My wife brought home the news yesterday from her bus commute that one of our neighbors has been diagnosed with prostate cancer.
I immediately asked my wife to see if the guy wants to talk with someone about it. I can imagine the shell-shock he must have felt at getting the news.
It has been nearly two years since I got the first hint that I may have prostate cancer. An MD first noticed a spike in my PSA at an annual check up in April 2007. By August it had been confirmed by follow-up tests and a biopsy, and I had my robotic laproscopic surgery in September.
My first reaction was surprise, then shock (my father and a close relative had both died of cancer).
Even though the diagnosis was scary for me, I had a lot of support from my family and medical community. I got busy reading about prostate cancer and its treatment. Luckily, I was "healthy" enough to get surgery that would take the bastard out of there for good.
So what I'll suggest to our neighbor is to listen to his doctor, get a second opinion, read up on the disease, contact a prostate cancer support group and make a decision.
Then I'll warn him that even when the cancer is gone, the side effects of treatment can linger. Men suffer varying degrees of incontinence or erectile dysfunction, but there are ways to deal with those problems too.
The important thing is to take action and not passively accept fate.
Friday, February 20, 2009
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
NY Times editor blogs about prostate cancer
The battle against prostate cancer is a very public ordeal for Dana Jennings.
The New York Times editor has chosen to blog about his experiences with the disease as he undergoes treatment. Find it at Well.
Although I had the best intentions to do the same with this blog, it has fallen into the occasional update of some cancer treatment news. I really don't have the desire to go into sharing all the trials and tribulations of prostate cancer recovery after surgery. Maybe one day I will.
Jennings also had surgery for prostate cancer, but that's where our stories diverge. My post-surgery pathology report and tri-monthly PSAs come back clean. His didn't.
What followed were hormone injections and now radiation treatments.
He tells very eloquently what it's like to lose his sex drive from the drugs and how he deals with the anger that wells from within.
The New York Times editor has chosen to blog about his experiences with the disease as he undergoes treatment. Find it at Well.
Although I had the best intentions to do the same with this blog, it has fallen into the occasional update of some cancer treatment news. I really don't have the desire to go into sharing all the trials and tribulations of prostate cancer recovery after surgery. Maybe one day I will.
Jennings also had surgery for prostate cancer, but that's where our stories diverge. My post-surgery pathology report and tri-monthly PSAs come back clean. His didn't.
What followed were hormone injections and now radiation treatments.
He tells very eloquently what it's like to lose his sex drive from the drugs and how he deals with the anger that wells from within.
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Statin use may hide prostate cancer
My prostate cancer was discovered because of a spike in my PSA level that was noted during a routine annual doctor's visit. Others are first diagnosed for prostate cancer when their PSA level reaches a certain threshold.
In both cases, a biopsy usually follows.
What's a concern is that a report at Urology Today finds the use of statins lowers PSA levels, thereby giving inaccurate numbers that needed to give an accurate diagnosis of prostate cancer.
Statins are a class of drug used to lower cholesterol levels in people at risk for heart disease. Lipitor, Zocor and Crestor are among the brand names of these drugs.
In a retrospective study of 1,214 men who used statins, researchers found that as LDL (bad cholesterol) dropped so did PSA levels.
Often, a threshold PSA level triggers the need for a biopsy. The reseachers found that the drop in PSA in as many 39% of the cases would have resulted in no biopsy being performed.
As is so often the case, there's a lot of uncertainty regarding statins and prostate cancer. Obviously more study needs to be done.
For instance:
-- A report earlier this summer found that the use of statins for the long term could raise the risk of prostate cancer among obese men.
-- A report in January found that men who were taking statins to lower their cholesterol had a 10 percent greater chance of being cured of prostate cancer by radiation therapy 10 years after diagnosis
In both cases, a biopsy usually follows.
What's a concern is that a report at Urology Today finds the use of statins lowers PSA levels, thereby giving inaccurate numbers that needed to give an accurate diagnosis of prostate cancer.
Statins are a class of drug used to lower cholesterol levels in people at risk for heart disease. Lipitor, Zocor and Crestor are among the brand names of these drugs.
In a retrospective study of 1,214 men who used statins, researchers found that as LDL (bad cholesterol) dropped so did PSA levels.
"PSA decline was linearly associated with a decline in LDL and for every 10% LDL
decline there was a PSA decline of 1.64%."
Often, a threshold PSA level triggers the need for a biopsy. The reseachers found that the drop in PSA in as many 39% of the cases would have resulted in no biopsy being performed.
As is so often the case, there's a lot of uncertainty regarding statins and prostate cancer. Obviously more study needs to be done.
For instance:
-- A report earlier this summer found that the use of statins for the long term could raise the risk of prostate cancer among obese men.
-- A report in January found that men who were taking statins to lower their cholesterol had a 10 percent greater chance of being cured of prostate cancer by radiation therapy 10 years after diagnosis
Monday, November 3, 2008
Vote yellow on election day
Being an ardent bicyclist, as well as a cancer survivor, I always pay special attention when I hear from the Lance Armstrong Foundation.
The foundation is reminding the LiveStrong Army to get out and Vote Yellow on election day.
That means wear yellow when you vote to make the impression that those committed to battling cancer come out to vote on election day.
Both Obama and McCain pledged on the record that they would fight cancer if elected president. Wearing yellow should remind them of their pledge.
Find out more about Vote Yellow here.
The foundation is reminding the LiveStrong Army to get out and Vote Yellow on election day.
That means wear yellow when you vote to make the impression that those committed to battling cancer come out to vote on election day.
Both Obama and McCain pledged on the record that they would fight cancer if elected president. Wearing yellow should remind them of their pledge.
Find out more about Vote Yellow here.
