Prostate Cancer – Cancer In Plain English – Cancer Information

Degarelix for the treatment of Prostate Cancer

RemwesMedical — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 07:33:51 +0000

There is an exciting new medication which was just recently approved by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration of the USA) on December 24th, 2008 for the treatment of advanced Prostate Cancer. This new medicine is known as Degarelix and it is made by a company known as Ferring Pharmaceuticals.
Once prostate cancer has grown and has spread outside of the prostate gland, it is typically no longer able to be cured but is able to be controlled for years with what is known as hormonal therapy. The types of hormone therapies that have been available for us to use until now have been of two basic types.
One is the “LHRH agonists” of which Leupron or Zoladex are common examples and the other is the “Antiandrogens” of which Casodex or Eulexin are common examples.
Well, we now have a third type of hormone therapy that has been approved by the FDA and this one is called Degarelix. What Degarelix does is to actually BLOCK the GnRH RECEPTOR. GnRH stands for “Gonadotropin Releasing Hormone” and this is a hormone that originates in the part of the brain called the hypothalamus which stimulates the production of another hormone called LH (Leutenizing Lormone). This LH hormone, then, in turn causes the testicles to produce testosterone.
There are “receptors” in the brain that, when triggered, cause the brain (i.e. the hypothalamus part of the brain as we mentioned earlier) to produce GnRH which in turn, as we have seen, causes the production of LH which in turn stimulates the testicles to produce Testosterone. Thus, by blocking the RECEPTOR for GnRH in the brain, the brain is not stimulated to produce GnRH. Thus, since no GnRH is made, then no LH is made and thus finally, no testosterone is made thus by the testicles. Prostate cancer depends on the presence of testosterone in the body as its stimulus for growth and spread. Therefore, without testosterone, the cancer stops growing and shrinks – often for years.
The best part about this new medication known as Degarelix, is that it avoids what is known as the “flare” reaction that is sometimes a problem with the use of the more classic “LHRH agonists”. All of these concepts and many more are covered in very easy-to-understand language in the Prostate Cancer audio CD available on www.CancerInPlainEnglish.com.

Prolia: A promising new drug for Prostate Cancer

RemwesMedical — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 09:01:46 +0000

Prolia (or, as it is also known, Denosumab) is an exciting new medication which promises to help men with prostate cancer with the damage to their bones that can result from the treatments that are given to control their prostate cancers.
Just as cars use gasoline for fuel and jet planes use airplane fuel, prostate cancer uses the hormone known as Testosterone as its fuel. Testosterone stimulates the growth and spread of prostate cancer. An excellent and easy way to stop prostate cancer, then, is to shut down the production and/or the effects of Testosterone in the body. This is readily and reliably achieved by “anti-Testosterone” medications known as LHRH agonists, antiandrogens or both given together. Over time, however, these wonderful “anti-Testosterone” medications, which do so much good for men with prostate cancer, can cause the bones of the body to become weaker, brittle and possibly even break or fracture.
Prolia, which is also known by the more scientific name of Denosumab, is a new and exciting medication produced by a company known as Amgen in California, which is showing excellent promise for helping to improve the bone loss that results from the use of the Testosterone-stopping medications mentioned earlier.
There are other medications on the market that help to stop bone loss – particularly one known as Zometa made by a company known as Novartis, which until now has been pretty much the “go to” medication when it comes to treating the bone loss resultant from the use of Testosterone-stopping medications. The key with this new medicine known as Prolia (also known as Denosumab), however, is that it works in a very new way to combat the bone loss.
How does Prolia (Denosumab) work? Well, in order to understand how Prolia works, we first need to talk a little bit about how our bones work in general. The way the bones of our bodies work is that they are constantly breaking themselves down and building themselves back up again over and over again constanly in order to keep our bones fresh and strong. Really? Yes, really. The key, however, is that this happens constantly but very slowly and so we do not notice it. All we notice is that our bones remain hard and strong and they continue to support our bodies.
Well, Prolia (Denosumab) STOPS the “break down” part of the “break down and build up” cycle we just mentioned earlier. By stopping the “break down” half of the cycle, the bones of the body will only continue to “build up” and get stronger and not get weaker.
The nice thing about Prolia (Denosumab) is that it seems to promise to be good not only for the bone loss that happens to men who are receiving Testosterone-stopping medicines as part of their treatment for prostate cancer, but it also promises to be good for women with breast cancer who are being treated with hormone therapies for their breast cancers. What is even better is that Prolia does not seem to have any worse side effects than Zometa (which has been pretty much the “standard” medicine to help avoid bone loss until now) – except, perhaps, a few more episodes of low calcium blood levels. This is an easy situation to monitor with a blood test from time to time and then to treat.
All of the above concepts and much more information is covered in very easy-to-understand language in the Prostate Cancer audio CD which is available on the www.CancerInPlainEnglish.com web site.

