Posted on 01/27/2022 2:57:37 PM PST by ConservativeMind
Prostate cancer is the leading cause of cancer in men worldwide, and radiotherapy is one of the common forms of treatment. Researchers show that there is consistent improvement in overall survival in men with intermediate- and high-risk prostate cancer with the addition of hormone therapy to radiotherapy treatments.
"Our research team set out to conduct a first-of-its-kind, comprehensive analysis by collecting individual patient data from each and every randomized trial conducted around the world, and performed a meta-analysis of the impact of various treatment intensification strategies using hormone therapy with radiation therapy for localized prostate cancer," said Daniel E. Spratt, MD.
The team made three key discoveries:
1) Men with intermediate- and high-risk prostate cancer have an increased survival rate from the addition of hormone therapy to radiotherapy. This was seen in both younger and older men, and in men treated with lower and higher doses of radiotherapy.
2) Survival rate in men with prostate cancer improves with the prolongation of adjuvant hormone therapy to radiotherapy. This benefit was seen in both younger and older men, in men treated with lower and higher doses of radiotherapy, and in men with both intermediate- and high-risk prostate cancer.
3) Neoadjuvant hormone therapy before radiotherapy did not benefit men in any outcome measured. This is an important finding, because some countries routinely give extended durations of hormone therapy before radiotherapy. The team showed that this method isn't advantageous over shorter durations.
"We now have estimates that show the benefit of adding and prolonging adjuvant hormone therapy for clinically relevant subsets of patients," explained Dr. Spratt. "Our team showed that treating a group of approximately ten to 15 men with hormone therapy or extended adjuvant hormone therapy, for at least 18 months, prevented one man from developing metastatic disease ten years after treatment."
(Excerpt) Read more at medicalxpress.com ...
At my age, it doesn’t matter, if they find cancer, it’s coming out. Just the way it is. Not gonna fight it, just yank the thing out.
I had prostate cancer surgery in September. The side effects for three weeks were the most intense pain I have have ever suffered. But I made it through and am cancer free. You do what you gotta do.
“… if Joe Biden lets you.”
It’s been twelve years since my prostatectomy and I’m still here. Like you, real bummer after surgery but it was really the only chance of staying alive.
Some really lousy secondary effects - but it’s the price we pay.
I was Dx’d in 2007 at age 52. Had radiation x43 treatments. Although my PSA never went to zero as was predicted, it has remained very low for all these years. I hear hormone therapy is a beast so my understanding is avoid at all costs except your life.
What kind of hormones?
“What kind of hormones?”
Put kindly—although I’m not 100% sure—chemical castration.
His side effects subsided, and his PSA eventually dropped down
to into the normal range. So I guess his cancer went into remission.
I have no idea WHY. Perhaps prayer. Dunno.
He made it to a few weeks short of 90 years old.
And he died of COPD - caused by cigarette smoking for over
60 years. He stared smoking at age 12. Quit when he had
the quad bypass heart surgery.
My husband who is 82 just had 39 radiation treatments and has had three eligard shots (9 more to go). Eligard and lupron is an estrogen hormone. The radiation kills the cancer the estrogen stops it from growing. Testosterone aids cancer cells to grow. He is doing ok, dealing with the side effects of both treatments but docs say they expect full recovery. His psa was 21 it is now 0.03. They did not think removal was a good option.
Testosterone. They drain it out of you.
It’s not fun. You feel weak, you are prone to seriously painful muscle and bone aches,and you lose strength and sexual interest.
In short, I hated it. When the therapy ended after 2 years (for me), the aches stopped and some libido returned. On the plus side, the cancer has not returned.
I received 6 months hormone then 20 radiation treatments. pSA down to .04 from 13. I am being kept on hormone treatment post radiation for 12 months. Side effects have been minimal.
“Put kindly—although I’m not 100% sure—chemical castration.”
correct ...
Just had TULSA-Pro (non-invasive) treatment for Stage IV, Gleason 7 prostate cancer in August of 2020, PSA now .227. Painless, no permanent side effects. Cannot recommend more highly.
I deeply researched all treatments, met with docs of all treatments.
One thing all docs said: REGARDLESS of what treatment you have for prostate cancer, in 33% of all cases the cancer eventually returns. That includes complete prostatectomy - surgical removal of prostate. A friend had surgical removal a year before me - cancer free for one year. Then PSA started climbing - they could find nothing. Eventually the cancer found all through his body.
PM me if you want to know more about the TULSA-Pro treatment - I cannot recommend it more highly.
Yes. Takes your testosterone to zero.
You become a woman in a man’s body.
The radiologist mentioned the hormone therapy after the radiation as a possibility.
Anyone here heard of HIFU? Solved my husband’s small prostate cancer...no real side effects or anything.
Yup. Rip it out. No chemo. No extra drugs, other than pain pills for a few weeks. Fun activities pretty much came to a stop. But I’m old enough...
The article is super vague and just says "hormone therapy." The underlying study (HERE) says "androgen deprivation therapy (ADT)," which is chemical castration by suppressing testosterone.
I would strongly avoid androgen deprivation therapy. If natural therapies were not working, I would find some way to get Irreversible Electroporation ("Nanoknife") treatment from Dr. Gary Onik in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. More info here: https://garyonikmd.com/localized-prostate-cancer-treatments/
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