There is some really exciting news on the horizon around immunotherapy for advanced prostate cancer. Bavarian Nordic, the pharmaseutical company that has, along with the National Cancer Institute (NCI), been running clinical trials on Prostvac has unoffically let it been known that Prostvac when combined with another investigational immunologic therapy, Yervoy, has helped to significantly [...]
In a recent publication it was suggested that radiographic progression-free survival (rPFS) in men with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) was highly consistent and highly associated with overall survival. This reproducible quantitative find could have implications for the interim measurement of treatment response in future studies, according to Dr. Michael J. Morris of Memorial Sloan [...]
A Small study suggests that alternating testosterone levels may make hormonal therapy work longer A recent very small study was published that might lend a new light on hormone therapy for advanced prostate cancer, Bipolar ADT. This study suggests that a new treatment strategy might be effective where men alternate between low and high levels [...]
Yes, it is true, many clinical trial results are not published, especially negative results. This is even true for FDA approved drugs and treatments! Failing to publish, or actually hiding negative results and harmful side effects that occur in clinical trials is too common and jeopardizes each and everyone of us, including survivors of advanced [...]
In the normal course of events node-positive prostate cancer has typically been excluded from clinical trials. This leaves our oncologists with little evidence to guide the management for those of us who have this flavor of prostate cancer. A recent anaylisis presented at the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) 2014 Congress begins to shed [...]
When the FDA approved Abiraterone with prednisone (Zytiga) in the pre-chemotherapy stage they approved it after an interim analysis of data was performed of the phase III clinical trial (COU-AA-302), The analysis was performed by an independent data monitoring committee that found a significant difference in radiographic progression-free survival (scans that showed no tumor progression [...]
Degarelex (Firmagon) (approved by the FDA in December of 2008) is a hormonal therapy drug used to treat advanced prostate cancer that has become metastatic and castrate resistant (mCRPC). Degarelix is a GnRH receptor that binds to the pituitary GnRH receptors, reducing the release of gonadotropins leading to a quick and profound onset that blocks [...]
In a poster presentation at the recent European Society of Medical Oncologists (ESMO) there was a very interesting poster presented updating a phase 3 clinical trial (CA184-043) which evaluated the overall survival (OS) with radiotherapy (RT) followed by either the immunologic drug Ipilimumab (Ipi) or with a placebo. This trial did not meet its endpoint [...]
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 [...]
Provenge or Sipuleucel-T (sip-T) remains not well understood by many prostate cancer survivors as well as some treating physicians. Because Provenge does not immediately control PSA or disease progression it creates a situation where some individuals are skeptical as to its efficacy. This is true despite the clear survival advantage demonstrated in clinical trials. This [...]
