Researchers performed a randomized, placebo-controlled Phase II trial of men with localized prostate cancer and a rising prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level post-primary treatment. The men were randomized to receive Avodart (dutasteride @ 0.5 mg/day) or to receive a placebo. All of the men were receiving intermittent androgen deprivation therapy (IADT), which was stopped at month [...]
Many men with advanced prostate cancer who are on hormone therapy (ADT) use one of the newer drugs, degarelix (Firmagon) to achieve a state of castration. Degarelix is considered a superior drug for initiating ADT because it is not accompanied with a PSA flare that is common with the older luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) agonists [...]
As we all know there are now a number of new drugs available to treat castrate resistant metastatic prostate cancer (mCRPC). The availability of these new drugs (abiraterone acetate aka Zytiga, cabazitaxel aka Jevtana, and enzalutamide aka Xtandi) for use in men with mCRPC after the failure of chemotherapy (with docetaxel) has opened a number [...]
Cancer survivors have many additional problems in their life. I guess the most significant problem is that we have a life threatening illness. So, why are we forced to have to worry if our medications will be paid for or if we are able to afford to pay for them? When we are fighting for [...]
In a new study it was shown that smoking doubles the chances that a prostate cancer survivor will have the cancer spread and that he would die from the cancer. Study co-author Dr. Michael Zelefsky, Vice Chair of Clinical Research in the Department of Radiation Oncology at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center said, "Basically we [...]
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 [...]
It was recently discovered that if hormone therapy (ADT) is added to radiation cancer deaths are lowered by nearly 50 % in men with locally advanced prostate cancer aged 76 to 85 compared to men who only received hormone therapy. Prior studies have shown that 40% of men with aggressive prostate cancers are treated with [...]
Liver metastases are uncommon in men with castrate resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). Having liver metastases is associated with more serious disease and shorter survival. How to treat men with liver metastases is still not very clear. It is felt that more active treatment might benefit these men. A standard regimen for treating gastric cancer is [...]
It isn’t here yet, but it very much is here! What am I talking about? Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are going to become a clear winner for us as the concept of using them finds its way into commercialization. Metastatic castration resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) is difficult to evaluate using our less than stellar conventional [...]
There was a recent Norwegian study which reviewed the impact of salvage external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) on post-prostatectomy patients. They evaluated long-term follow-up on biochemical-free recurrence (PSA only recurrence) (BFR) and metastatic-free survival. He study also described the pathological and clinical predictors of outcome. The study was conducted between 1987–2010. It included 76 men with [...]
