NICE Recommends Xtandi, but Not Zytiga in the Pre-Chemotherapy Stage of Advanced Prostate Cancer Treatment

NICE, which serves as a cost-effectiveness agency has said in a draft guidance that it supports the use of Xtandi (enzalutamide) in men whose prostate cancer has spread after the failure of first-line therapy (i.e. ADT), but for whom chemotherapy is not yet necessary. The agency found that Xtandi can delay the need for chemotherapy, [...]

Perhaps My Most Important Post

As we reach this holiday season I want to remind you that Malecare has been working to help you and your family survive longer and have a better quality of life. We have helped you in ways that you are aware of; like through this blog and by the Malecare Advanced Prostate Cancer Online Support Group. [...]

CMS Continues To Limit Coverage For NaF-18 PET Scans For Bone Metastases

There has been a lot of buzz around the new scanning contrasts that have come into limited usage for evaluating metastasized cancer cells that are in the bones. Despite the enthusiasm from the prostate and breast cancer communities, CMS (Medicare) continues to limit its financial coverage for PET scans using the contrast NaF-18 even though [...]

An Outrage in Leeds England – Prostate Cancer Survivor First Misdiagnosed & Then Stuck With £1,400 Bill For Chemotherapy

A story written by Dominic Horsley and published in the Yorkshire Evening Post claims that in May a 41 year old prostate cancer survivor from Woodlesford was referred to specialists at Leeds St James’s Hospital. He claimed that he had aches in his lower body but says t consultants told him that he was told [...]

Malecare and the New York State Prostate Cancer Coalition Are Victorious and Force the Hand of New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo to Fund $3,000,000 Towards Prostate Cancer Research

Approximately 2 years ago Malecare and the New York State Prostate Coalition began asking questions about where the State of New York was hiding approximately $3,000,000 in funding for prostate cancer research. Each year New York State residents are asked to check off a little box on their state tax return donating an additional dollar [...]

Understanding and Trying to Rectify the Abusive Costs of Our Drugs

I have been relatively quiet about the skyrocketing cost of drugs, but it has now become impossible to remain out of the fray. A Pharmaceutical company recently acquired a drug called Daraprim, the drug treats potentially fatal parasitic infections.   After its acquisition the company raised the price of Daraprim by almost 5,0000%. When confronted with [...]

A Step Towards Understanding How To Get A Fair Value For The Dollars Spent For Advanced Prostate Cancer Treatment

In the treatment of prostate cancer the first very expensive drug we had that was FDA approved was Provenge, with an initial cost of $93,000 for a one-month’s treatment protocol. Today, the cost is in excess of $106,000. According to the phase III clinical trial result Provenge extends life by a median of 4.1 months, [...]

Some Doctors are Reluctant To Take On ACA Exchange-Plan Patients

According to an article in today’s USA Today, many more doctors will not be accepting medical insurance plans offered through Affordable Care Act exchanges. The reason cited is that these plans often have lower reimbursement rates than the commercial plans. The article indicated that “some doctors are limiting how many new patients they take with [...]

The Well Reviewed Guide to Advanced Prostate Cancer (A Survivor Perspective) Has Been Updated and is Now Available for a free Download

Somehow I have been negligent and not let people know that I have written and posted a major update of my “Guide to Advanced Prostate Cancer.” As in the past, it is available as a free download from the Malecare web site. Helping me to update the book was prostate cancer survivor Craig Pynn and [...]

NICE Changes Its Mind & Reverses Its Prior Decision on the Use of Xtandi in the UK!

Live in the UK and have advanced prostate cancer? If you do then be prepared to have economics over-ride your legitimate health concerns. The U.K.'s National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) makes no bones about what is more important, money or men’s health. NICE initially did not approve Zytiga, however when Johnson & [...]

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