Castration as treatment for prostate cancer

[Guest guest]

Sorry,

 

I should have changed the Subject to this. Silly of me ! It is an

interesting account. I hope someone responds.

 

Sammy.

 

> Dear TCM group,

>

> I am copying this post from another medical group with the permission of

the

> sender. If anyone has any suggestions they would be much appreciated. I

will

> post relevant responses to the message owner. A couple of questions from

me:

> Is castration for prostate cancer a frequent treatment in China? For how

> long has the practice been going on ? [in the west it was " discovered " in

> the early 1940's]. My response to the patient queries are below the main

> text. Many thanks for your input. Sammy.

>

>

> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

>

> Dear Doctors,

>

> I am writing this for my dearest father who lives in China. He was

diagnosed

> almost six years ago with metastasis PC. For the first four years after

his

> initial treatment (orchiectomy) he was feeling great but things started to

> get worse since last year. Currently he has mets to his urethral tract,

> penis and several bone sites. The doctors he has are not very helpful. We

> regret not being knowledgeable in the past but we think actions need to be

> taken immediately now. Being his only daughter and so far away from him I

am

> deeply saddened and feeling helpless. I hope you could provide us some

> guidance in controlling of his disease progression even at this late

stage.

>

> Current age-73

> 09/15/98- DX at age of 68 through biopsy, bPSA 35, bone scan-5 hot

> spots, DX-D2

> 09/22/98 Orchiectomy, TURP to relieve urinating difficulty

> ERBT to prostate bed from 10/98 to 02/99

> Flutamine for about a month but stopped because of liver

> toxicity

> 04/99-PSA-1.2 (Lab A)

> 09/99-PSA 0.7

> 7/00-PSA 0.8

> 07/01-PSA 0.015 (Lab B)

> 07/02-PSA 0.14

> 07/03-PSA 1.4

> 10/03-PSA 2.6- difficult to urinate

> 12/03-PSA 5.4

> DX-scar tissues built up in urethral tract (major mistake!)

> TX-E-beam remove the scar (we think it is a major mistake) but did biopsy

on

> the tissues, GS (5+4)

> 01/07/04-Starting Casodex 50mg/day

> 02/-PSA 2.41

> 03/-PSA 2.18

> 04/-PSA 2.50

> 05/-PSA 2.80-minor pains in the hip

> 06/-PSA 3.08

> 06/14/04 urethral tract ultrasound found spread to urethral tract and

penis.

> Unable to urinate

> 06/22/04 Tx-urinal diversion

> 07/24/04-PSA 4.12, AKP 131

> Stopped Casodex, Start Proscar and Mobic (Celebrex is not available in

> China)

> 08/03/04-MRI Pelvic confirmed PC spread to seminal vessel and urethral

> tract.

> 08/04/04-BS (ECT), 7 hot spots in bones

> Overall health is good besides borderline diabetes.

>

> Questions:

>

> 1. Is he hormone-refractory?

> 2. In Dr. Myers' paper on PCRInsights Vol 5. No 2 " Androgen

> Resistance Part I " he commented that the T level on the prostate issue is

> only reduced to 75% for surgical castration patient. Does that mean that

> Lupron does a better job than surgical castration? Is there any benefit to

> use Lupron in surgical castration patients?

> 3. What should we do next? Some doctors suggest use SR89 but we

> are worried that it is not going to control the progression.

> 4. Should we try second -line hormone therapies? We thought

> about HDK but are worried about the side effect especially the liver

> toxicity.

> 5. Should we consider chemo at this point? Which protocol is

> the best and has the minimal side effect? My father is worried about

taking

> Eymct because he read a book that says that the disease progresses much

> faster once you stop taking it. Most of the doctors in China do not

believe

> in Chemo for treating PC patients. They said that Chemo is not effective.

> 6. Are there any other things we should do?

>

> Your help will be appreciated very much.

>

> Yingqiu

> -a heart aching daughter

>

>

> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

>

> Greetings Yxxx,

>

> Sorry to learn of your father's difficulties.

>

> I hope the P2P doctors reply with advice on testosterone supplementation /

> replacement, as this is a valid option for your father at this time.

>

> Although I am not medically trained I take a great interest in this

illness.

> You can see my web page at: www.prostateman.org. Yxxx, I should be very

> grateful if you would allow me to copy your post to the P2P to another

> medical group. I will ensure the personal details are made anonymous and

if

> I get any relevant replies, I will pass them to you.

>

> Sincerely,

>

> GA " Sammy " Bates

> BA., BSc., MSc., PGCE.

>

> PS. Here is my 'lay' response to your questions.

>

> > 1. Is he hormone-refractory?

>

> I believe so. A rising PSA over several months indicates this.

>

> > 2. In Dr. Myers' paper on PCRInsights Vol 5. No 2 " Androgen

> > Resistance Part I " he commented that the T level on the prostate issue

is

> > only reduced to 75% for surgical castration patient. Does that mean that

> > Lupron does a better job than surgical castration? Is there any benefit

to

> > use Lupron in surgical castration patients?

>

> As your father has been castrated it is a moot point surely? Academically

> speaking Lupron+Casodex may do a better job for a time, BUT HRPC emerges

> eventually, regardless of the type of castration - chemical or physical.

> Hence HRPC is the issue to address.

>

> > 3. What should we do next? Some doctors suggest use SR89 but we

> > are worried that it is not going to control the progression.

>

> Typically Sr89 will control bone metastases for a few months. Overall the

> treatment may weaken your father because the radiation affects the blood.

> What is his overall health like?

>

> > 4. Should we try second -line hormone therapies? We thought

> > about HDK but are worried about the side effect especially the liver

> > toxicity.

>

> This is a possibility. Strum will mention details if he replies. In the UK

> (from where I write) there is NOT a lot of enthusiasm for HDK for prostate

> cancer, thus relatively little is know of the 'ins and outs'.

>

> > 5. Should we consider chemo at this point? Which protocol is

> > the best and has the minimal side effect? My father is worried about

> taking > Eymct because he read a book that says that the disease

progresses

> much

> > faster once you stop taking it. Most of the doctors in China do not

> believe > in Chemo for treating PC patients. They said that Chemo is not

> effective.

>

> There is a chemo protocol using platinum with minimum side effects. A

member

> of another group (in the UK) will be reporting back eventually. You may

like

> to join that group and ask further questions about it. Subscribe by

sending

> an email to ProstateCancerSupport-

>

> > 6. Are there any other things we should do?

>

> I believe testosterone is a valid option as mentioned. You could also

> consider asking your father to take a supplement called coriolus

versicolor

> (CV) in the west and known as yun zhi in pinyin (cloud mushroom). Start at

> 1-2 gm per day and build up to 5 gm x3 per day over a few weeks. This

> supplement has been shown to improve well-being for patients undergoing

> radiotherapy or chemotherapy, improving stamina and immune function.

> http://www.mycologyresearch.com/ (I have no financial interest)

>

> Sammy.