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Dad detected with Prostrate cancer. need advice!

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Posted 4/1/2015 2:06 AM (GMT 0)
Hello,
My dad was detected wit Prostrate cancer last year in February. At the time of discovery, his PSA level was 45 and the prostrate cancer was confirmed by a biopsy report.

The report Stated:

1.) There is increased tracer uptake seen involving -
a.) D4,D5, D8 and D10 vertebrae
b.) Left 5th rib posteriorly
c.) Right S.I. joint.
d.) Left anterior superior iliac spine region
e.) Proximal end of right femur
f.) suspiciously sternum

2.) Rest of the skeleton appear normal

3.) Kidneys are seen

Comments: The above abnormality suggests Metstatic Bone Lesions.

Following the report, the doctor started hormone therapy and my dad was given Elligard injection per 6 months. (first in march and second in september) His PSA immediately dropped to 0.5 and the medicine seemed to be working fine. In February 2015, my dad started getting low grade fever along with nagging pain in calf region. He felt nauseatic and lost appetite. We got another PSA report and this time PSA was 63. He was admitted to the hospital and the doctor gave medicines to stabilize fever. Doctor suggested chemotherapy and he had his first chemo session yesterday. He felt ok after chemo but continued to have nagging pain in his calves. Doctor has suggested 3 chemo cycles - 1 in 3 weeks.


I would like to know whether chemotherapy is the correct form of treatment and whether there are any other alternatives that can help my dad. I read an article yesterday about a man who reversed stage 4 prostrate by ingesting sodium bicarbonate with black strap molasses. Has anyone tried this and has it worked? I also read alkaline diet helps. We have already purchased ph strips and would start monitoring the alkalinity.

Doctors told me that stage 4 cancer is incurable but I am sure there is someone who was cured and I would like to know what he/she did to get rid of the cancer?

Would any one have any idea about life expectancy in this stage of cancer?
Posted 4/1/2015 3:18 AM (GMT 0)
Sorry you need to be talking to us.

That's a difficult report to read. Chemo is likely the right now, but I am not a doctor just some random guy on the network.

the sodium bicarbonate story is a fraud as is the alkaline diet, it won't work - don't believe everything you read on the net. Sadly, your doctors are corrective stage 4 metastatic prostate cancer is not curable. There are palliative treatments and medications that can reduce the tumors.

I know you want the best for your father and it's difficult to watch him go through this. Keep working with his doctors.

and no one can predict life expectancy. It could be months, years, who knows.

Peace,
Andrew
Posted 4/1/2015 1:15 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Sujay,
Very sorry to hear about your dad. I am not a doctor and do not know if the treatment that your father is receiving is the correct treatment for his cancer. His doctor will recommend a treament plan depending on whether the current treatment he is receiving has failed. Chemotherapy is usually recommended when Hormone Therapy is no longer effective. Is your father in a position to get a second opinion? Perhaps there are some additional options such as clinical trials.
Posted 4/1/2015 1:51 PM (GMT 0)
I 'm sorry to hear about his condition.
Don't waste time with alternative stories.
You might consider Xofigo or maybe spot radiation some time. Are you in the USA?
PSA sometimes goes into the thousands with advanced cases but it varies. Good luck.
Posted 4/1/2015 4:11 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks everyone for your kind response.

@robertC - My dad is in India and I am in USA. After the chemo sessions and depending on how my dad reacts, I am planning to bring my dad here to take opinions from doctors. I saw someone recommend Dr. Brian Moran's name on the forum yesterday. My wife and I are currently researching on doctors to refer my dad to.

I will look into spot radiation. What is Xofigo? I also read about brachytherapy as a treatment option for prostrate cancer. Any know knows about it?


Update: My dad's first chemo therapy session went very well and he felt much better after the session. He was not eating before the chemo but after yesterday's session, he had a good meal.
Posted 4/1/2015 4:34 PM (GMT 0)
Can you tell us what part of the states your in (east, west)? The folks here might be able to recommend some good doctors in your area.