An exciting new discovery for Prostate Cancer

RemwesMedical — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 15:28:24 +0000

There has been a recent discovery of a way to tell the difference between prostate cancer in a man which will grow slowly and will behave in a sleepy and quiet manner from prostate cancer in a man which will grow very quickly and powerfully and will kill the man if it is not treated immediately and aggressively. This is exciting news! Men have dearly needed to know how to be able to make this distinction for years!
Prostate cancer is a very frequent form of cancer. The key, however, is that for most men prostate cancer is something that they die WITH and not die FROM. What this means is that for most men, prostate cancer is a process that affects them but it is one which they can live with for years and at the end of their lives, they die from other causes (such as a heart attack or heart failure) and not from the prostate cancer that they have been carrying for years.
But what of the men in whom the prostate cancer is not so slow growing? What of the men in whom the prostate cancer grows very aggressively? How can we tell the difference between the prostate cancers in men which will remain sleepy and quiet for years (and for possibly the rest of their lives) from the prostate cancers in men which will grow terribly fast and be deadly if not treated aggressively and immediately?
Well, doctors at the Institute for Cancer Research at the Royal Marsden Foundation in Surrey, UK have recently shown, in an article published on January 26th, 2010 in the British Journal of Cancer that there are genes that may indeed be able to help us make this critical distinction between these two groups of prostate cancers in men.
Doctors AHM Reid and colleagues have identified a combination of genes that if present in a man with prostate cancer, indicate that that man has a much more aggressive and lethal form of prostate cancer. Equally important is the information that if a man has prostate cancer does NOT have these gene changes, he may very likely have a very slow growing and much less deadly form of prostate cancer.
The genes that these doctors have identified are called the PTEN gene and the ERG/ETV1 gene rearrangement. Drs. Reid and colleagues demonstrated that if a man with prostate cancer has the PTEN gene AND the ERG/ETV1 gene rearrangement in his prostate cancer, his cancer will grow much faster and much more aggressively. On the other hand, if a man with prostate cancer does NOT have the PTEN and ERG/ETV1 gene rearrangements, his prostate cancer will grow very slowly and will be much less lethal.
Indeed, these researchers have shown that 85% of men with prostate cancers which DID NOT have the PTEN gene and the ERG/ETV1 gene rearrangement were alive 11 years after the finding of their prostate cancer. By comparison, ONLY approximately 14% of the men who had prostate cancers which DID have the PTEN gene and the ERG/ETV1 gene rearrangements were alive at 11 years after the finding of their cancers.
All of the above concepts and information and much more are available in very easy to understand language in the Prostate Cancer audio CD available on www.CancerInPlainEnglish.com

Radiation Prostate Cancer

RemwesMedical — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 15:46:56 +0000

