The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Gallium 68 PSMA-11 (Ga 68 PSMA-11) as a positron emission tomography or PET imaging agent for men with prostate cancer. The molecule is the first approved PET imaging agent that detects prostate cancer lesions by targeting the prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) — a protein produced at more »
If you are considering genetic testing to identify whether a potential therapy might be useful against your prostate cancer, this article may be helpful to you. This test can help identify genetic changes such as BRCA1, BRCA2 and ATM mutations in which case a corresponding targeted drug, such as olaparib (Lynparza), may be useful. The more »
Provenge (sipuleucel-T) by Dendreon Pharmaceuticals, is superior to Zytiga (abiraterone acetate) or Xtandi (enzalutamide) at prolonging the lives of men with metastatic castration (hormone)-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) when added at any point in a treatment regimen, according to a real-life study in the U.S. The study, “A Retrospective Observational Analysis of Overall Survival with Sipuleucel-T more »
The following Nov. 24th article from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) describes recent clinical trial findings that for some patients with painful spinal metastases from advanced cancer, a type of precise, high-dose radiation therapy (SBRT) may be a highly effective way to relieve that pain. About a third more »
I hope today finds you all doing well and healthy. But, as cancer survivors, we all have had days wherein we were feeling overwhelmed either with the disease itself or our anxieties. So for those days, I pass along this message I recently received from YouVersion entitled “You Are Not Alone.” If you are unsure more »
Lantheus Holdings has submitted an application to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) seeking approval of PyL, an investigational imaging agent used to locate prostate cancer lesions. The new drug application (NDA) sent to the FDA includes a request for priority review, which if granted may shorten PyL’s regulatory review process from the usual more »
Philippians 4:6-7 states as follows: “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication (asking humbly and earnestly), with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Earlier this month, I needed to undergo more »
The ExoDx Prostate Test is a non-invasive, non-digital rectal exam, urine test used as a risk assessment tool to provide risk probabilities for aggressive prostate cancer. The technology relies on cancer-specific genomic biomarkers found in the urine. The test analyzes three cancer-specific biomarkers found in the urine associated with aggressive prostate cancer: ERG, PCA and more »
Two recent approvals by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have opened a new avenue of treatment for some men with prostate cancer: an expanded role for targeted therapies. The approvals are for the drugs olaparib (Lynparza) and rucaparib (Rubraca). They cover the use of the drugs in men whose prostate cancer has spread, or more »
The American Urological Association (AUA), American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO), and Society of Urologic Oncology (SUO) have released new guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of advanced prostate cancer, developed by a panel of experts. In addition to their own expertise and experience, panel members assessed data from 264 prostate cancer studies in developing more »
In this third video of the PCRI series, Dr. Mark Scholz discusses the role of diet as related to prostate cancer. His overwriting principal is vegetarianism, avoiding animal products. Dr. Scholz bases his conclusion on his observation of patients who lowered their PSA levels while on strict vegan diets. Dr. Scholz also discusses the fact more »
Dr. Mark Scholz, Executive Director of the PCRI, has generated an eight minute video discussing the major issues related to bone metastasis. Bone metastases generally occur in a small percentage of men and can appear 10-20 years after continuous prostate cancer treatment. Bone mets can be observed when the PSA levels exceed 20-30 or hundreds. more »
Dr. Mark Scholz, Executive Director of the Prostate Cancer Research Institute (PCRI), has produced three very informative short videos dealing with topics such as 1) active surveillance (AS) for men recently diagnosed with prostate cancer, 2) bone metastasis and, 3) diet and cancer. This first 7 minute AS video defines the terms “watchful waiting” as more »
Using a comprehensive analysis of all the genetic risk data concerning prostate cancer for African American men, Dr. Chris Haiman of the University of Southern California and his team of over 200 researchers were able to determine that it was possible to create an affordable test, based solely on a man’s saliva or blood sample, more »
The annual Prostate Cancer Research Institute (PCRI) Conference is a comprehensive educational experience for prostate cancer patients and caregivers. The conference moderated by Mark Moyad, MD, consists of keynote presentations from leading doctors followed by live question – and – answer sessions. Keynote topics include all treatments, newly-diagnosed, diet and exercise, sexual dysfunction, active surveillance, more »
This morning I experienced a brief but annoying episode of a recurrent medical issue and potentially a new one. My initial reaction was tension mixed with a little “worry” and “what if”. I have been down that same road before. Almost immediately, God’s Word from James 1:6-7 came to me. “For the one who doubts more »
Data from more than 6,000 Medicare patients showed that adding the immunotherapy Provenge (sipuleucel-T) to a regimen containing the oral agents Zytiga (abiraterone acetate) or Xtandi (enzalutamide) significantly extended the lives of men with metastatic hormone-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). The findings were presented in a poster at the recent American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) more »
Several years ago, I experienced an annoying side effect which had arisen related to earlier prostate cancer therapy. The side effect had been “cured” by a specific series of treatments but now it had reared its troublesome head again. One recent Sunday, it was especially troublesome. There are potential treatments for this condition but my more »
This post is very personal to me and provided me with encouragement at this time of personal need. While I am currently asymptomatic, for which I am immensely grateful, I know I have metastatic sites of prostate cancer in my body. Upon a recent visit to my oncologist, he calmly but coldly and clinically told more »
This website usually focuses exclusively on prostate cancer but this particular post could apply to the current worldwide coronavirus pandemic as well. Right now we as a nation and many of us as individuals may have a potential medical problem that has our stomach in knots with persistent worry. For most of us, it is more »