MRI. Thank god all clear.
EBRT
started 1st November - 33 treatments (X 2 Gray = 66 Gray) in Bristol.
Finished
RT Dec 15th 2005 after quite a rough ride, very painful bowel problems and urinary
continence back to square one i.e. very little. Had three PSA tests during RT
treatment each one showing an increase 0.5; 0.6; 0.7 Significance of this during
RT unknown - readings taken for research purposes.
PSA result May 22, 2006
gone up to 0.60 absolutely gutted seeing the oncologist on 25th May PSA. 15th
Sept, 2006 it's gone up again 0.9 saw oncologist 18th Sept. he wasn't too worried
(I am!) he said that my doubling time was 5.9 months which is quite good...apparently.
wants further PSA in three months and is hoping that it will level off around
1.5. says intervention will be needed when/if it reaches 2.0 Also admitted the
RT was a total failure. He recommended various supplements.
Dec 11th 2006
PSA gone up to 1.7 that's nearly double in only three months, not looking good.
Have to have another PSA in January and see the oncologist to decide on what to
do next.
Jan 15th 07 bad news Again PSA has gone up again to 2.5 waiting
for oncologist appointment. Saw onco today 18th Jan 07 and he has advised I start
on Casodex 150mg, but I requested another month and then PSA test to finally convince
myself that it is necessary. Here's hoping!
Well after a drop in February
to 2.4 its gone back up again on 6th March to 3.3. Oncologist has given me another
month to see if it is going to stabilise there before starting on the hormones.
Well
it didn't stabilise there and has gone up to 4.0 on 5th April. My onco has prescribed
Casodex 150 and I will start taking them daily on 7th May 07. I am dreading even
more side effects.
14th June PSA gone down to 0.7 so Casodex is working.
29th June had first of three RT blasts to very sore titties (5 grays a time) Side
effects so far are very sore and enlarged breasts, maybe a bit more tired and
do seem to get a bit hot but not exactly a flush.....yet!
Next PSA 17th
July if it's gone down to 0.2 or less I will stop the Casodex until it goes back
up to 4.0 (intermittent) After much research and a chat with my onco I have decided
to stay on the Casodex a little longer and see if it will go down to 0.1 before
I consider intermittent. I think this will give me the best chance of killing
off the cancer cells as the longer they are deprived of testosterone the better!
July
17th PSA down TO 0.5
August 15th PSA down to 0.4
September 13th PSA still
0.4
October 12th PSA down to 0.3
Nov 12th PSA down again 0.2
December
6th still 0.2
January 8th 2008 still 0.2
Feb 8th still 0.2
March 7th
still 0.2
April 4th still 0.2
May 1st still 0.2
May 30th gone up to 0.3
June
29th gone up to 0.5
July 24th gone up to 0.8
September 9th up to 2.4
This
latest big rise (tripled in six weeks) is very worrying. Spoke to Onco and will
be starting Zoladex next week Sept 18th still 2.4 (since found out that this test
wasn't in fact done as the laboratory decided I didn't need it as it was 'only'
2 weeks since the previous one! Arrogant Ba***rds! so I don't know what the level
was at the start of Zoladex.
Sept 18th first Zoladex (monthly) implant.
Oct.
16th second monthly Zoladex implant.
Oct.30th first blood test since start
of Zoladex gone down to 0.7 and Testosterone is 1.0 Spoke with Oncologist and
he is pleased with this. After initial side effect of more fatigue this now isn't
so bad but at 7 weeks the hot flushes have started, but not too bad. Onc has prescribed
Cyproterone acetate 100mg once a day to counteract the flashes but I think I'll
wait a while before starting on them as I'm not keen on "one drug chasing another"
if you know what I mean.
November 3rd third Zoladex implant blood tests
to be 6 weekly for now which suits me.
Latest News: 30th October PSA down
to .7 and Testosterone 1.0
Phil's e-mail address is: ZX9RPHIL@AOL.COM