When Prostate Cancer is initially discovered and it is found to be pretty much still located only in the prostate gland itself (in other words, it has not spread far into the body), there are basically three options that are available as treatment. The treatment that is chosen depends on A) how much cancer is found at the time of the initial diagnosis (which is known as the Stage of the cancer at the time of the initial diagnosis of cancer), B) the patient’s age at the time of the diagnosis, C) any other medical problems that he may have at the time of the finding of the Prostate Cancer, D) the aggressiveness of the cancer and E) the patient’s personal preferences.
With the above things in mind, lets then take a look at the three basic treatment options available for Prostate cancer that is still mainly located in the prostate gland itself at the time of the initial diagnosis:
1) Do Nothing: As strange as it may seem, doing nothing about a Prostate Cancer that is found still located primarily in the prostate gland is now an accepted possible way to treat Prostate Cancer in an elderly gentleman who has a very slow growing tumor. Why? Well, because it has been shown that older men with Prostate Cancer will eventually pass away from other causes (such as a heart attack or congestive heart failure or pneumonia) WITH their Prostate Cancers still in them and not BECAUSE of their Prostate Cancers. Thus, in an age group where the Prostate Cancer will not kill them and where the treatment may be worse than the disease, the possibility of doing nothing except keeping an eye on things is now considered a real treatment option in elderly gentlemen with slow growing Prostate Cancers.
2) Surgery: Understandably, many men will not be comfortable with having cancer and doing nothing about it. Thus, for those men, the treatment options for Prostate Cancer that is found still located primarily in the Prostate is either Surgery or Radiation therapy. Surgery is usually in the form of a surgery known as a Radical Prostatectomy. This is a surgery whereby the entire prostate gland is removed surgically. For years the major concern with this form of surgery was that during the surgery the surgeon cut the nerves that help the penis achieve an erection and thus the patient was rendered impotent (i.e. unable to have an erection) following the surgery. With newer surgical treatments that are called “Nerve Sparing” surgical treatments, the cutting of these sex function nerves is now able to be avoided. Thus, men are able to have their Prostate Cancer removed surgically and still remain potent (i.e. with the ability to have an erection).
3). Radiation Therapy: The third option for treating Prostate Cancer that is still localized primarily in the Prostate gland is radiation therapy. Radiation therapy is basically a light (such as the light that you see coming from a flashlight) that one shines on the area where the prostate is located and it kills the prostate cancer. It is also possible to actually insert needles into the Prostate with radiation therapy in them as a way to give even higher amounts of radiation therapy to the prostate gland. The advantages with radiation therapy over surgery is that with the use of radiation therapy there is no danger of cutting the sexual nerves and thus possibly leaving the man impotent. Radiation therapy, however, has its own side effects. These are mainly the effects due to the amount of radiation that the intestines inadvertently receive (since the intestines they are down near the prostate and they receive radiation inadvertently when radiation is being given to the prostate gland) and thus the ongoing diarrhea that sometimes results because of this.
All of these concepts and many more are covered in excellent detail and in easy to understand language in the Prostate Cancer audio CD available on the web site www.CancerInPlainEnglish.com.

Prostate Cancer Stage

RemwesMedical — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 15:17:22 +0000

