A new Trend – Chemotherapy for Metastatic Castrate-Sensitive Prostate Cancer

Prostate cancer treatment will change as we incorporate new studies into our clinical practice. One of the major emerging new trends is the earlier use of chemotherapy with androgen therapy (ADT) in men, including men who are still hormone responsive. This changing trend comes from the results from there pivotal randomized phase III trials: GETUG15, [...]

NHS (UK) Fast Tracks Chemotherapy for Men Who Are Still Hormone Sensitive

One of the frustrations faced by men in the UK has been the Guideline that restrictes the use of chemotherapy (docetaxel) to only men who have already failed hormone therapy (ADT). This Guideline directly contradicts the current, cutting edge evidence that, in certain circumstances, earlier chemotherapy increases survival. The good news is that the NHS [...]

An Outrage in Leeds England – Prostate Cancer Survivor First Misdiagnosed & Then Stuck With £1,400 Bill For Chemotherapy

A story written by Dominic Horsley and published in the Yorkshire Evening Post claims that in May a 41 year old prostate cancer survivor from Woodlesford was referred to specialists at Leeds St James’s Hospital. He claimed that he had aches in his lower body but says t consultants told him that he was told [...]

Are You Having Trouble Getting Early Access To Chemotherapy?

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 ASCO 2014 Game Changer – Early Chemotherapy for Some Men Extends Survival

I was asked if there was one item that was a real game changer at the American Society of Clinical Oncologists (ASCO) meeting for men with advanced prostate cancer.  The answer is yes, at this meeting it was formally shown by a study that starting chemotherapy (docetaxel) along with androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) in some [...]

A Caution About Yesterday’s Post About Combining Treatments with Chemotherapy

My post to this blog that was written yesterday indicated that for certain men the early use of chemotherapy (docetaxil) could provide significant life extending benefits, especially for men with very advanced prostate cancer. For the purpose of clarification, in this case early use means in men who are still hormone responsive. Given that chemotherapy [...]

Early Chemotherapy for Men Who Are Still Hormone Responsive – For Some It Might Offer Extra Survival

When I was first diagnosed with metastatic prostate cancer one of the first questions that I asked my doctor was whether it made sense for me to start chemotherapy immediately. I very clearly remember him telling me that there was absolutely no evidence that starting chemotherapy at this early stage would do anything to extend [...]

Should I Start Chemotherapy While My Advanced Prostate Cancer Is Still Hormone Responsive?

I remember when I was first diagnosed with a prostate cancer recurrence, when I was told that I had advanced prostate cancer. More than any other times that I have been told I have cancer (I have melanoma, thyroid cancer, renal cancer and advanced prostate cancer) I felt the world stopped and my life was [...]

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