Nadir PSA Levels and Time to Achieving Nadir Are Significant Prognostic Factors

Hormone therapy or Primary androgen deprivation therapy (PADT) is the usual first “go to” therapy for men when they are diagnosed with metastatic prostate cancer whether it is a primary diagnosis or the result of a recurrence. The natural progression of the disease is to become unresponsive to the treatment (castrate resistant) leading to a [...]

Is there a Need to Rush to Treatment when you Experience a Biochemical (PSA only) Prostate Cancer Recurrence?

As usual, we are confronted with a new contradiction.  It has been believed that earl hormone therapy (ADT) in men with a biochemical recurrence (PSA only) would benefit from immediate ADT.  A study released from the Harvard School of Public Health contradicts this assumption, but the study lacks follow up beyond 10 years. They evaluated [...]

Which Men are at the Greatest Risk of Weight Gain on Hormone Therapy? Knowing Your Risk Factors

Androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) is the most common first therapy for men diagnosed with metastatic prostate cancer as well as many men with non-metastatic prostate cancer.  ADT brings with it many side effects including significant weight gain.  Weight gain, which may contribute to cardiovascular comorbidities as well as diabetes, is among the many adverse metabolic [...]

Just One Year On Androgen Deprivation (ADT) Creates Significant Lipid and Glucose Metabolism Problems

It is a widely understood that androgen deprivation therapy (ADT)  causes adverse side effects and events.  Some researchers believe that the ADT-induced alterations in lipid and glucose metabolism may be race-dependent. To evaluate this concern the researchers recruited Japanese men with newly diagnosed prostate cancer who also underwent at least one year of ADT.  They [...]

Duration of Response to Androgen Deprivation Therapy (ADT) and Efficacy of Secondary ADT, Docetaxel and Cabazitaxel in Metastatic Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer

Men who become castrate resistant in less than 12 months from starting androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) were found to have poor efficacy with a 2nd line of ADT.  However, the development of early castrate resistance did not impair the benefit of any of the docetaxel based chemotherapy. Researchers examined the records of 132 consecutive men [...]

Analyzing Time to Developing Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer and Overall Survival after Initiating Androgen Deprivation Therapy (ADT)

There are different methods of performing ADT; these methods include continuous or intermittent as well as differences in the actual blockade itself. Understanding the superior schedule as well as the superior combination of drugs can both delay the onset to castrate resistance as well as provide for a longer overall survival (OS). In a research [...]

Long-Term Results Confirm Value of Adding Radio Therapy to ADT for Prostate Cancer Survival

There were many very interesting and very important items presented at the recent ASCO GU conference. Over the course of the next week or two I will be systematically reviewing many of these finds that have a direct impact on men with advanced prostate cancer. Today’s review is about how to create better results for [...]

How Long Is It Safe to Take Bisphosphonates for Osteoporosis? Long Term Bisphosphonate Therapy Increases the Risk for Serious Fractures of the Femur

A John’s Hopkins Health Alert titled “How Long Is It Safe to Take Bisphosphonates for Osteoporosis?” Should Raise Some Concerns Men on Long Term Bisphosphonate Therapy Hormone therapy (ADT) is notorious for many negative side effects, including osteoporosis.  Osteoporosis is the thinning of bone that increases the risk for fractures, especially hip and spine fractures.  [...]

ADT Can Cause Nocturia or the Need to Use the Bathroom at Night

One of the common and constant complaints I hear at prostate cancer support groups is about the need to wake during the night and use the bathroom to urinate (nocturia). There is a relationship between our ageing and the need to urinate at night, but it does seem to be made even more acute if [...]

Zoledronic Acid (ZA) in Castrate Sensitive Prostate Cancer Does Not Prove To Be Advantageous

One thing I have noticed at some of the support groups I run is that there seems to be a very uneven distribution of when men start taking Zoledronic Acid (ZA). Hormone therapy (ADT) has many negative side effects and the loss of bone mineral density (thinning of the bones) that ZA (and similar drugs) [...]

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