On to Zytiga

Hi All,
56yrs old. 6yrs since diagnosis. Stage 4, Gleason 9, mets in hips, spine, ribs, pelvis in initial diagnosis. PSA got as high as 180 at that time. Have remained fairly active through all this.
Started with Eligard and Docetaxel - Eligard failed after 6 months (went to Zoladex, same, failed). Have been on Cabazitaxel for over 5yrs with occasional breaks from it when PSA went undetectable.
Started back up on Cabazitaxel in Aug 2020 - PSA continues to climb and is now at 19. Onc and Urologist are going to start me on Zytiga if funding available.
My worry is that the first line hormone treatment failed so quickly - 6 months. Are there any others out there that have experience with first line hormone treatment failing so quick, but have success with Zytiga?
Looking for some more hope. Blessed to have had 6yrs, as it was thought I did not have long, but being selfish and want a few more years to get my family all set in life.

Hope Zytiga works for you. It is now generic. If you have commercial insurance go to

https://www.abirateronesavings.com/patient-assistance/

for copay assistance. If you don't have commercial insurance there are other programs available.

Roy, just want to add my welcome. I have no expertise in advanced PCa, but you've come to the right place. Probably a bit quiet due to the holiday right now, but stay tuned, others will surely be along to add their experiences to those who have already responded.

Hello ROYCANUK ---

We welcome you here, as a battle brother and comrade.

I was diagnosed in 2013, with a PSA over 100. I was in my 40s, and the prostate cancer had already metastasized and infiltrated into both my lungs. It was time to get my "sword and shield" ready --- and step onto the battleground.

I pursued TAXOTERE chemotherapy infusions & also a round of radiation treatments.

Over five years ago, my oncologist started me on ZYTIGA. I was his first patient to start that medication.

Several of us here banded together, as comrades, and put together an extensive and detailed thread entitled ZYTIGA: OUR COLLECTIVE EXPERIENCES.

Check out the highlighted link that our member named Pratoman just listed and highlighted for you, in the post found above. You will find personal first-hand experiences, written in "one brother to another" style. Consider it your personal playbook for learning helpful insight into ZYTIGA.

In the last couple of years, a generic version of ZYTIGA became available. Most of us here on ZYTIGA switched over to the generic, with no issues. This choice can represent a cost-saving measure for you, and your doctor can find medication funding programs to cover the cost of the medication, as others have mentioned above.

I started saving my empty medication bottles, to mark my progress on ZYTIGA, and have about 65 empty bottles lined up on a shelf, representing over 5 years that I have been on ZYTIGA. I am thankful to my oncologist who first recommended it, and ZYTIGA (and now the generic form) continues to help me today.

Thankful you have posted ---- we extend to you a hearty WELCOME!

With my best sent to you ---
CYCLONE --- # Iowa State University

Roycanuk said...
Hi All,
56yrs old. 6yrs since diagnosis. Stage 4, Gleason 9, mets in hips, spine, ribs, pelvis in initial diagnosis. PSA got as high as 180 at that time. Have remained fairly active through all this.
Started with Eligard and Docetaxel - Eligard failed after 6 months (went to Zoladex, same, failed). Have been on Cabazitaxel for over 5yrs with occasional breaks from it when PSA went undetectable.
Started back up on Cabazitaxel in Aug 2020 - PSA continues to climb and is now at 19. Onc and Urologist are going to start me on Zytiga if funding available.
My worry is that the first line hormone treatment failed so quickly - 6 months. Are there any others out there that have experience with first line hormone treatment failing so quick, but have success with Zytiga?
Looking for some more hope. Blessed to have had 6yrs, as it was thought I did not have long, but being selfish and want a few more years to get my family all set in life.

Hi Roycanuk

My 1st line of treatment was Lupron and 6 treatments of Docetaxel. This took my PSA from 350 to 0.016 pretty quickly. My psa started slowly climbing and 1.5 yrs later we added Zytiga. I got about 2.5 yrs out of it before it continued to climb.
I have tried Xtandi but had severe reactions and was off it in 5 days. As of now I am awaiting my results of genetic testing. I am taking Casodex while I wait.
Good luck on your next line of treatment.