Three different opinions on how long to take hormones

Your situation is so similar to ours. The more opinions you get, the more opinions you get This is such a personal decision and I feel that your uncle truly has to be onboard with whatever treatment in order to win this. When we first met with the RO and Oncologist, my father didn't want to hear about RT and HT. We (my mom, husband and I) were really worried, because from the studies we read, we felt that RT and HT were his only chance (if any) of a cure, which some will say that once it has spread to the lymph nodes that there is no cure, but I have read cases where with local lymph node involvement following radiation and HT, men have done well for YEARS. My father's urologist, who diagnosed the cancer, recommended not doing RT and waiting to start HT, similar to what your urologist said. However, studies have shown that with lymph node involvement, men have done better starting HT immediately. We also based our decision on another study that showed the 5 year recurrence was much less for men who did RT and HT. This is a new study, your urologist might not be familiar with. This was our only chance to do RT, because if the cancer spreads, RT is no longer an option. Therefore, my father agreed to do 8 weeks of RT and 2 years of HT. He just finished his 8th week on Tuesday and will have his first PSA in three months. The RT was very tolerable and we are praying that it nuked any cancer remaining. There are obviously no guarantees. Best case scenario, we are hoping for a cure. Worst case scenario, we hope that it has bought my father more time, until they find a cure. Best wishes in your treatment decision. Gather all the info you can, and don't look back. Second guessing doesn't do any good. Father's Information DX July 15, 2007 Age 62 (now 63) PSA 5.5 Original Gleason 3+4=7 Post Surgery Gleason- 4+3=7 DaVinci Surgery Aug 31, 2007 Focally Positive Right Margin One positive node Bone Scan/CT Negative (Sept. 10, 2007) T3a N1 M0 Oct. 17 PSA 0.07 Nov. 13 PSA 0.05 Casodex adm. Nov 07 Lupron beg. Dec 03, 2007 2 yr Radiation started March 03-April 22, 2008- 8 weeks 5x a week 8 weeks of radiation down!!! Praying for a cured dad. First PSA 3 months!   Post edited to single space signture... Post Edited By Moderator (bluebird) : 4/26/2008 9:42:06 PM (GMT-6)

My husband is on HT and will be until it no longer works. We had a number of docs who all agreed as his cancer had spread to distant lymph nodes.

Doctors give their opinion based on studies, experience and what a patient presents to them, so it's a tough decision on your part to determine what avenue is best.
Everything has to be weighed - what do these doctors expect the results to be, how will your uncle tolerate the side effects, does he have other health concerns that factor in...you get the picture. His decision, once made, will be a relief and he can move on from there. My husband's PSA is undetectable and we hope it stays that way for a long time. We wish the same for you.
Please keep us up on how things are going - we do care.

Susan

Lots of schools of thought on Hormone Treatment, see my signature and statistics. My Doctors immediately put me on Lupron after I apparently had a failed surgery due to my psa still being present in quantities of more than .2, to wit .62 and then a recheck a couple of weeks later of .59. I was told that I would be on HT for two years then a very close monitoring of my psa after that, if any appreciable rise then back on HT, probably forever. I still have another one+ year to go, fortunately I have very few side effects mostly just hot flashes. I'm hoping that the two years of HT plus the 35 IMRT treatments will have taken care of anything residual left in the prostate bed and I'll be rid of this dreaded disease. Good luck all....jwb.