CHEMO effectiveness question

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Sveh Khan - 23 Oct 2007 07:28 GMT

Q1:what is the typical PSA result after chemo, let's say taxetere or
taxol? Does the PSA goes to undetectable level or is stays at some given
level 10%, 20% of the starting PSA?

Q2; lets suppose ;remission; is declared after a given number of
tratments: what is the typical 'in remission' time before cancer starts
to spread again (after chemo)?

PS. My 'Lupron' injecrion keept mocancer in remission for close to1
years (PSA 236 ==> 1.3 and suddenly started doubling each month. That is
when I started chemo. What does this mean -: if success remission for
2mo, 6mo 1yr?

Many questions - few answers.

khan

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Steve Kramer - 23 Oct 2007 09:39 GMT

> Q1:what is the typical PSA result after chemo, let's say taxetere or
> taxol? Does the PSA goes to undetectable level or is stays at some given
[quoted text clipped - 8 lines]
> started chemo. What does this mean -: if success remission for 2mo, 6mo
> 1yr?

When did the mets appear? I believe the last we were told, is the typical
patient lasts an average of 2 years after mets start. Of course, you can
stave that off with chemo and supplement. But, everybody is different and
chemo works better for some than others. Chemo also harms some more than
others.

As far as PSA, I cannot recall exactly, but it seems most people are lucky
to get PSA back into single digits with chemo.

Supplements might include 200,000 scoval units of capsaicin (work up to
that), pomegranate extract, green tea extract, and Vitamin C. But, there is
no definitive decision by a medical authority that says any of this works.

Signature

PSA 16 10/17/2000 @ 46
Biopsy 11/01/2000 G7 (3+4), T2c
RRP 12/15/2000 G7 (3+4), T3cN0M0 Neg margins
PSA <.1 <.1 <.1 .27 .37 .75 PSAD 0.19 years
EBRT 05-07/2002 @ 47
PSA .34 .22 .15 .21 .32 PSAD .056 years
Lupron 07/03 (1 mo) 8/03 and every 4 months there after
PSA .07 .05 .06 .09 .08 .132 .145 PSAD 1.4 years
Casodex added daily 07/06
PSA <0.04, <0.05, <0.04, <0.04 10/11/07
Non Illegitimi Carborundum

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Alan Meyer - 23 Oct 2007 12:55 GMT

> Q1:what is the typical PSA result after chemo, let's say taxetere or
> taxol? Does the PSA goes to undetectable level or is stays at some given
> level 10%, 20% of the starting PSA?

Here's one answer from a study as reported by the US National
Cancer Institute in their treatment summary:

"...a retrospective analysis has shown that PSA declines of 20% to
40% (but not 50%) at 3 months and 30% or more at 2 months after
initiation of chemotherapy for hormone independent prostate cancer..."
(http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?
cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16622120&dopt=AbstractPlus)

The full statement from NCI on prostate cancer is at:

http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/treatment/prostate/healthprofessional/allpages

> Q2; lets suppose ;remission; is declared after a given number of
> tratments: what is the typical 'in remission' time before cancer starts
> to spread again (after chemo)?

I believe the answer is in that link to www.cancer.gov, but I couldn't
find it in a cursory search. My recollection is that the average
patients gets "several months" of life extension from current
chemotherapies. However, people vary. As with hormone therapy,
some patients respond very well for much longer, and some for respond
less well.

> PS. My 'Lupron' injecrion keept mocancer in remission for close to1
> years (PSA 236 ==> 1.3 and suddenly started doubling each month. That is
> when I started chemo. What does this mean -: if success remission for
> 2mo, 6mo 1yr?
>
> Many questions - few answers.

Unfortunately, each patient is different and it's hard to know
for sure what will happen. If I remember correctly, the average
patient lives for a couple of years after the failure of hormone
therapy. But I think that some who fight aggressively with
chemotherapy, second line hormone therapy (e.g. estradiol and
ketoconazole) and perhaps nutritional supplements, may last
significantly longer.

I think you are doing the right thing by trying a clinical trial.

Best of luck with it.

Alan

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