Mayo Prostate Cancer Test Gives Hope When Tumors Return

Hello folks.

Thought this might be of interest to some of you..

A test for PCA return when psa is rising yet no tumor can be located.

A key benefit is that one need not undergo all the other intrusive and expensive tests.

Available at Mayo only.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-03-13/mayo-prostate-cancer-test-gives-hope-when-tumors-return.html

Good thoughs to all of you.

 

Bob -- Very interesting article.

Thanks for sharing this.

-- Tigerfan

Don't forget to also check out an FDA monitored Phase II Study under Dr. Almeida in Phoenix that is also a PET C-11 Scan but with Acetate.  See PCRI Weekly VOLUME 3, ISSUE 2 June 28, 2012.

 

With a PSA of 3.5 and a Doubling Time of 6 weeks, I had this scan and a sole area of activity showed up like a lightbulb (left ischism).  Although it was visible on my previous CT and MRI scans, it was too small to identify.  One can only see it on my previous scans if you know it was there.

 

The area of activity was zapped by my rad onc and since then some 6 months have passed where my PSA is undetectable. 

 

At the same time I also started taking other medication (Zytiga) so I cannot prove my PSA fell due to the radiation, nor do I know how long it will remain undetectable.

 

It was reported here that the Mayo scan cost $7200.  Phoenix cost me $3000.

Houseboy 

I also saw the PCRI presentation that Dr. Kwon at Mayo did.  Very informative.

I wonder how this type of scanning can be applied to biochemical recurrences (BCR) after surgery?

The standard plan of attack after a BCR has been identified is to zap the prostate bed using radiation therapy.  But to me, that seems like shooting in the dark since in most cases of a BCR, it's assumed the recurrence is in the area where the prostate used to be.

Would it make sense to hold off on radiation therapy until a PET-11 scan can confirm the location of the recurrence?

Jim and Marie:
I should have explained that at 72 I was initially diagnosed with metastatic PCa, Gleason 9, PSA 30, with 2 bone mets in my left acetabulum and right trocanter. Besides HT, I was also treated with experimental SBRT (stereotactic body radiation) to my prostate and bone mets, all of which sent the PSA down to 0.1 over the next four months where it immediately turned around to begin doubling every 6 weeks.
It was at that point where the PSA had risen to 2.37 that I had the scan done in Phoenix (with the blessings of Dr. Scholz and Dr. Myers, although Dr. Myers would have preferred me to take the scans at Sand Lake). The scan from head to below the knees showed NO areas of activity except for a small area in my left ischism (it was lit up like a light bulb). Again, with SBRT, my rad onc was able to zap that specific area. After 10 days of this radiation (5 sessions), the PSA went down from 2.39 to 1.98. Within a few days after my radiation I started Zytiga. My PSA nose dived over the next 2 months and has remained undetectable for 4 months now.
Of course, my PCa can come back at any time because of the initial escape from my prostate of microscopic cancer cells. Indeed, it may already be forming mets in other areas of my body that are not yet detectable on the most advanced scans that we have. But I am convinced that my survival time has been extended by this C-11 PET/CT scan with Acetate followed by targeted radiation.
Houseboy
p.s. For those who have read this short note carefully, you may wonder why, with a consistent doubling time of 6 weeks over a six month period, the PSA suddenly leveled off rising only 0.02 to 2.39 during the month between my scan and my radiation. My only explanation is that during this month I started the Estradiol patch prescribed by Dr. Myers.

Marie and Jim:

Of course, I can't advise you. All I can do is tell you what I have done and why.

I have 3 med oncs, Myers and Scholz being two. They advise on what I should do, sometimes differently, and they let me choose. With PCa being such an individual disease, I seek out the best med oncs I can find.
All or some of my cancer became 'refractory' (resistent to first line HT), so I rely on the advice of med oncs who specialize in this form of PCa to receive the latest in therapy. I have chosen not to use the services of the local 'general' med onc.

I can tell you that I learned a lot at the annual PCRI Conference in LA every September. Check it out.

Houseboy