Anyone considered bilateral orchiectomy: Why or why not?

Posted by rxharleydude @rxharleydude, Sep 21, 2022

Been treated for metastatic prostate cancer for the past 11 years. 82 yo & had a total prostatectomy. Have been successfully treated with Lupron for the past 10 yrs and Zytiga added about a year ago. Considering a bilateral orchiectomy to be able to hopefully get off the Lupron/Ellegard (very painful option compared to Lupron)
Has anyone considered this option & if not, why?

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shane18 | @shane18 | 1 day ago

In reply to @duberdicus "@rxharleydude Yes eligard is like a mild bee bite and there is orgovix. I was told..." + (show)

@duberdicus

It's more painful than a bee bite but now I switched over to Lupron depot but my new care team may do things differently. I'm really wanting to go with estradiol patched to replace the adt.

jeff Marchi | @jeffmarc | 1 day ago

In reply to @shane18 "@duberdicus It's more painful than a bee bite but now I switched over to Lupron depot..." + (show)

@shane18
Estradiol works quite well, Just as effective as ADT With many fewer side effects.

There are videos over at ancan.org by Richard Wassersug Who is been using it for almost 10 years. He wrote a book on ADT. He uses the gel right now, instead of the patch.

If you look up the patch study, you will see that it discusses using estradiol.

Beware that estradiol can cause breast enlargement for about 50% of the people that use it. You can get radiation to the chest before you start it to prevent it from happening.

jimw77 | @jimw77 | 1 day ago

In reply to @dale1618 "My first cancer (2001) took my left testicle. Now it's aggressive early prostate cancer. Given the..." + (show)

@dale1618 Dale, I had a bilateral orchiectomy four years ago. It was indeed a simple removal with an incision through the scrotum, and at the same time they did a TURP procedure, which completely cleared up the urinary urgency and leakage problems I had been having. The orchiectomy was almost immediately effective in dropping my PSA to undetectable, and I had some of the usual side effects of ADT, but my quality of life convinced me I had made the right choice. I'm 78 now, and after I became castrate-resistant last year, I had five SBRT targeted radiation sessions, and am now halfway through 6 rounds of Pluvicto, which is again dropping my PSA way back down. I'm one of the fortunate ones for whom the next treatment development seems to come along at just the right time.