One of the most important factors in the care and treatment of any form of cancer, is to know how much of the cancer is present at the time when the cancer is first discovered. The way that doctors are able to know and communicate with each other about much cancer is present at the time of the initial discovery is with something called a stage.
The stages of Prostate Cancer, simply put, are a measure of how much Prostate Cancer is present when we first find it.
Thankfully, with today’s measures, which include regular yearly check ups with a digital rectal exam (which is abbreviated as a DRE) and the measuring of a blood test known as a PSA level, MOST prostate cancers are now found in the early stages.
As with other cancers, we are used to hearing things such as “stage I” or “Stage II” etc when it comes to cancer. Indeed, Prostate Cancer is no different. It also has been classified into number stages with the lowest numbers indicating the least amount of cancer found at the time of the initial diagnosis and the highest numbers indicating the most amount of cancer found at the time of the initial diagnosis.
The difference with Prostate Cancer, however, is that the staging system can be a little complicated. It is not only divided into stages I, II, III and IV; it is further subdivided into T1a, T1b, T2b, etc. As such, the staging numbers and letters used for Prostate Cancer are not that intuitive and/or clear. They certainly are not easy to immediately memorize.
As such, for this Cancer In Plain English posting, we will simply state that early stage Prostate Cancer is Prostate Cancer that is in the stages more or less I and/or II and the cancer is primarily located in the Prostate at that time.
The more advanced stages of Prostate Cancer are stages III and IV and these are cancers that occur in men who have more or less not recognized the symptoms they were experiencing or ignored the symptoms. Typically Prostate Cancer does not have any symptoms when it is early along, except frequency with urination or getting up in the middle of the night to urinate; however, the most powerful and significant symptom in Prostate Cancer is back pain that will not go away. This symptom is so important because it indicates that the Prostate Cancer has grown in the prostate and has now spread to the lower back and is causing destruction and pain in the lower back.
When men go for regular check ups and measurements of PSA blood levels regularly, Prostate Cancer is found well before it has had a chance to grow, spread to the bones of the back and cause pain back there. If, on the other hand, men do not go for yearly check ups and do not have yearly measurement of blood PSA levels and, worse yet, ignore that bothersome back pain that seems to not go away, then they may be putting themselves at risk for finding Prostate Cancer only after it is much more advanced and, by that time, incurable.
All of these and many more concepts about Prostate Cancer can be found and are explained in very easy to understand language in the Prostate Cancer audio CD available on the web site known as the web site www.CancerInPlainEnglish.com

Abiraterone

RemwesMedical — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 11:36:49 +0000

There is new cancer drug known as Abiraterone which has so far produced very encouraging results in the treatment of advanced Prostate Cancer. Prostate cancer is a very frequent form of cancer in our society. Each year 680,000 men worldwide are diagnosed with Prostate Cancer and as many as 220,000 will die of this disease. Numerous studies have proven that the hormone Testosterone stimulates the growth of Prostate Cancer and that inhibition of this hormone leads to a decrease in the size and the growth of Prostate Cancer.
Abiraterone, is a new medication which has the promise of treating Prostate Cancer by blocking an enzyme known as the CYP17 enzyme which plays a role in the production of Testosterone in men with Prostate Cancer.
The results of the treatments provided for men with advanced Prostate Cancer with this new medication are as yet preliminary, but they are very encouraging. This medication is now currently undergoing clinical trials and if all goes well, it is expected to be on the market in the year 2011. These concepts and many others are available in the Prostate Cancer audio CD which is available on the web site www.CancerInPlainEnglish.com

Prostate Cancer Symptoms

RemwesMedical — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 00:06:40 +0000

