The Report

We had our three monthly consultation today, a month behind schedule, but with the advantage of an extra PSA test sneaked in.

The Cyproterone commenced in December halved my PSA in three months and the latter has stayed at that level for some further weeks. On the face of it, this fifth intervention since I got the diagnosis has given us several more months of quality lifespan. The cancer itself is still not making itself felt, and some of the side effects I've been experiencing have been successfully reduced.

All in all, a very satisfactory prospect, with the huge increases of last year stopped and even reduced for a time.  Cyproterone could be increased in strength if my PSA starts to climb steeply again.

However, the combined medications are likely to have some effect on my liver sooner or later and we will continue to monitor this regularly. And ongoing Zoladex could undermine my general health and fitness. In a period in which I have just lost a couple of kgs (due to a really bad lurgy?) that's something that I can see I have to continue to work on.

But the overall picture seems to be of rather better prospects than we were facing three years ago.

The Ca Pros Report

I had my quarterly Zoladex implant today. It's a whacking big needle and is no fun for the tum - but at least it's done for another three months. And, although it's been losing ground against a rising PSA until recently, Zoladex is obviously doing me a lot of good.

Having restrained myself from taking sneak peeks at my PSA levels for the three months since I started on Cyproterone, I did a full test today. My GP phoned tonight with the result: it is 24, exactly half of the last reading.

I was last at 24 several months ago, so the extra medication certainly seems to have given me some additional time with great quality of life.

For a full twelve-month period my doubling rate is still a bit over five months which is fairly high. But, hey, we're pretty thrilled with the downturn...

Another surprise was that my blood sugar level is not as high as it has been for years - I think I should have remembered that Cyproterone, while prescribed for cancer, has been known to have that effect.  All in all, a pretty good report and a long way from the rather gloomy prognosis of three years ago.