Advice for Dad - Lupron/radiation

Hi All,

It has been sometime since I posted on here and we have reached where we were hoping too at this point. Dad is 4.5 months post radiation, PSA was listed at levels of undetectable less than .1

(Diagnosed 8/11, 8.4 PSA, G9, four cores out of 12 positive (only left lobe) Ruled prostrate confined or surface of prostate. Age 75. Observed closely last few years, with prior clean biopsies. Uro felt early detection. Major risk factor is G9 otherwise everything else is good. Prior PSA's, April 2012 - .1, October 2011 - 1.0, July 2011 at diagnoses 8.4) Lupron injections - 1st - 8/11, 2nd - 10/11, 3rd - 2/12 and 4th - 5/12. )

Treating radiation oncologist that dad thinks is very smart says one year of lupron is enough, Dad's best friend A respected radiation oncologist says two years lupron. Dad is meeting with urologst and will ask him too but does anyone know what the most recent research says about what is the best course?

I know this subject has been discussed before but wondering if anyone has similar stats and what option they chose.

Also wondering if anyone has taken a trial of detrol LA 10 mg to deal with post radiation urine frequency and burning? Doctor suggested it and trying to figure out whether it is worth considering.

(David - if by chance you are reading this since your string has been locked, I very much wanted to thank you from the bottom of my heart for giving me wise words on probably one of the worst days of my life when I found out my dad was diagnosed. I will never forget your kindness or insight and I wish you the best of luck always and will keep you in my prayers.)

Thank you all for your help.

Howdy,

I think many doctors feel it best to have the patient on hormones for 2 years, as F8 says. The studies are not conclusive, showing that six months is not enough but unclear whether 12, 18 or 24 months are best. I'm G 9 as well, and my well-known medical oncologist said 12 months would be adequate. My experienced radiation oncologist felt a shorter time would be okay, but I've chosen to go with 12 months.

That's not to say that my doctors are right and yours wrong. I trust mine and will go with them, but if my doctor had said two years, I'd have gone with that. So go with the doctor you trust. The side-effects aren't horrendous, for me at least, so longer may be quite tolerable.

Best wishes,
Nellie

For me .. you can see my stats: no one has recommended anything less than 2 years of HT .. absolute minimum .. a couple of strong proponents of 3 years (based on the Bolla study), one said 2 years and then "see how I am handling it" ... a couple of these doctors are well known names to folks here at HW.

Very interesting. Southern Comfort and I both go the same medical practice. For my case of G 9 with only positive margins and T2c, my doctor recommends only 12 months of HT. His doctor (a different one I believe) recommends much longer for his G 9, presumably because of the SVI and T3b. Both doctors recommended adjuvant Taxotere. So different situations result in different recommendations, despite the same Gleason score.

Best wishes,
Nellie

bestdadever

You may want to talk with some of our sisters.

If you do send me your email and I'll see what I can do:)

Bud