Doctors are starting to look to gene-guided treatment for men with advanced prostate cancer, taking a larger step toward more personalized medicine. This approach is already being used to treat breast and other types of cancer. For prostate cancer, gene based treatment would target those whose prostate cancer has spread to the bones or other parts of the body and hopefully succeed where hormone treatment has failed. Finding genetic signatures in prostate tumors has been a struggle since men tend to get prostate biopsies early on before the cancer has spread, making it more difficult to evaluate advanced tumor samples for genetic activity.
"This gives us a more scientifically reasoned, evidence-based approach to treating these men - hopefully. That's the theory," said Dr. Durado Brooks of the American Cancer Society.
Advances continue to be made in treatment of prostate cancer, so keep on exploring your options.
Have a good Thursday.
Blessings,
Rick
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
A Bit About Protons
I don't talk much about Proton Beam Therapy on my blog, but I was with a great group of guys last night at our Us TOO PEORIA support group and several guys expressed interest in PBT. I have included this video for you to educate yourself on this wonderful treatment option that, for some reason, isn't being talked about by the mainstream medical community. It was nice to meet you guys last night.
Have a good Wednesday.
Blessings,
Rick
Have a good Wednesday.
Blessings,
Rick
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Ask Our Congress And Senate To Get Involved
A JOINT STATEMENT FROM AMERICA'S
PROSTATE CANCER ADVOCACY, EDUCATION, AND SUPPORT ORGANIZATIONS
WASHINGTON DC, March 23, 2009 – Since 1993, when the PLCO (Prostate, Lung, Colorectal and Ovarian Cancer) trial was started, we have awaited the results of this trial with eager anticipation, as have others. The initial report of the results of this study -- and those of a comparable European trial -- published last week in the New England Journal of Medicine have told us two things:
* The studies offer conflicting evidence about the possibility of a prostate cancer-specific survival benefit associated with the regular use of prostate specific antigen (PSA) testing and digital rectal examination (DRE).
* These studies provide no convincing evidence that mass screening of men over 50 or 55 years of age will lead to a prostate cancer-specific survival benefit within 10 years.
We have come together to make two clear statements about these trials:
* Above all we thank the patients, the investigators, and the national authorities that funded these two trials for their efforts. The development and implementation of these trials over the past 16 years has been an enormous commitment by all concerned.
* We enthusiastically support the continued follow-up of patients in the prostate cancer arm of the PLCO study for at least a further 5 years, through 2014, as originally envisaged.
In addition, in the long-term interests of the health of every man in the USA, and with health reform recognized as a national priority, we wish to state the following:
* Every man, regardless of his age, has the right to know whether he is at risk from prostate cancer, a disease that still kills over 28,600 American men every year, and many more around the world. We encourage all men to be proactive, and to seek out information and support in regard to their health.
* We shall continue to encourage every man to discuss his individual risk for prostate cancer with his doctors, and to request the appropriate use of PSA and DRE tests until better options are available. Further clinical action based on results of these tests is also a matter for serious discussion between each patient and his physicians.
* We call upon the federal government to emphasize the need for more research into early detection technologies and methods that will lead to better and more accurate diagnosis of prostate cancer.
* We call upon Congress to increase funding for the Prostate Cancer Research Program at the Department of Defense.
* We call upon the National Institutes of Health to increase funding for prostate cancer research through the National Cancer Institute.
Page 2 of 2
* We call upon the medical research community to place greater emphasis on the development of new clinical tests that can differentiate between those men at greatest need for aggressive prostate cancer treatment and those with indolent forms of the disease who can be well managed without invasive treatment.
