HT - Is Lupron

My Dad was diagnosed with PC 22 years ago @ 62.  Had a RP, good PSA for 7-8 years, followed by Lupron shots for 5 years.  Has been off hormones since 2005 and feels much better in terms of QOL.  3 months ago PSA jumped to 29, started casodex, PSA now 77.  He’s pretty worried and wants to get a Lupron shot ASAP (never thought I’d hear him say that).  Appt. with doctor next week.  Fortunately, I’ve been reading a lot of the posts here since my husband was diagnosed last fall.  I was able to be much more helpful to my Dad than in the past, in terms of telling him that there are guys with higher PSAs that are doing great, that the Lupron will probably work just like it has in the past, that there are new therapies if Lupron doesn’t work.

Question – I’ve been assuming that casodex is “weaker” than Lupron since he hasn’t had any SE?  is that true?  Am I being overly optimistic?  Does the casodex not working mean that the cancer is becoming resistant to HT?

Thanks for your response. I'm realizing how little I know about HT; all my efforts were on researching options for my husband who was G6, he had IMRT.

I hope and pray that the Lupron works for my Dad. He is seeing a urologist (not an oncologist) which gives me concern, but may the best option given his location (very rural), age and ability to travel.

On a different note, my Mom died 8 years ago, and I have missed her more than ever this past year. I really didn't understand what she and my Dad went through, until recently.

Anyway lots of choices if you get informed on it all and maybe have the gumption to try various methods. I like the study mentioned in Dr. Strum's book (2nd edition), a study by Wheeler et al on PCa groups of patients, the findings on that abstract were: Lupron + casodex was found equal to casodex + proscar (in hormone naivee patients= newbies that were not refractive on HT, aka not yet the HRPCa types). The results were almost perfectly equal in effectiveness, but how many patients get casodex + proscar (or avodart or finasteride)???? Looks like Lupron alone might be trumped by casodex + proscar (perhaps via this comparison and analogies). Genric casodex is low priced and available everywhere now. Friend of mine is currntly using estradiol gel, that is compounded to a certain potency level for his PCa scenario, he ditched the patches which can be a hassle as to on/off skin areas and locations of useage and having to find another skin location often or patches peeling off, etc. This  estradiol-gel idea may be used more in the near future, they have a gel for increasing T level (Androgel)  making one more  of a man so to speak, so the concept is not brand new for using gels.

Post Edited (zufus) : 5/19/2012 5:51:56 PM (GMT-6)