Chemo and hormone therapy

My husband had prostate Gleason 9 that went into his T9 & T10 had prostate biopsy and got severe sepsus. Went on harmon/casodex lupron also got DVTS so xerlto. His ps ws good for 7 months and went up. He has a new spot on his pelvic also tha is causing much pain and will be starting on a trial study for zytiga and cab. drugs. a study in Norfolk Va.but out of Sloan . May be in other areas of the country as well. Ask your Dr about this study. Do not give up and please feel free for your husband to email us anytime. Good luck to you and all who are dealing with thislife changing distructive force. 

Hi Darlene, I am sorry to hear of your husband's situation. My prayers are with you both.

His situation is serious given metastasis at the young age of 56.

While I recently had robotic assisted surgery - not indicated for metastastic cancer - if my only choice was chemo or hormone therapy, I would look into the former. I have looked into the latter and the side effects are horrible. And they don't stop when the patient stops taking the drug. Often patients are told they will be in hormone therapy for six months and they end up on it for 2 years. And the side effects linger long after the medication stops.

I am ignorant of chemo, so I can't answer you.

As cancer on the skeleton cannot be cured only managed, I would want the most harmless  (to my quality of life) treatment available  and would follow GMGUY's recommendation of clinical trials.

Go ahead and Google clinical trial prostate cancer to see what's available and where.

I was diagnosed 5 years ago with metastised PC and was put on Zoladex, which I have been having since then.  Initially the hot flushes were frequent and annoying but they gradually tailed off.  My PSA started at 138 but reduced to 0.5 at one stage before rising to 1.8 last September.  However, I started having problems passing water and started passing a lot of blood.  I went to hospital and after a few days of being unable to stop the bleeding they gave me the TURP operation and cauterised the bleeding site.  All was well for 2 weeks when I suddenly couldn't pass water at all. My blood was getting more and more contaminated so I was rushed to hospital for dialysis.  They put nephrostomies in my kidneys, which got them working again.  A CT scan revealed that the cancer had mutated into something more aggressive and although my PSA was still 1.8 the cancer was spreading to surrounding tissues and bones.  I am currently finishing a course of chemotherapy plus I am still on hormone therapy.  Apart from hair loss the chemo hasn't affected me too much, just a bit of tiredness the week after chemo.  The tumour has shrunk and I'm hoping to get back to some normality.

Sorry I know the worry inside you have. My husband is Gleason 9 and has been on casodex lupron and xgeva. His ps started to rise and had some severe bone pain not sure from cancer or xgeva. He is starting a trial study zytiga and another drug cab. He had to be off casodex for 4 wks first, they wanted to give him radiation for pain in his pelvic, but would have to wait another 21 days to get on the proggram.  I feel for everyone of you having such reactions and fears from this awful disease. I believe in hope, and that is what I will have for all of you! Hang in there and fight.