This statement is approved by the following US-based prostate cancer advocacy, education, and support organizations:
* American Urological Association Foundation – www.auafoundation.org
* Malecare Prostate Cancer Support – www.malecare.com
* Men’s Health Network – www.menshealthnetwork.org
* National Alliance of State Prostate Cancer Coalitions – www.naspcc.org
* Prostate Cancer Foundation – www.pcf.org
* Prostate Cancer International – www.pcainternational.org
* Prostate Conditions Education Council – www.prostateconditions.org
* Prostate Health Education Network – www.prostatehealthed.org
* The Prostate Cancer Mission – www.pcmission.org
* The Prostate Net – www.prostatenet.org
* Us TOO International Prostate Cancer Education and Support Network – www.ustoo.org
* Virginia Prostate Cancer Coalition – www.vapcacoalition.org
* Women Against Prostate Cancer – www.womenagainstprostatecancer.org
* ZERO – The Project to End Prostate Cancer – www.zerocancer.org
Have a good Tuesday.
Blessings,
Rick
PROSTATE CANCER ADVOCACY, EDUCATION, AND SUPPORT ORGANIZATIONS
WASHINGTON DC, March 23, 2009 – Since 1993, when the PLCO (Prostate, Lung, Colorectal and Ovarian Cancer) trial was started, we have awaited the results of this trial with eager anticipation, as have others. The initial report of the results of this study -- and those of a comparable European trial -- published last week in the New England Journal of Medicine have told us two things:
* The studies offer conflicting evidence about the possibility of a prostate cancer-specific survival benefit associated with the regular use of prostate specific antigen (PSA) testing and digital rectal examination (DRE).
* These studies provide no convincing evidence that mass screening of men over 50 or 55 years of age will lead to a prostate cancer-specific survival benefit within 10 years.
We have come together to make two clear statements about these trials:
* Above all we thank the patients, the investigators, and the national authorities that funded these two trials for their efforts. The development and implementation of these trials over the past 16 years has been an enormous commitment by all concerned.
* We enthusiastically support the continued follow-up of patients in the prostate cancer arm of the PLCO study for at least a further 5 years, through 2014, as originally envisaged.
In addition, in the long-term interests of the health of every man in the USA, and with health reform recognized as a national priority, we wish to state the following:
* Every man, regardless of his age, has the right to know whether he is at risk from prostate cancer, a disease that still kills over 28,600 American men every year, and many more around the world. We encourage all men to be proactive, and to seek out information and support in regard to their health.
* We shall continue to encourage every man to discuss his individual risk for prostate cancer with his doctors, and to request the appropriate use of PSA and DRE tests until better options are available. Further clinical action based on results of these tests is also a matter for serious discussion between each patient and his physicians.
* We call upon the federal government to emphasize the need for more research into early detection technologies and methods that will lead to better and more accurate diagnosis of prostate cancer.
* We call upon Congress to increase funding for the Prostate Cancer Research Program at the Department of Defense.
* We call upon the National Institutes of Health to increase funding for prostate cancer research through the National Cancer Institute.
Page 2 of 2
* We call upon the medical research community to place greater emphasis on the development of new clinical tests that can differentiate between those men at greatest need for aggressive prostate cancer treatment and those with indolent forms of the disease who can be well managed without invasive treatment.
This statement is approved by the following US-based prostate cancer advocacy, education, and support organizations:
* American Urological Association Foundation – www.auafoundation.org
* Malecare Prostate Cancer Support – www.malecare.com
* Men’s Health Network – www.menshealthnetwork.org
* National Alliance of State Prostate Cancer Coalitions – www.naspcc.org
* Prostate Cancer Foundation – www.pcf.org
* Prostate Cancer International – www.pcainternational.org
* Prostate Conditions Education Council – www.prostateconditions.org
* Prostate Health Education Network – www.prostatehealthed.org
* The Prostate Cancer Mission – www.pcmission.org
* The Prostate Net – www.prostatenet.org
* Us TOO International Prostate Cancer Education and Support Network – www.ustoo.org
* Virginia Prostate Cancer Coalition – www.vapcacoalition.org
* Women Against Prostate Cancer – www.womenagainstprostatecancer.org
* ZERO – The Project to End Prostate Cancer – www.zerocancer.org
Have a good Tuesday.
Blessings,
Rick
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