One of the constant questions that come up when considering whether to take intravenous bisphosphonates is the murky issue surrounding jaw or facile bone inflammation and infections. Most of us are aware of the risk and depending whom you speak with the issue is either a major problem or just a nonsense blip that will [...]
As we meander through our treatments, we all will be forced to face the needle. Injections, injections, we all will receive injections and infusions. Despite the commonality of this experience, we read very little about them, especially injection sites and the available technologies for these injections and infusions. We also do not learn about injection [...]
Scott Goodwin has received his first chemotherapy infusion for his advanced prostate cancer. He has very kindly agreed to share his on going experience and thoughts about receiving chemo. His first comments were shared on November 11, 2008 in the post titled: Scott Goodwin, a 47 Year Old Advanced Prostate Cancer Survivor, Shares His Journey [...]
I just read an abstract about using half-body irradiation (HBI) to control pain and quality of life (QOL) issues in cancer patients with multiple bone metastases (mets). I had never heard of HBI and since advanced prostate cancer commonly progresses to create bone metastases, I thought that it would be a good topic to explore. [...]
Scott Goodman, a fellow prostate cancer survivor, has agreed to occasionally post on the blog. Scott, at the age of 45 years, was diagnosed with prostate cancer. In two short years, he has been diagnosed, undergone surgery, taken Ketoconazole with Prednisone and now finds himself starting chemotherapy. Scott bravely has agreed to chronicle his journey [...]
A federal court blocked a recent move of the Bush administration to allow Medicare to only pay for the least expensive treatment available without regard to the medical issues. The administration saw instituting this limitation as a way to cut costs to the financially strapped Medicare Program. The court decided that congress sets the Medicare [...]
I recently met a prostate cancer survivor whose doctor prescribed a new “miracle drug” to treat his loss of bone density caused by hormone therapy. He was given a prescription for FORTEO® and told that this drug has proven itself a better alternative to bisphosphonates, the normal treatment for bone density loss. Forteo® is a [...]
High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU) is slowly becoming a better-known treatment for prostate cancer in the United States. (What is HIFU- high-intensity focused ultrasound that rapidly heats and destroys the prostate.) HIFU has been used in Europe and Mexico for a period with an increasing number of Americans becoming interested in it and traveling to receive [...]
The FDA has launched a web site that is now available to both patients and health care professionals that gives complete access to the information on file about all adverse effects and drug safety concerns for all FDA approved prescription medications. The goal of the site is to consolidate all this information into one place [...]
A prominent attorney, Frederick Baron, who is dying of bone marrow cancer, has been granted his wish, to receive the drug Tysabri. After significant wrangling, The FDA and the Mayo Clinic found a legal basis to give him the drug in an emergency situation, even though Tysabri is not approved for any cancers. This decision [...]
