Screening for early prostate cancer detection may reduce the rate of newly diagnosed metastatic disease. In a published study researchers evaluated the incidence of a men receiving a diagnosis of metastatic prostate cancer at their initial prostate cancer diagnosis using data extracted from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program database. Their analysis was [...]
Men of African origin are disproportionately affected by prostate cancer. You can read more Malecare's African American men and Prostate Cancer website, Twice As Many http://twiceasmany.org Three specific statistics tell the story. 1- In the United States, the incidence of prostate cancer is highest among men of African origin. 2- Prostate cancer mortality is highest among [...]
NICE, which serves as a cost-effectiveness agency has said in a draft guidance that it supports the use of Xtandi (enzalutamide) in men whose prostate cancer has spread after the failure of first-line therapy (i.e. ADT), but for whom chemotherapy is not yet necessary. The agency found that Xtandi can delay the need for chemotherapy, [...]
We have some good news, the United States Congress has passed the Omnibus spending package. The package will fund the U.S. Government through fiscal 2016. We should take note that this bill includes a $2 billion increase for the National Institute of Health (NIH), a 5% increase for the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and the [...]
My good friend and fellow advocate Mike Scott (Prostate Cancer Info Link) introduced me to a new web site produced by the University of Chicago called Cost of Care (www.CostofCare.org). The site is designed around the novel idea that the cost we must pay for our cancer care has become another negative side effect or [...]
Approximately 2 years ago Malecare and the New York State Prostate Coalition began asking questions about where the State of New York was hiding approximately $3,000,000 in funding for prostate cancer research. Each year New York State residents are asked to check off a little box on their state tax return donating an additional dollar [...]
I have been relatively quiet about the skyrocketing cost of drugs, but it has now become impossible to remain out of the fray. A Pharmaceutical company recently acquired a drug called Daraprim, the drug treats potentially fatal parasitic infections. After its acquisition the company raised the price of Daraprim by almost 5,0000%. When confronted with [...]
During last year’s American Society of Clinical Oncologists (ASCO) Annual Meeting, data was released from the STAMPEDE trial which should change clinical practice around the world. The trial results showed that newly diagnosed men with very aggressive prostate cancer that was still hormone therapy naive (no ADT) would have a very significant survival advantage by [...]
The line item for FY 2016 CDC prostate cancer funding of $13,205,000 is restored in both the House and Senate appropriations bills, as authored by their committees. Thanks to the several thousand of you who responded to Malecare's call to action and wrote emails and letters to the Congressional House and Senate Budget Committee. Since both [...]
In the treatment of prostate cancer the first very expensive drug we had that was FDA approved was Provenge, with an initial cost of $93,000 for a one-month’s treatment protocol. Today, the cost is in excess of $106,000. According to the phase III clinical trial result Provenge extends life by a median of 4.1 months, [...]
