The Inevitable

After 39 months, the inevitable is finally upon us. After meeting with my Oncologist today and receiving my updated PSA number (38.31) we had "the talk".

I am definitely ready to take the next step and use a more aggressive treatment to try to to get the cancer under control. We have been fairly conservative during the past three years. Even so, we have had great results and I have no regrets on any decision we have made to date.

I am eligible for a clinical trial at the University of Kansas Cancer Center. We are researching it and at this point are favoring this protocol. It would be the standard chemotherapy (Docetaxel plus Prednisone) that I would receive, plus an additional oral medication (Atrasentan) that has shown benefit to other patients with advanced hormone refractory prostate cancer. It is a Phase III trial which is randomized, so I would have a 50% chance of receiving the additional medicine versus a placebo. I will receive the chemotherapy intravenously once every three weeks for 12 sessions, which means I'll finish up in early 2009.

From the things I've read about this protocol it is very well tolerated. Most men continue to work or keep up with most of their daily activities. I plan on being no different. Fatigue usually sets in about 4-5 days post treatment which we plan to schedule so it would coincide with the weekend. So in other words, more movies, more couch time!

Crank up the prayer chain people.....I'm going to need a little help here!!

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Historic Data:
4/21/08 38.31
3/24/08 34.7
2/25/08 29.4 (Started taking Nilandron on 2/4/08; Started Selenium 200 mcg on 2/26/08)
1/28/08 36.2 (Stopped taking Ketoconazole and Hydrocortisone in anticipation of next treatment)
12/31/07 30.9
12/3/07 21.9
11/5/07 23.3
10/8/07 19.30
>10/8/07 Changed Lupron from 120 day dose to monthly dose> 9-12-07 Began taking .5mg of Avodart per day. Changed Ketoconazole from 600mg twice per day to 400mg three times per day)
9/4/07 21.80
8/6/07 19.25
8/2/07 16.96
7/02/07 20.30
6/04/07 17.80
4/30/07 16.25
4/2/07 17.68
3/5/07 21.87
2/5/07 20.90
1/8/07 18.90
12/11/06 24.86
11/13/06 43.61
10/16/06 51.48 (Started "High Dose" Ketoconazole and Hydrocortisone, 10/01)[at this point and for a second time we prepared for Taxotere. First my Oncologist wanted to try High Dose Ketoconazole and Hydrocortisone.]
9/11/06 83.97 (started Zometa)
8/23/06 41.77
8/18/06 54.66(no tests in June or July)
5/19/06 11.37 (stopped Casodex)
4/3/06 4.25
3/5/06 1.45 (started Casodex again)
1/27/06 0.46
12/28/05 1.85[at this point we prepared for Taxotere, chemotherapy treatments. First I had a new PSA test and new bone and CT scans, lymph nodes clear, spine clear, ribs, femur and hips stable. The PSA dropped to 1.85 and the scans revealed marked improvement. Chemo was cancelled 72 hours before it was scheduled to begin]
12/15/05 7.18
11/03/05 4.64 (Stopped taking Casodex)
9/22/05 0.8
08/11/05 0.35 [nadir]
6/24/05 0.55
4/17/05 2.51 (taken at MD Anderson, Gleason lowered to 7/7)
4/06/05 3.51 (Six weeks after starting Lupron and Casodex)Original Gleason scores (7/8)
Pre-treatment tests:
2/18/05 Started Lupron
2/11/05 Started Casodex
2/?/05 219
12/?/04 189 (Original test)