Lupron yeah or Lupron nay that is the question.

Posted by dpcarriere @dpcarriere, Feb 13, 2022

I've rationalized my need for Lupron Therapy. But there are holes in my analysis. The holes are there because of lack of data. So I'm in search of data. I want to hear the real data on the pros and cons of Lupron. All I have heard are generalities. Nothing specific, nothing quantatative, so let's get real.
I invite all to participate including moderators as this is relevant to all and also beneficial to all. My initial query. Who, what facility, has my Lupron answers? They have to be there else we would not be using that form of therapy. It had to have been researched into oblivion as are all procedures in the US of A thus justifying their cost structuring. When does Lupron cease to be effective? That is, what quantifiable condition of our tumors renders Lupron useful? If your doctor says you are cured of your cancer then why continue it's use? If it ain't broke why "fix" it??

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Prostate Cancer Support Group.

I had my prostate removed in Feb of '04, using open surgery, with Gleaswn of 4+3, and PSA of 30. Numbers were good for a long time, but very gradually crept up. In March of '19 I had Whipple surgery for Pancreatic cancer, with 12 sets of chemo with Folfirinoxl. I go in every three months for blood work and scans. Middle of '21 my PSA started to go up quickly, going from 40 to 60 in a month, and bone scan showed spots in myt left pelvic area and hip, but no pain. My DR. put me on three month shots of Lupron. I had been given it before, and it is no nicer now than before. Hot flashes, fatigue, muscle mass loss big time, but no weight gain. I had bounced back from the pancreatic cancer pretty darn well, but this Lupron is kicking my butt. The fatigue I push thru, walking up to 5 miles a day, working a part time job 3 days a week, and keeping everything on our acreage kept up. The hot flashes I have been used to again. I have a hard time facing the loss of muscle mass and feel like I have aged 5 years in the last 6 months. I also have trouble sleeping which does not help matters. I really feel like my quality of life has gone down the toilet. My Dr. and I joke that the Pancreatic cancer will get me before the Prostate cancer (numbers are good so far for the Pancreatic side of things). I am strongly considering ending the Lupron treatment, and doing some serious soul searching and praying about what to do. I have never felt that I was a victim of either form of cancer, and just figure them as a bump in the road. Thought I might add that I will turn 74 years young in 5 days. Best to everyone.

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Six months after my first Lupron injection my PSA was undetectable. I guess that's good news in the war on cancer. The side effects in my case have been hell! My biggest problem has been taking my bad knees/hands and made them even worse. I calculate how to minimize my steps before I do anything. Extreme fatigue is another big issue. I just have no energy. I'm not getting anything done and I've given up activities I enjoy. Mild cognitive degeneration is becoming noticable to me. Not a big deal but I find myself occasionally looking for the right word or just plain being "a little foggy." Using the toilet is messy because, well, short barreled guns are hard to aim. While not a real hindrance to quality of life, I'm still having a hard time accepting breasts.
Surgery was not an option so Lupron/radiation was the only way to go. IF other treatments are available I'd recommend against Lupron, yet if that's the best for you then that's what you do. Last month I took my second injection.

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@remington

Six months after my first Lupron injection my PSA was undetectable. I guess that's good news in the war on cancer. The side effects in my case have been hell! My biggest problem has been taking my bad knees/hands and made them even worse. I calculate how to minimize my steps before I do anything. Extreme fatigue is another big issue. I just have no energy. I'm not getting anything done and I've given up activities I enjoy. Mild cognitive degeneration is becoming noticable to me. Not a big deal but I find myself occasionally looking for the right word or just plain being "a little foggy." Using the toilet is messy because, well, short barreled guns are hard to aim. While not a real hindrance to quality of life, I'm still having a hard time accepting breasts.
Surgery was not an option so Lupron/radiation was the only way to go. IF other treatments are available I'd recommend against Lupron, yet if that's the best for you then that's what you do. Last month I took my second injection.

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I’ve been on Lupron for more than six years without a break but with the expected mild side effects. We’re all different. There are alternative ADT treatments. You might ask your doc about them before your next shot. What has been most helpful to me, and I have bad knees too, is exercise, exercise, exercise. It does wonders for the body and mind.

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Can endorse that as also being the case with my experience of Lupron and Enzalutimide.
That along with switching my diet to whole food plant based has in my consultants opinion, improved in a positive way, the effects and outcomes of the hospital treatments I have recieved and still undertaking.
Namely. Lupron and Enzalutimide.
2 rounds of chemo (docetexal) and 20 rounds of radio to Prostate and 2 adjacent pelvic lymp nodes.
My consultant wants to keep me on both hormones for additional 18 months, pending the results of whole body PET scan which I will get 12 weeks after completing Radio, which was 3 weeks ago. I'm based in the UK by the way.
Would also recommend anyone who has had a cancer diagnosis to get hold of a book called the China Study.
For me it reinforced and proves the link which I already suspected existed between diet, exercise and chronic illness including cancer.
Got diagnosed last Sept, with locally advanced PC (had spread to 2 lymph nodes in Pelvis) and Gleeson 10.
Good luck to everyone currently living or getting treatment for this cancer.

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I am 68, retired MD, and have a new diagnosis of prostate cancer, Gleason 4+3, some potential extraprostatic extension but no adjacent tissue involvement or nodes on the MRI scan. Grade is described as intermediate risk unfavorable. Plan to start radiation in 1.5 weeks and either Lupron or Orgovyx for a 4 month course of treatment. I would welcome comments from those who have either treatment as an adjunct to radiation in this situation. I read about the side effects but I also have an early neurodegenerative brain condition affecting memory and thinking and am worried that may worsen from the ADT.

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A quick search seems to indicate it's a drug in the pipeline for the treatment of tumors and possibly to help prevent metastasis in the lungs.

Most of the docs I see indicate it's being developed for breast and ovarian cancers. Perhaps it's being thought of for other uses. Most of the things I've found are a tad technical for my feeble brain.
https://www.theratech.com/news-releases/news-release-details/theratechnologies-presents-new-vivo-th1902-preclinical-data

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In reply to @tnola123th "WHAT IS TH1902?" + (show)
@tnola123th

WHAT IS TH1902?

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https://www.abc27.com/local-news/gettysburg-doctor-patient-first-in-the-world-to-try-new-cancer-treatment/
My husband has prostrate cancer and I try to be on the lookout for information. This what I found - note it is dated 4/2021 and also don’t know how reliable it is.

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@npolanco

https://www.abc27.com/local-news/gettysburg-doctor-patient-first-in-the-world-to-try-new-cancer-treatment/
My husband has prostrate cancer and I try to be on the lookout for information. This what I found - note it is dated 4/2021 and also don’t know how reliable it is.

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This appears to be part of the clinical trial as well. I couldn't find anything relating this drug to PC treatment after that article. It seems it was designed for most cancers as long as you can identify the tumor.

Given the statement "So your target is a cancer cell. You have a guided missile, so it’s a drug that is with some chemotherapy and now you are going to deliver it directly to your target..." It seems odd to me that they would limit it to those with tumors. Except, it may be the only way to judge how well it's working "Did the tumor shrink?

If it targets at the cell level, why wouldn't it work for chemical recurrence? I guess we'll have to wait and see! (fingers crossed)

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