Treatment Round III

After 3 PET/CT scans (2 choline, one PSMA), 4 MRIs, 1 ultrasound, 5 PSA tests, visits to 2 two continents and both hemispheres, and discussions with 7 urologists/oncologists we finally have a plan. I will get a 3-month ADT injection this week (with a casodex flare blocker for a few weeks). This is a relatively banal treatment given all of the brain power and exotic tech applied to the problem in the last 3 months.

Dr. Kwon believes that there might be some cancer lurking in my lumbosacral plexus and/or sciatic nerve given some "blue dots" from the most recent PET scan and the sciatic numbness I have had in the last 2 ½ years when my testosterone level has been normal.  The plan is that we apply the ADT and then see if the blue dots disappear.  If so, we will have some confidence that we know where the cancer is located and consider the application of some more radiation "so that you don't need to spend the rest of your life on ADT".

I am very relieved to have a plan. Watching my cancer grow without taking action has been very difficult. It also meant I could not plan anything. Flying off to other states and countries was very disturbing to the other rhythms of my life. What I want most is to live my life as normally as possible. Almost impossible to do that while performing in a cancer forensic show the last 3 months.

More details...

• During this intensive cancer hunt my PSA went from .2 to almost 5. This is a 3 week doubling time: aggressive stuff.
• Although the cancer did not reveal itself on the scan plenty of other things did show up. This is the nature of looking inside a 61 year old body. The scans I have undergone in the last few years have disclosed MANY defects: a variety of benign cysts, degenerative arthritis, tendinosis, torn labrums on my hips, enchondroma in my femur, calcium in my aorta, a nodule in a lung, and only one functioning kidney. Things are not pretty in there. Outwardly though? I feel great!