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Experimental drug shrinks prostate tumors
An experimental drug that shrinks tumors in the most aggressive, and almost always fatal, type of prostate cancer is being tested, according to the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
The drug, abiraterone, is designed to block testosterone from being formed. While other drugs do this with some success, in some forms of prostate cancer the tumor cells themselves produce testosterone.
This test drug is said to block testosterone production everywhere in the body, including the tumor cells.
The initial test involved only 21 men, but a larger study involving 250 men is underway. If approved, Cougar Biotechnology of Los Angeles says the new drug could be available by 2011.
More at the LATimes.
The drug, abiraterone, is designed to block testosterone from being formed. While other drugs do this with some success, in some forms of prostate cancer the tumor cells themselves produce testosterone.
This test drug is said to block testosterone production everywhere in the body, including the tumor cells.
The initial test involved only 21 men, but a larger study involving 250 men is underway. If approved, Cougar Biotechnology of Los Angeles says the new drug could be available by 2011.
More at the LATimes.
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Masturbation reduces risk of prostate cancer
....And we always thought it was the low-fat diet in some cultures that gave them a lower risk of prostate cancer.
An Australian study that was reported by the BBC back in 2003 found that cancer-causing chemicals could build up in the prostate if men do not ejaculate regularly.
The study went on to suggest that sexual intercourse may not have the same benefit because of the possibility of contracting a sexually transmitted disease, which could increase chance of getting cancer.
The Australian researchers questioned 1,000 men who had prostate cancer and 1,250 who didn't about their sexual habits. Those who ejaculated the most between 20 and 50 were less likely to develop prostate cancer.
Men who ejaculated more than five times a week were a third less likely to develop prostate cancer later in life.
Graham Giles of the Cancer Council Victoria in Melbourne said ejaculating may prevent carcinogens accumulating in the prostate gland. Fewer ejaculations may cause those carcinogens to build up.
Here's a link to that BBC story, "Masturbation cuts cancer risk."
In spite of it being five years old, the story got a second wind this week when it was reported in PlanetOut on Monday, attributing it to a BBC story on Wednesday (yeah, Wednesday five years ago). The US News & World Report science blog called them out for drudging up this old news.
Old news or not, it's an interesting theory. Sure it's a ha-ha, wink-wink kind of story, but if valid, it certainly deserves to be pursued.
An Australian study that was reported by the BBC back in 2003 found that cancer-causing chemicals could build up in the prostate if men do not ejaculate regularly.
The study went on to suggest that sexual intercourse may not have the same benefit because of the possibility of contracting a sexually transmitted disease, which could increase chance of getting cancer.
The Australian researchers questioned 1,000 men who had prostate cancer and 1,250 who didn't about their sexual habits. Those who ejaculated the most between 20 and 50 were less likely to develop prostate cancer.
Men who ejaculated more than five times a week were a third less likely to develop prostate cancer later in life.
Graham Giles of the Cancer Council Victoria in Melbourne said ejaculating may prevent carcinogens accumulating in the prostate gland. Fewer ejaculations may cause those carcinogens to build up.
"It's a prostatic stagnation hypothesis. The more you flush the ducts out, the
less there is to hang around and damage the cells that line them."
Here's a link to that BBC story, "Masturbation cuts cancer risk."
In spite of it being five years old, the story got a second wind this week when it was reported in PlanetOut on Monday, attributing it to a BBC story on Wednesday (yeah, Wednesday five years ago). The US News & World Report science blog called them out for drudging up this old news.
Old news or not, it's an interesting theory. Sure it's a ha-ha, wink-wink kind of story, but if valid, it certainly deserves to be pursued.
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Prostate cancer treatments all have side effects
The many treatments for prostate cancer all have something in common, they all cause side effects that are sometimes long-lasting or even permanent.
Technological and medical advances try to reduce these the side effects, but a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that men suffered varying rates of incontinence, impotency and bowel problems after various treatments.
That's why men often take the side effects into account as often as the cure rates for prostate cancer treatments.
The methods studied: radiation beam, brachytherapy (radioactive seeds), surgical removal and hormone therapy.
According to the AP:
That doesn't help making a decision any easier, does it.
The onset of side effects sometimes depend on the individual. Age, the size of the prostate, and previous urinary problems all can play a part in recovery.
In general, hormone therapy had a big effect on sexuality. It suppresses the production of testosterone.
Bracytherapy sometimes led to sexual problems, but more often caused discomfort with urination.
The surgical group reported a higher levels of urinary incontinence. The bracytherapy group had the highest levels of all urinary problems, however, which included pain and increased frequency. Those undergoing surgery and nerve sparing had a reduced risk of impotency, although it was not eliminated.
The beam radiation and radioactive seed group both reported bowel problems a year after surgery.
More at Science Daily and USA Today.
Technological and medical advances try to reduce these the side effects, but a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that men suffered varying rates of incontinence, impotency and bowel problems after various treatments.
That's why men often take the side effects into account as often as the cure rates for prostate cancer treatments.
The methods studied: radiation beam, brachytherapy (radioactive seeds), surgical removal and hormone therapy.
According to the AP:
"No procedure was clearly best or worst."
That doesn't help making a decision any easier, does it.
The onset of side effects sometimes depend on the individual. Age, the size of the prostate, and previous urinary problems all can play a part in recovery.
In general, hormone therapy had a big effect on sexuality. It suppresses the production of testosterone.
Bracytherapy sometimes led to sexual problems, but more often caused discomfort with urination.
The surgical group reported a higher levels of urinary incontinence. The bracytherapy group had the highest levels of all urinary problems, however, which included pain and increased frequency. Those undergoing surgery and nerve sparing had a reduced risk of impotency, although it was not eliminated.
The beam radiation and radioactive seed group both reported bowel problems a year after surgery.
More at Science Daily and USA Today.
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