When we deal with doctors, we should always view them as fallible human beings just like the rest of us. Arrogance and ego should have no place in medicine, but unfortunately, with some doctors it comes after years of practice. One big question we should always ask any doctor is "Why?" and then make them [...]
Two poster presentations at the ESMO Conference at Lugano this week showed that the drug, called Abiraterone, reduced the levels of prostate specific antigen (PSA) in men who have failed initial treatment and in men who have failed treatment with Taxotere. Abiraterone inhibits the production of male androgens by blocking the enzyme CYP450c17. Without this [...]
Recently, there has been uproar in the prostate cancer community over the FDA's handling of the approval of Provenge. The conflict between patients looking for new treatments and the FDA's attempt to protect the public is one with a long-standing history and with complex dynamics. The new activism of the prostrate cancer community is one [...]
We survivors should always try to remember that advanced prostate cancer tries our caregivers in ways we do not always consider. We all know that they care and we all know they are worried. The longer our battle goes on, especially if our cancer is in something of a healthy balance (stabilized PSA) the more [...]
From clinical cancer research: Rethinking Therapeutic Cancer Vaccine Trials Ongoing therapeutic cancer vaccine trials have yet to show evidence of vaccines spurring a patient's immune system to shrink tumors -- yet patients who receive these vaccines in trials tend to live longer and respond better to subsequent treatment. In the July 1 issue of Clinical [...]