Cancer Patient Story - David Plunkett - Advanced Prostate Cancer

Рет қаралды 12,207

2 ай бұрын

David Plunkett was diagnosed with stage 4B prostate cancer five years ago. He talks here about how he found the Prostate Cancer Lab (part of Cancer Patient Lab) and why he is a member of our community.
Join the discussion: community.cancerpatientlab.org

Пікірлер: 23

@mikewiser9872 Ай бұрын

Very encouraging information. Thank you! I have a dear friend that just found out recently that he has stage 4 prostate cancer.

@louievega4224 15 күн бұрын

In November of 2023 my psa was 387.8 my doctor gave me Lupron he wanted to give me chemo but I refused it I started eating good talking vitamins, fasting, exercising and got closer to God.....I took another psa test June 2024 and it's 17.9 and doctor still wants to give me Lupron and I'm still refused talking it....I'm holding God's hand and I'm not letting go! 🙏🏼

@TheRm65 20 күн бұрын

First, David, good luck and I'm glad things are working out for you. Like you, I had back pain and about six weeks ago I learned that I have prostate cancer that has spread in my bones all over my body. My PSA was off the charts. I just started bicalutamide pills and some injected drug but, of course, that just slows the process down a bit. I asked the oncologist what happens when this no longer works and she said, "We'll make you comfortable." In other words, palliative care. I kinda figured that one out on my own so it wasn't a shock; looks like it's gonna be a slow, painful death. I'm amazed that in this day and age we don't have anything near a cure for advanced prostate cancer.

@dcplunkett 19 күн бұрын

Take heart, treatments for metastatic prostate cancer have come a long way, even in just the past few years. There are now a variety of targeted immunotherapies and targeted radiopharmaceutical therapies. Don't give up, and don't let your oncologist give up.

@ga6589 15 күн бұрын

If you haven't done so, get another opinion ASAP. My husband was diagnosed 3 years ago, stage 4 gleason 9 with mets to the abdominal lymph nodes. He inititally received 26 rounds of radiation and has been on ADT since then. His lastest PSMA Pet scan shows no sign of cancer and his PSA remains undetectable. He's received excellent care at the Mayo Clinic after a few not-so-great starts with other oncologists.

@markfll 2 ай бұрын

Good luck with your diagnosis. I go into surgery this coming Wednesday. They're removing my prostate as well as my pelvic lymph nodes. On the Gleason scale, I had 2 9s 3 8s, and a 7 according to my biopsies. I may need to do radiotherapy and hormone therapy as well.

@ZmeyGoryanin. Ай бұрын

Thanks for sharing, Dave! 💙

@denisfinnegan7314 Ай бұрын

Great talk.

@bartram33 Ай бұрын

Hi Dave, good luck for the future. I’ve just been diagnosed with prostate cancer, fortunately it’s contained, I’ve jus finished a 4 week course of bicalutamide and have had the 6 month hormone injection in preparation for my radiation in September. Like you, I don’t like the idea of surgery, so opted for the radiation. My Gleason score was 7 (4+3) just out of reach of active surveillance. Optimistic for a cure. Best wishes.

@dcplunkett Ай бұрын

Best wishes to you! For someone in your situation, the best advice I can offer is: establish and maintain a regular strength-building exercise routine. It is the best way to counter the side effects of the androgen deprivation therapy.

@Ian-di9hn 2 ай бұрын

Thanks for video. What was your Gleason score and did you have a PSMA pet scan. Ian

@dcplunkett Ай бұрын

No Gleason score was reported. It would have been moot -- the cancer had already spread very far from my prostate. I did not have a PSMA scan. They weren't as widely available then as they are today.

@DarrenYoung-vt9ic 2 ай бұрын

Wat was your psa at diagnosis

@dcplunkett Ай бұрын

My PSA at diagnosis was 11,201.7 -- not a record-breaker, but pretty unusual. Lupron brought it down quickly, thank goodness.

@lenwaynen.j.8428 Ай бұрын

Hi Dave ,if you don't mind me asking have the treatments affected your bone density and if so has your Doctor try to give you Bisphosphonate injections.Thankyou.😊

@dcplunkett Ай бұрын

Very soon after diagnosis I had a DEXA scan for bone density. It showed I already had osteopenia. First therapy for that was zoledronic acid, but I had a (minor) reaction to that, so I was switched to denosumab -- first Prolia, and then Xgeva (quarterly injections). Seems to be helping, but nonetheless I take extra care to avoid falls.

@jackmeyhoffer5107 29 күн бұрын

Just curious, had you been getting your prostate checked by your doctor on a regular basis with a digital exam and also having your PSA measured?

@dcplunkett 29 күн бұрын

Regrettably, no. When I turned 50, a DRE was added to my annual physical exam, but not a PSA test. The DRE was unremarkable. The doctor retired before my next exam was due, and I procrastinated finding a new one. Four years later, severe lower back pain finally prompted me to go see a doctor. By then it was too late.

@jackmeyhoffer5107 28 күн бұрын

@@dcplunkett I get it. Started having my PSA checked when I was in my early 50s. It’s been up and down. Had a couple of MRIs and a biopsy and also had three “liquid biopsy” tests where they check your urine for genetic markers for prostate cancer. So far the results have been ok. Hang in there, sir.

@louievega4224 15 күн бұрын

Does Lupron make you loose weight?

@dcplunkett 14 күн бұрын

No. Lupron leads to lower testosterone, which leads to slower metabolism: loss of muscle mass and gain of overall weight are two very common side effects. Increased regular exercise helps to slow that down, but it is difficult.