Why isn't hormone therapy used in all prostate cancers?
An observation and insightful comment by one group member here: "Lupron/Eligard both shrink the prostate and stops the production of testosterone which feeds the growth of prostate cancer." If so, why don't all treatment options of prostate cancer include hormone therapy? I am waiting on a second opinion for my treatment (Lupron + EBRT) from Mayo hoping I can do without the often dreaded side effects of hormone therapy. I realize one size doesn't fit all, but why is hormone therapy used in some prostate cancers and not in others?
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I had it 10 years ago ,It does soften you up ,Bui I would do it again. I just found a small spot on my iliac bone and getting ready to start radiation, Keeping my fingers crossed
This is exactly what happened to me I was pumping up the testosterone for 3 years not realizing the the cancer was feeding on it.. then boom Gleason 9 surgery biopsy clean, 4 months bio reoccurrence ADT & 39 RT
I really feel more General practitioners and/or nurse practitioners should educate their patients in this..
From what I am reading about Lupron there are serious side effects from Lupron. That's no small consequence. I haven't seen anybody talk about the interval between the shots, and when i think about it maybe that interval can be increased so as to diminish the horrible side effects. Now that i can see the overall picture of the disastrous effects of Lupron the what about the other anti androgen drugs? There re quite a few that are mentioned, but no one has had them. So again, it seems to me that there needs to be greater consideration about the side effects of Lupron before going too quickly into its use. The issue now is that there are more anti androgen drugs, that might be able to be combined with a lower dose of lupron that might diminish the side effects. I would love a comment on this.
I agree with you and can attest as living proof. After now having a total of 42 months of it spread out over 7+ years,5 different rounds. The first 2 times I was on it I recovered well(3 month shot Preop then 8 months first reoccurrence). I have continued to run and moderate weight lifting,not a couch potato by no means. Was back to full running ability after I was off it for over a year but after 3 more rounds with salvage radiation twice I finally said I wanted no more and the doctor agreed. I have never quit exercising but it sure is a struggle and despite continuing my muscle strength has continued to deteriorate among the other side effects. Many oncologists turn straight to it. Be weary of them if that is all they wanna do.
Try Zolodex
I just completed a year of lupron, plus Erleada and RP ((had that 6 months ago) and I am feeling so much better now. However, that treatment is not as bad as many chemo treatments and it has reduced my Gleason 9 cancer to 12 testosterone and 0 PSA. I am hopeful for a cure, but that is a long shot and my UCLA doctor tells me to expect 5-7 more years. If I have to return to these meds I would because staying alive is very important to me. You feel the effects of those meds but it is manageable.
I think it has different effects on people. I received Lupron for 25 months. About halfway through the treatment I noticed I had very little energy especially in my and told the urologist I didn't like it and would like to stop it. He said I needed to continue to take it for 2 years so I did. I am now almost 4 years post Lupron, have very little energy, my testosterone is about 15 and will be that or less for the rest of my life and I wish I would have stopped taking Lupron when I initially wanted to. I can't imagine ever agreeing to take Lupron again. However, I think others are not adversely effected by it very much at all.
There are no 'free lunches' in PCa treatment. ADT can have a high physiological (and sometimes mental) cost. Like having your prostate cut out or being irradiated, it's not something most people would choose to do if it wasn't a choice between that and an early death.
HT does improve the statistics, and a patient or healthcare provider who sees that and stops thinking about it at that point will favor hormone therapy whether needed or not.
Do it IF you need it, avoid it if you don't. Look up presentations on managing the side-effects; daily exercise and some meds help.
Slight energy loss on zolodex The radiation to my L2 lumbar is like taking a brick out
Have you actually seen the numbers/statistics on PCa outcomes +/- Lupron/ADT following either RP or Radiation? It would be helpful to get an idea of the tradeoffs we are asked to make in our overall health enjoyment of life with ADT treatment versus years of disease free life, or years of life added by ADT.