188: Stuart Hopgood survived prostate cancer | needle-point biopsy |Trelstar | Erieada | TURP Surgery

Prior to his 2025 prostate cancer diagnosis, Stuart Hopgood experienced no symptoms.  But a visit to his general practitioner included blood work, which revealed a PSA of 74.2!  Stuart was referred to a urologist, who called for a needle-point biopsy.  The biopsy not only showed Stuart that he had Stage IV prostate cancer, but that it had metastasized to his pelvic area, a rib and his clavicle.  He put on Trelstar, a form of hormonal therapy, six weeks of radiation therapy and Erieada, a form of oral chemotherapy.  While Stuart will never be cured, this regimen successfully addressed not only the cancer in his prostate, but the cells that had metastasized.   Stuart thought he was in good health.  He was an avid golfer and at that point, the worst one could say about his health was that he experienced frequent urination at night.  But when I went in for his annual physical, the blood work showed his astronomic PSA.  At first, his doctor thought that high number might be due to some sort of infection and prescribed antibiotics.  They brought down the PSA somewhat, but Stuart's GP sent him to a urologist, who ordered a scan and a physical examination.  That was enough to warrant a needle point biopsy, which indicated Stuart had Stage IV prostate cancer.    The urologist called for a PET scan to confirm the staging of the cancer.  He also introduced a hormone-based therapy with the drug Trelstar.  The PET scan showed the cancer had spread into the pelvic area, his clavicle and one of his ribs.  At that point, his care was turned over to a radiation oncologist.  The urologist then recommended a combination of radiation therapy and oral chemotherapy.  The pill was a new drug, Erieada.  Meanwhile, the Trelstar was injected into a muscle three times a month.  The radiation took place in 26 sessions over a six-week period.   The urologist said there was no cure for Stuart's cancer because it was Stage IV and because with a Gleason score of eight, it was quite aggressive.  The urologist said this regimen could extend Stuart's life.    The oral chemotherapy was not as invasive as chemotherapy administered through a port, but Stuar said the worst part was the fatigue, which he said could not be aided by sleep.  He completed his radiation treatment in August 2025, but from it he still suffers aching muscles and hot flashes.   As the treatment went on, progress was made.  In March 2026, his PSA had plummeted to just about zero and all the cancer cells that had metastasized were brought under control.   Meanwhile, scar tissue associated with the radiation had impeded normal urinary function.  To combat that, Stuart underwent a successful surgical procedure called TURP surgery.  He still urinates frequently at night and there is some pain tied to the nerve endings in his urinary canal.   Overall, Stuart Hopgood is thankful for overcoming so much and being afforded time to spend with his wife, children and grandchildren.   Additional Resources:   Support Group:   The Cancer Association of South Africa  https://www.cansa.org.za