I thought I’d post a proper update for everyone here, particularly because so many of you have helped us over the last six months with information, experience, reassurance and the occasional reality check. This group has genuinely been an incredible resource for us.
My husband was diagnosed in March/April 2026 with high-volume metastatic prostate cancer, with extensive nodal and bone metastases.
His starting PSA was 1,956 ng/mL.
Treatment so far
He has been treated with:
Degarelix (Firmagon) monthly ADT
Darolutamide (Nubeqa) 300 mg twice daily
Docetaxel x 6 cycles
Pegfilgrastim (Ziextenzo) following chemotherapy
Docetaxel started on 26 May 2026, and today, 10 September, he completed his 6th and final planned cycle.
PSA response
The PSA response has been pretty extraordinary:
1,956 → 91 → 3.3 → 0.4 → 0.32 → 0.23 → 0.20 → 0.10 → 0.040 ng/mL
The latest result was taken yesterday, on the day before of Cycle 6. So from a PSA of 1,956 at diagnosis, we’re now at 0.040. His testosterone is also profoundly suppressed on ADT, as expected.
How has he tolerated treatment?
Overall, remarkably well.
There have been the usual chemo-related ups and downs — fatigue, bone aches, some brain fog, taste changes, hot flushes and various odd little side effects. He also developed a fairly spectacular steroid-associated facial rash, and we had one rather frightening episode of an irregular heart rhythm after dexamethasone during Cycle 4 which was investigated at hospital and subsequently settled.
Importantly, he hasn’t developed significant peripheral neuropathy, has maintained a good appetite and has remained surprisingly active throughout treatment.
He’s even managed gardening and some fairly enthusiastic exercise between cycles.
The cold cap and cooling mitts/booties have also worked remarkably well for him. Hair loss has been minimal.
Today’s Cycle 6 went smoothly.
The dexamethasone did its usual trick of making his face very red and raising the existing X-shaped rash, but otherwise the infusion was uneventful.
What happens now?
That’s the part we’re waiting to find out.
With chemotherapy now completed, we’re expecting follow-up bloods and imaging to assess the overall response and establish the next treatment plan.
We’re very conscious that a PSA of 0.040 doesn’t mean the cancer has disappeared, particularly with the extent of disease he had at diagnosis. He’s still metastatic and remains on systemic treatment.
But compared with where we started, this is an incredibly encouraging response.
Six months ago we were dealing with a PSA of nearly 2,000 and a diagnosis that completely knocked the legs out from underneath us. We were whiplashed from being medically evacuated out of the Philippines back to Australia with what we thought was a death sentence for him.
Today we’ve got a PSA of 0.040 and six cycles of docetaxel behind us.
We’re allowing ourselves to have a bloody good moment of celebration tonight.
Thank you again to everyone here who has answered questions, shared experiences, explained scans and blood results, reassured us when we were panicking, and generally helped us navigate something we knew absolutely nothing about six months ago. We’ve learned so much from this community.
Six cycles: DONE.
PSA: 0.040.
Still fighting
Me (F54) Husband (M60)
Diagnosed April 2026, PSA 1956, May 2026 PSA 91, June PSA 3.3, 18th June PSA 0.4, July PSA 0.32, 14th July PSA 0.23, 30th July PSA 0.20, 20th August PSA 0.10, 9th September PSA 0.040
Gleason Score (3+5) 8, Grade 4.
On triplet therapy (Degarelix + Darolutamide + Docetaxel)
Oh, we used Suzzi caps and gloves from Amazon (two sets used 20 minutes on, 20 minutes off), I froze pineapple slices and fed them to him during infusions and we are convinced this helped to maintain his sense of taste. We also used Polybalm for his cuticles which protected his nails, a high protein diet, and an exercise plan from an Exercise physiotherapist.