On the Advanced Prostate Cancer Listserv there was a question raised about the need to use an antiandrogen (bicalutamide/Casodex, flutamide/Eulexin, or nilutamide/Nilandron) along with degarelix, the recently approved LHRH antagonist (a drug that halts the production of testicular androgens). Doctors who are knowledgeable about the use of LHRH antagonists (Zoladex, Lupron, Eligard, Viadur and Firmagon [...]
When Degarelix (FIRMAGON) which is a gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH) receptor blocker was first approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) I contacted Ferring Pharmaceuticals and spoke with their medical director. I asked if Degarelix could be used as a second line hormone therapy drug after the traditional first line GnRH agonist drugs (Lupron etc.) [...]
(Results from the population-based PCBaSe Sweden) Hormone therapy (ADT) is designed to prevent the manufacturing of testosterone however, testosterone is a very important preventive hormone, especially in the area of heart health. ADT also causes a number of metabolic side-effects including increased body weight, insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, and hyperglycemia. So, how is the risk of [...]
Finasteride, which remains a controversial drug in the treatment of men with advanced prostate cancer, prolongs the time of off-treatment in men with advanced prostate cancer when they are using intermittent androgen suppression therapy (IAD). One of the questions not yet understood is whether this results from a true increase in prostate-specific antigen (PSA) doubling [...]
Mike Scott who writes the THE “NEW” PROSTATE CANCER INFOLINK today published an excellent summary/discussion about survival time for men with metastatic prostate cancer. He presents a synopsis about anticipated survival going back to the late 1980s and brings the conversation up to our current condition. He reminds us that our next big step will [...]