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Avastin + ADT2 Trial Update

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Posted 10/8/2012 6:10 PM (GMT 0)
I'm now 6 months from my last Avastin / Casodex and 9 months from my last Lupron shot. Whereas my PSA has been undetectable (<.1) for the past year, it was now measured at 0.1 (Johns Hopkins only measures to one decimal point).
What does this mean? Hard to tell (maybe the earlier tests were actually 0.09 and now it's 0.11 - how's that for optimism?). Next test / appointment is scheduled for early December. Trial participation ends when PSA >= 0.2 My pre-trial PSA was 10.8. Edit: Error here, participation ends when my PSA exceeds 2.0.

What happens if & when we reach the 0.2 threshold? I guess we'll cross that bridge when the time comes.

...Jerry

btw: My Testosterone has increased from < 20 to 203
Posted 10/8/2012 7:10 PM (GMT 0)
that's the challenge with not using the ultrasensitive test. you could've gone from .01 to .14 or you could have gone from .09 to .11. Can't tell. Your option is to wait or to ask your GP to give you a lab slip for an ultrasensitive test and monitor it more closely.

I'm told there is not much reliability or meaning to a change of one at the lowest end of the machine's range of sensitivity So if hopkins is truly using an older generation not ultrasensitive machine, the diff between <.1 and .1 is not all that meaningful. OTOH if they are using a newer machine that reads to two or three digits and they are simply rounding off to one, then the difference could be significant and reliable. you can ask them what machine they use or it might say on the lab result. You can't tell without more info.
Posted 10/8/2012 8:10 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Jerry,

Well the anxiety level has gone up.

I really hope it was a bad test.

I got nervous with a .01 increase. Still am.

Don't know if it matters but my testerone was 87 till aug now 115. Lowest was 11 after 3 months.

My oncologist agreed with me that I was still on adt with the 87 for several months. (not optimal adt)

We can all have good thoughts and you will be < 0.1 in december. 

My best wishes on future tests.

Gerry

Posted 10/8/2012 8:34 PM (GMT 0)
Well, unless you go in early, not much to do but sweat it out until December. Hope this is just a minor statistical or testing variation and you continue kicking it's shins.
Posted 10/8/2012 8:36 PM (GMT 0)
"Well the anxiety level has gone up."

Gerry, Good to hear from you (& I'm glad you're continuing to do so well).

Actually, my anxiety is only up mildly. Could be a bad test, could be a temporary bump. I could also make a case in my own mind that the trial has knocked the cancer out and as the effect of the lupron wears off I may rise to an new "normal" (after all, I do still have a prostate).

If my PSA continues to rise, we'll take the next step whatever that may be (lots of new and encouraging therapies coming on the market). I had an enlarged lymph node before the test started - maybe we can remove that puppy. And, of course, there are more clinical trials.

I refuse to worry (for now).

...Jerry
Posted 12/18/2012 8:56 PM (GMT 0)
Woo Hoo!! I just received my 12/14/2012 PSA results and have maintained a 0.1 PSA. This is now 9 months since my last Avastin / Casodex and 12 months since my last Lupron shot. I fully expected a higher number. Pre-trial PSA was 10.8.

Interesting that my testosterone dropped to 143 from 203 in October 2012 (it was only 229 when I started the trial).

So, this is a nice Christmas present (the PSA, not the testosterone [grin]).

...Jerry

PS: Decided to continue to update this thread with current results rather than starting a new thread for each test result.
Posted 12/20/2012 5:20 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Jerry

Good news

Hope it continues for a long time.

Wonderful Christmas present.

Best Wishes and happy holidays to all the brothers and family.

Gerry

Posted 12/20/2012 1:14 PM (GMT 0)


The emoticon says it all
Posted 2/11/2013 9:18 PM (GMT 0)
The Feb. 8, 2013 Update. It's bad news, good news, bad news. Overall, I think the good news outweighs the bad.

First the (mildly) bad news. My PSA is up from 0.1 to 0.2.

Next, the good news. I mis-read the Clinical Trial criteria. Turns out that only those participants how have had prostate removal are out of the trial when PSA reaches 0.2. For those of us who still have our prostates (i.e. radiation was the failed primary treatment), are out of the trial when our PSA reaches 2.0 Woo Hoo!

Finally the (mildly) bad news. My blood test indicated that my Hemoglobin was low (9.4 g/dL vs. a normal range of 13.9 to 16.3) and the want me to have a colonoscopy to rule out intestinal bleeding. My last colonoscopy (three years ago) indicated no polyps. Also, I've had occasional low HGB in previous blood tests in past tests and it's always bounced back. So... we'll get the colonoscopy and plod on!

...Jerry
Posted 2/11/2013 11:50 PM (GMT 0)
Focus on the good news. .2 is still a very low PSA from my point of view. Good luck with the colonoscopy!
Posted 2/12/2013 2:03 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Jerry

I know that if you have a prostate some psa it still produced.

Now that the adt has worn off maybe your psa rise is from the prostate?

