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Re: Trelstar - advice for recently diagnosed aggressive PC
outspkn,
Thank you for your message. My husband recently had the 3 month Trelstar injection and when I asked his medical oncologist about checking a testosterone level, he said he usually doesn't unless the PSA isn't decreasing - he does check a monthly PSA. I definitely will discuss this with him again before our next blood draw.
Thank you again,
Deborah, U.S.
Re: Trelstar - advice for recently diagnosed aggressive PC
Deborah,
I have been doing extensive research on this disease for over 3 years and stories like your's still bother me. First of all I'm curious if your Urologist told you about the chances of the disease being contained in the gland before he did the RP. I would say that the chances of it being contained were very low. I know of several world renown Urologist who will not operate on men with a Gleason score higher than 6.
Regarding your Oncologist who has prescribed Trelstar. I like the idea of monthly injections for the reasons already mentioned and would add that when he goes off, his side effects will not lasts as long as they would have if he was on a 3-4 month product. Regarding not measuring Testosterone. When you do hormone therapy you want to get the T to what is known as the castrate level which is 50. Several studies have been done that show there is improved outcomes if you can get the T below 20. I think it is unacceptable for for your Doc to not measure his T.
I think you should consider getting a second opinion from a medical oncologist specializing in prostate cancer. I believe most of those doctors would add other meds, like casodex, proscar, avadart...etc. The addition of those meds should get you to a lower PSA nadir.
It's great that your husband has you as his advocate and it is obvious that you want to learn as much as you can about this disease. This website is a good start.