BCR -Avodart & Metformin started

RRP Apr 10,pt3anomo Gleason 3+4=7 epe and peri inv. All scans pet clear. Psa undetectable for two years then it started increasing. Psa jan 14was .17. Dr Myers put me on Avodart Metformin to increase doubling time from present 8 months. Within one month psa has come down to .14. Your views please? Thanks and good luck to all.

Didn't he recommend salvage radiation?

- Allen

Just curious- what scan(s) did he have you get done?

I don't know if you can know the doubling time at such a low level....Just an educatiinbthing for me...but that it came down is very interesting...Hope it continues to do so...

Let me know if you need help accessing MetFormin posts/information.

How old are you if you don't mind me asking? And what was your psa at diagnosis? All these factors may play into Myers decision to hold off on radiation at this time...

KSK,
I have very similar stats to you and I intend to start Metformin shortly, can I ask what dose Dr Myers advised for Metformin.

Regards

I started HT about 3 weeks ago with Lupron and TAK700 in a clinical trial. Your discussion about Metformin prompted me to do a little research.

I find that this paper more easily explains the potential role of Metformin in affecting Pca cell growth. Thought you might like to see it.

www.pcf.org/site/c.leJRIROrEpH/b.8091585/k.64E8/Prostate_Cancer_Diabetes_and_Metformin8230What_Are_the_Relationships.htm

Sonny

It’s been 2 ½ years since my robotic prostatectomy in June 2011. Since then, my PSA has been on the rise and I am currently at a value of .08 with an estimated 13-month doubling time (see PSA chart link in my signature below).

During my quarterly follow-up with my urologist a few weeks ago, we got to talking about my PSA rise, specifically what I might do to possibly slow it down. I’ve been reading up on the use of Avodart as a means to slow down PCA growth and PSA progression. The importance of 5AR inhibitors, in this case Avodart, is the inhibiting of testosterone being converted to the up to five times more powerful stimulant to prostate cancer cell growth, dihydrotestosterone; and with that inhibiting, slowing down cancer cell growth and proliferation. Avodart will NOT mask any PSA movement. It may indicate up to a 50% reduction in your actual PSA level because of the activity of the medication is slowing cancer cell development, thus one could consider their actual PSA level as twice that showing up in the PSA test, but it will not have any effect if there is PSA elevation noted in PSA testing. The concern in PSA testing is not its “level,” but rather its progression in elevation - and progression in that elevating, if occurring, can be noted whether using Avodart or not.

My doc feels the jury is still out on that but he saw nothing wrong with me trying it out for the next few months to see if my PSA responds. So I’ve been on it now for about three weeks and will keeping taking a daily dose until my next appointment in April.

My intention behind taking the Avodart is that it will slow my PSA progression even more so that I can delay SRT as long as possible. There is a brand-new radiation facility being built a few miles from me that will have the latest generation of radiation equipment (IMRT / IGRT) and will be headed up by a very well-respected radiation oncologist in my area. My goal is to delay the SRT until the new facility has opened (scheduled for later this year).