The unfortunate reality is that early prostate cancer usually does not give us “clues” that it is present. Typically a prostate cancer that is not found routinely with screening tests (such as a PSA and/or a rectal exam) is not usually found until it has already spread outside of the prostate gland. Nevertheless, sometimes prostate cancer DOES give us clues and if it does, the clues are as follows:
1. A STRONG FAMILY HISTORY: A history of prostate cancer in relatives is a very important clue to make us think of the possibility that if a man is having other symptoms (which we will mention later in this posting) should make us think of the possibility that he is at risk for prostate cancer.
For example, a man who has no relatives with prostate cancer has about a 13% chance of developing prostate cancer. However, if either his dad, his uncle or his grandfather had prostate cancer, his risk of having prostate cancer jumps to approximately 25%. Lastly, if both his father and his grandfather both had prostate cancer, then his risk of developing prostate cancer can jump to almost 100%.
Therefore a family history of prostate cancer is an important clue to make help us if we think that someone may have prostate cancer.
2. DIFFICULTY WITH THE URINE STREAM. Problems with the urine stream are a typical indication that the prostate gland is enlarged. It is important to remember that the prostate gland may be enlarged and it not be cancer. This is a normal condition known as Benign Prostatic Hypertrophy (which is abbreviated as BPH). It is important to remember, however, that the gland can be enlarged as a result of prostate cancer and thus, we will review the types of symptoms that the prostate gland may produce if it is enlarged – possibly because of prostate cancer:
A. Inability to start the urinary stream. This is a symptom where a man feels that the urine seems to be “stuck” before it starts to flow.
B. Dribbling of urine at the end of urination.
C. Markedly increased urinary frequency. After urinating, a man with an enlarged prostate (which, as we have seen, may be due to prostate cancer) does not feel as if he has “emptied” his bladder and the desire to urinate returns very frequently and with short intervals between urination.
D. Waking up at night in order to urinate.
E. Blood is the urine (this is a rare development)
3. LOWER BACK PAIN: Lower back pain may be an important clue to suggest that a prostate cancer has started in the prostate and has moved to the lower back and has caused destruction of the bones of the lower back and is causing pain there. Of course, there are other reasons for a man to have lower back pain but in a man with a strong family history of prostate cancer and a long history of problems with urination, if he then develops back pain, prostate cancer is a very important consideration in that man.
4. PAIN IN THE GROIN REGION: Another important clue for the possibility of prostate cancer is pain in the groin region. This is pain in the upper thighs or in the groin. As with the entries before, there are other reasons why a man may have pain in the groin region – such as, perhaps an inguinal hernia – but in a man with a strong family history of prostate cancer and a long history of problems with urination (see above) if he then develops pain in the groin region, then it is important to consider prostate cancer.
5. SUDDEN INABILITY TO MOVE THE LEGS OR SUDDEN INABILITY TO CONTROL THE URINE. These are serious possible clues for the possibility of prostate cancer in the person who develops these problems. These findings are found in a person with prostate cancer who has had the cancer move from the prostate to the lower back and the cancer has destroyed the nerves of the lower spine.
All of the above clues, symptoms and considerations are covered in excellent detail and in very easy to understand language in the Prostate Cancer audio CD which is available on the web site called www.CancerInPlainEnglish.com

Prostate Cancer Treatment

RemwesMedical — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 13:57:52 +0000

The treatment of Prostate Cancer is dependent on various factors. Prostate Cancer can be a very slow growing tumor in some men and a rapidly growing tumor in other men. The key in deciding therapy for Prostate Cancer is the STAGE at which the tumor is discovered initially. These days, with increasing numbers of men seeing their doctors and having digital rectal exams (DREs) and PSA blood test levels, the most frequently found stage of Prostate Cancer is an initial or early stage. It is a stage where the Prostate Cancer is localized to the Prostate gland itself and has not yet spread outside of the gland. The American Urologic Association has actually accepted that three possible approaches are acceptable for Prostate Cancer that is confined to the Prostate Gland. These three treatment possibilities are: 1) Watchful waiting 2) Surgery or 3) Radiation therapy.
1) Watchful waiting. This option for therapy is possible in older men who have what is known as “Good Risk” disease. This is Prostate Cancer that has features and characteristics which suggest that it is not a very aggressive tumor.
2) Surgery. Surgery for Prostate Cancer is usually in the form of a Radical Prostatectomy. The key in making the decision for or against surgery is the preference of the patient and the characteristics of the tumor. An important key to remember is that hormonal therapy following surgery is not felt to add any added benefit to the patient, whereas hormonal thertapy after radiation therapy (as we will see below) is indeed felt to add to the benefit for the patients.
3) Radiation Therapy. Lastly, a person with Prostate Cancer that is as yet localized to the Prostate Gland and has not spread outside of the gland may choose to treat the tumor with Radiation therapy. There are more bowel (intestine) complications following radiation therapy than following surgery. This, therefore is an important consideration for the patient when making the decision between surgery or radiation therapy. We need to keep in mind that both, radiation therapy and surgery are felt to be equal for Prostate Cancer that is limited to the prostate gland. As mentioned above, an important key to remember is that hormonal therapy is felt to add a benefit when given to patients with Prostate Cancer following radiation therapy, but is not felt to add to the benefit of the patient when it is given following surgical treatment of Prostate Cancer. All of these concepts and more are available on the Prostate Cancer audio Cd available on www.CancerInPlainEnglish.com