Evan Gray and Lorraine live in Bay
of Plenty New Zealand. Evan was 67 when he was diagnosed in Oct 2001. His
initial PSA was 4.4 ng/ml and his Gleason Score was 3+3=6. He was staged as T2b
and his intial choice of treatment was surgery. Here is his story:
A
lump was found on my prostate after DRE. My PSA was 4.4 ng/ml and my biopsy positive
-3+3 Gleeson. I was staged as T2b.
After
prostatectomy it was found that the cancer had escaped the capsule and invaded
seminal vesicles. It was ductal type.
After
3 months my PSA was 0.4 ng/ml but after 6 months it had risen to 2.9 ng/ml. I
had a bone scan, Cat scan and MRI scan and these indicated that the cancer had
metastasized to spine.
I
commenced hormone therapy and had severe side effects but my PSA dropped to 0.0
within 9 months. My PSA remained undetectables for 9 months, when I opted to stop
all hormone.
For
the next 12 months PSA remained undetectable and the side effects disappeared.
Twelve months later it had jumped to 2.20 ng/ml. I recommenced hormone therapy
and am currently waiting on latest PSA tests. Once PSA has restabilised I intend
to stop treatment again.
I will advise further results of this intermittment hormone therapy.
After
15 months of stopping hormone therapy PSA had risen to 2.9 ng/ml. At this stage
I elected to resume Lucrin treatments. After a further 9 Months the PSA had dropped
again to 0.1 and I elected to stop Hormone treatment again.
After
a further 6 months it is still 0.1 and I will continue monitoring it every 3 months.
After trying all the treatments without success to regain potency after my radical
prostatectomy I finally opted for a penile prosthesis implant. This was a disaster
with unprecedented tissue swelling around all parts of the prosthesis. My urologist
has been unable to find a similar case anywhere. After 12 weeks it is slowly getting
better with less swelling and fewer autoinflations.
I
would be pleased to hear from anyone else with this problem.
Still
continuing with intermittent Hormone therapy. PSA falls to 0.0 in 9 to 12 months
at which time I cease all hormone. After a further 9 to 12 months PSA starts to
rise to approximately 3 to 4 at which time I recommence hormone. This gives approximately
50% increase in quality of life with reduction in side effects. I have now completed
three cycles and will be continuing the process.
Continuing
with intermittent therapy. Graphing three monthly PSA & testosterone levels. No
sign yet of cancer becoming refractory. Also graphing weekly Quality of Life levels
in an attempt to quantify difference between time on and time off hormone. Now
taking supplements including Omega3 and high quality antioxidants. In dealing
with cardiac side effects of hormone treatment now daily monitoring Blood Pressure
and reducing appropriate medication. Feeling good and still working full time
on life style block.
Evan's
e-mail address is: evan.gray@xtra.co.nz
