PSA 89.9 G-9 What's Next?

I know it is counter intuitive but have heard that Provenge may be working even when your PSA increases.

Hard to measure effectiveness of Provenge by itself, need to evaluate it in combnation with something else.

In theory at least, whatever you choose to do next having had Provenge will make it more effective than without Provenge.

With you being in New Mexico, if you can possible get insurance to pay for it, have the more discreet F18 sodium test by Dr, Fabio Almeida in Phoenix at AZ Molecualr Imaging.

I had both the F18 and the C-11 Acetate but the latter is not covered by insurance. It's counterpart the C-11 Choline available only at Mayo in MN is covered by insurance. C-11 Acetate normally costs $3,000 but since I was having F18 same week, my out of pocket cost was $2,500.

Back to F18, I was burned by the standard bone scintigram which is a glorified Rorshack test very subjective if done by inexperienced radiation tech, told I had bone mets when I did not by a rural imaging firm here in FL that may only do 1-2 PCa scans a month versus firms in large metro areas being more used to accurately interpretting them.

You may also want to check with WorryWarts since their doctor formerly at MD Anderson now heads the dept at Univ of New Mexico. They value his input enough that they still travel from New Orleans area to NM.

Good luck and keep us posted on the scan results. Seems that lately we have a lot of guys with rising PSA but no known cause such as Mel (Compiler) and Wampuscats. Sonny went through that for several years and I thnk Purgatory did too.

LupronJim

Jim,
Thank you so much for your input! I'm pretty happy with the guys that are doing my Bone Scan interpretation as they do quite a few of them a month. There's always been another PC guy on the other scanner when I've had my past 5 scans so I do trust them as does my onc. Unfortunately, our finances are limited to SSA benefits as both my wife and I are on SSDI so travel, which I don't do at all well, is out of the question. This rise in PSA has been going on ever since I had the Provenge, a year and a month ago. This last one was a two month double, from 40.5 to 89.9, so that's why my MO doesn't want to wait any longer to move on to the Zytiga.

Doug, as I wrote above, I to have doubled, in 2 months. I feel like you do, hoping that they find something to treat with these scans. These will be my 6th round and sitting around the hospital waiting for the isotopes to do their thing is wearing thin. Thank God for my trusty iPad, don't know what I'd do without it . . . Q

Thanks jerry, I'll take you up on your offer if needed . . .q

Jim,
I am on catastrophic coverage due to my Fentora Rx which costs something like $12,000 p/m. That means that I get all my Rx's for free. If there's any problem my Cancer center has a wonderful patient relations person that sees these sorts of things through. I feel really pampered there and feel sorry for those of us that aren't afforded such top notch care. Thank you once again for your very helpful advice . . . Q