Prostatectomy 2013, Biochemical Recurrence (BCR) 2023

Prostate cancer reccurence

Initial diagnosis late 2012, biopsy showed 8 or 9 samples positive, Gleason 7. Radical prostatectomy Jan 2013. 8.5 years PSA undetectable (<0.01). In the "old days" I'd have to go to a university medical center (Univ of CO in Denver) to get the sensitive PSA to 2 decimal points. October 2022 PSA at routine annual physical = 0.25. Engaged a urologist (I had moved) and then after a 2nd PSA Nov 2022 = 0.57 a radiation oncologist. Decided to go to St Louis where I was building a townhouse and where they have the excellent Siteman Cancer Center (part of BJC and Wash U Medical Group) - where I would have a coordinated care team. By now (Spring 2023) I have been seen by a urologist, radiation oncologist (who has been my primary MD through all of this), and gastroenterologist (was due within a year for a colonoscopy so they had me get it before radiation would give my colon a bit of a sunburn), and had chart review by a medical oncologist and an endocrinologist (apparently - hormone treatment). Recommend a coordinated care team at a dedicated cancer center like this if you have access.

Radiation treatment

I had 37 radiation treatments over 8 weeks and I was given a single-dose shot of 6-months of hormone treatment (I'll have to look that up). As of late April 2023 I am 5 weeks done with my radiation and 4 months through my hormone treatment. I just today got a PSA that came in at <0.02 and my testosterone was entertainingly low (11 if that means anything - I can just tell from the "normal" scale that 11 is a small fraction of "normal"). I still have all sorts of symptoms, but I'm doing just fine and quite a bit better off than I was a month ago at the end of my two months of radiation. Now it's a matter of lots of PSAs (apparently) to see if these treatments got it - or if I might need more rounds of treatment.