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 [...]
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is charged with protecting the general health and well being of Americans with medicines and certain treatment equipment. Sometimes these medications or treatment equipment fail, don't work as indicated or cause serious, life threatening side effects. Reporting these events is important so the FDA can track and monitor these [...]
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 good news for us is that the survival of men diagnosed with prostate cancer has improved over time. The current 10-year relative survival rate is 99.7%! However, the long survival of men who have prostate cancer raises questions about their risk of a second primary cancer and the need for continued surveillance. A very [...]
The world wide supply of Xofigo (radium Ra-223 dichloride) available for patients will run out on October 10, 2014. Xofigo is the newly FDA approved treatment for men with castrate resistant metastatic prostate cancer (CRPC) with bone metastases without any known visceral metastases. Individual batches of drugs are inspected prior to release to patients. Bayer’s [...]