I'm a 0.2 surgery. Next appointment is this Friday.

Best wishes to you

Gerry 

 

Posted 4/15/2013 12:09 AM (GMT 0)
One year post medication update:

Surprisingly, (to me anyway) my PSA dropped from 0.2 to 0.1 on my 03/29/2013 test. Since my primary was radiation, I'm off the trial with my PSA reaches 2.0 (hopefully in many years [grin]).

HGB was still low. Colonoscopy & EGD showed no bleeding, so now I'm on Iron. I'm only mildly concerned.

...Jerry
Posted 4/15/2013 2:26 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Jerry

Love the drop hope we have a long durable response.

Best wishes

Gerry

Posted 4/15/2013 1:33 PM (GMT 0)
I said before that .2 was still a low PSA but .1 is even better....(there was a brilliant comment from me. I think I could almost be a doctor)

Congrats and here's too many more good results

Nancy
Posted 4/15/2013 3:26 PM (GMT 0)
Jerry

I noticed that you were treated with Avastin.  Was this part of the trial you participated in?  Were you infused or took a pill?  How many treatments of Avastin did you have and how often?  Any side effects related to Avastin?  Just curious.  My wife has been treated for lung cancer with Avastin for the last 8 months, and I was surprised to hear it was also used for PC.

Posted 4/15/2013 3:58 PM (GMT 0)
@Putt,

Yup, the Avastin was part of the Trial. Details here: Androgen Deprivation Therapy +/- Bevacizumab for PSA Recurrence of Prostate Cancer After Definitive Local Therapy

Number of Avastin Treatments: "15mg/ks given IV every three weeks for a total of 8 infusions over 6 months"

Side affects: For me, Increased Blood Pressure (up to 160/100). They put me on Lisinopril which was very effective. Also, had some minor nosebleeds.

I think Avastin has been approved for Lung, Colon and a certain type of Brain Cancer. There was an earlier Trial for Avastin in late stage PCa. Apparently, it slightly improved survival, but did not meet endpoint and therefore was not approved.

The theory with the current trial is that it may be more effective earlier in progression and taken with ADT2.

...Jerry
Posted 5/15/2013 4:39 PM (GMT 0)
Woo Hoo! As of last Friday (5/10/2013), my PSA remains at 0.1 Click on "VIEW IMAGE" below to see my complete PSA history.

Also, since i've been on an Iron supplement my HGB has risen from 8.2 to 12.8 (approaching the normal range of 13.9-16.3). Also good news.

...Jerry
Posted 5/15/2013 6:56 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Jerry

Great news looks like a nice summer ahead.

Best Wishes

Gerry

Posted 5/15/2013 8:11 PM (GMT 0)
Jerry - that's a great chronology.

it was only for a paragraph that I worried about you being removed from the trial due to 0.2. Glad you covered the good news, bad news, good news so quickly and that you continue to do well.

The trial you are in, and so many others, may help a lot of us in the future as the science continues to evolve.
Posted 9/10/2014 12:11 PM (GMT 0)
Well, It's been over a year since I've updated this thread. It's now almost 3 years since I enrolled in this trial, and 2 1/2 years since the end of the treatment phase. Yesterday, I got some really good news... my PSA actually dropped from 1.2 (in July) to 1.1. Click on the "View Image" in my signature to see the complete details.

I stay in the monitoring phase of the trial until (if???) my PSA reaches 2.0. (My primary treatment was PBT, thus I still have my prostate)

...Jerry
Posted 9/10/2014 12:54 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Jerry

Great news.

Hope you continue to have many more.

I'm out of the trial waiting till psa hits 1.0+ to decide on next treatment.
That will be in a couple of months at present doubling time.

Best wishes to all the brothers and there families.

Gerry
Posted 9/10/2014 2:24 PM (GMT 0)
Gerry,

The other part of the conversation I had with my Oncologist (Dr. Emmanuel Antonarakis [top class, ihmo]) was... should my PSA reach 2.0, he would like to repeat scans. At 4.0 we should consider another Lupron course. (my highest PSA was 10.8).

Best of health to you & everyone else on this forum!
...Jerry
Posted 11/14/2014 9:26 PM (GMT 0)
Time for another update. Visited Johns Hopkins on Wednesday and my PSA came in at another 1.1. This is good news as it has essentially remained there for the past 6 months. Repeating what I've mentioned in an earlier post, I'm out of the trial when my PSA reaches 2.0.

This is 37 months since I started the trial and 31 months since the end of the medication phase of the trial. Click the "VIEW IMAGE" hyperlink below.

I'm happy!

...Jerry
Posted 11/14/2014 10:28 PM (GMT 0)
Jerry, thanks for the update. My hope for you would be that the 1.1 just keeps on repeating itself until it burns out and returns to zero.


Best to you and your family,

Sonny
Posted 11/14/2014 10:32 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Jerry

Great news.

I'm scheduled to restart 6 month adt2 Feb 2015.

This time off adt was longer than my first holiday.

Hope your psa stays for another 6 months.

Best wishes

Gerry
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