The continuing search for effective treatments for men with hormone refractory prostate cancer (HRPC) has been a long and not very successful story. To date, under scientific conditions, the only chemotherapy which has demonstrated any survival benefit for men with prostate cancer has been docetaxel with prednisone. However, the survival benefit is very limited, only [...]
A chart review performed at the Department of Internal Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB. concluded that the a quick rate of initial PSA decline in men with hormone refractory prostate cancer receiving docetaxel chemotherapy (chemo) predicts an increased overall survival (OS). Studies have demonstrated that docetaxel chemotherapy does prolong survival in metastatic hormone-refractory prostate [...]
Yesterday, November 11, 2009, I wrote that I appreciated knowing what my survival chances were after learning that I had a returning PSA, so I thought that this study was particularly relevant. At the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) conference, Dr. Buyyounouski and his colleagues from the Fox Chase Cancer Center reported on a [...]
You have been treated for prostate cancer and you find out that your PSA is rising. You are diagnosed with prostate cancer and the doctors tell you that the cancer has escaped the gland and moved on to other places in your body. You have advanced prostate cancer and there is no cure for you! [...]
In many places it is a common practice to stop a radical prostatectomy (prostate gland removal) if the surgeon finds that the patient has positive lymph nodes. Since positive nodes are considered systemic disease as opposed to a localized disease, many physicians have felt there is no reason to complete the surgery and subject the [...]