Short history for new patients;  I was diagnosed in January, 2001, had a
Radical Retropubic Prostatectomy on 25 April 2001, had a PSA of 12.4 a month
later, higher than the PSA at diagnosis, and started Casodex to shrink gland
for radiation. When PSA was 0.5 in October, entered course of 37 radiation
treatments.  PSA was 1.1 at end of radiation and started rising in the fall of
2002, when I began injecting leukine.  After about six months I started taking
thalidomide, too.  Summer of 2003 PSA jumped to 35 and doc jerked me off
leukine and thalidomide, prepared me for chemotherapy.  After 24 weeks of
chemotherapy my PSA was 12, two months ago.  I lost my hair, but it is growing
back.  I am now on daily Casodex, with Lupron injections every three months.

  Now the update.  Latest CAT scan and x-rays are CLEAR.  Latest PSA (12) and
bone scan are the SAME as three months ago.  A blood enzyme that is usually
elevated when there is cancer in the bone is right in the middle of the NORMAL
range.  Doc still has the yellow flag up, after that weird PSA jump to 45 four
months ago, but expects the PSA to go down.  He suspects the high PSA came from
cancer cells bursting and dumping it into the bloodstream. Blood draws for PSA
and testosterone continue every six weeks for the rest of the year.  
If PSA stays the same or drops, it will probably be another three years before
it starts rising again and I have to do chemotherapy again.