Brachy is putting radioactive seeds in the prostate to kill the cancer cells. Not something normally done with metastatic PC.

Glad to hear the chemo went well.
Andrew
Posted 4/1/2015 4:47 PM (GMT 0)
I live in Dallas, TX and my parents are in Bombay, India. Bombay has a big hospital dedicated to cancer and one of my friend knows few doctors there. I will be calling them to discuss my dad's report. I am not sure how advanced the cancer treatment is in india and yes, it would be a good idea to know doctors in Texas region to take opinions from doctors
Posted 4/1/2015 5:19 PM (GMT 0)
Sujay,

The problem with a forum like this is you read all kinds of things, many of which don't really apply (like brachytherapy). None of us is a doctor, and reading some of the posts of people trying to be helpful, it's a good thing!

To answer your question - yes, chemo is absolutely the best thing to do right now. It's been found that when there are multiple mets and the cancer is still hormone responsive, it can add significantly to life expectancy. Usually, six cycles (with doses 3 weeks apart) are given, but his oncologist will have to gauge whether your father can tolerate that.

Do not self-medicate with anything - like baking soda - while he is on chemo. There are unknowable interactions that may occur that may be fatal. He has to follow his doctor's instructions to the letter. He has to be particularly aware of fever because febrile neutropenia is life threatening. He should report that immediately, and perhaps get a shot of pegfilgastrim if that should occur. Neuropathy in fingers and toes is a common side effect.

He can talk to his doctor about taking Xgeva or Zometa to prevent "skeletal events" like fractures or spinal compression that sometimes occur because of the bone mets and the hormone therapy.

Xofigo is a great idea if it's available there, but in the US, it is only indicated after hormone therapy begins to fail. If his bone mets are painful, SBRT to the bone mets can relieve the pain quickly.

I don't know how to find out about clinical trials that may be available in India - perhaps his doctor can look into it if your father interested in trying experimental treatments. It's a much better approach than trying things you read about on the internet.

- Allen
Posted 4/1/2015 6:44 PM (GMT 0)
Allen - I messaged my doctor and my dad's treatment is ditto to the one you mentioned. The doctor said there would be 3 chemo sessions (1 per 3 weeks) and 2 weeks after the third chemo, my dad will be sent to take PSA reports. That will be followed by 3 more chemos depending on how my dad reacts.

I will by flying to India during the 3rd chemo session and I will ask the doctor about xofigo and clinical trials at that time.
Posted 4/1/2015 11:54 PM (GMT 0)
Sujay, do everything Tall Allen says.

Best of luck to your father.

By the way, you should begin getting PSA tests annually at 35-40. I'd vote for 35. I'm bugging my sons who are 36 and 42 to get started with testing.
Posted 4/5/2015 5:53 PM (GMT 0)
Sujay, I'm no doctor and can't offer advice, but from my own experience I can give you information.

My doctor told me up front that my Stage IV prostate cancer is treatable, but incurable.
From what you've written, he had the correct treatment, as far as I can tell---hormone therapy until the PSA started to rise, and then on chemo when the hormone therapy failed.

I know of nobody who was cured at Stage IV, but with the modern treatments, life can be extended. And each individual responds to either chemo or the hormone treatments differently. Sometimes hormone treatments can stop the spread and growth of the cancer for many years, sometimes it fails after just months.

It's almost the same with chemotherapy. Some individuals respond to it better than others.

There are new drugs/treatments coming out all of the time: Provenge, which uses the body's own immune system to fight the cancer and also Xofigo or Radium223, which mainly attacks bone cancer cells while it causes minimal damage to normal body tissues. They've come a long way, but so far there is no "cure" for Stage IV prostate cancer. I've had to accept that my cancer is incurable, but I fight it every day.

CERICWIN
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