Leukine: Experience? Info?

PDA- You flushed, and I rose to the top of the bowl.

My experience with it was for a friend who had failed RP and SRT. He had one suspicious lymph node identified on a C11 Acetate PET. I wanted to maximize the chance of success of his last shot at a cure. Research suggests that SBRT works especially well because it stimulates an immune response. Ideally, I would have liked to see him start with a good immunostimulant (e.g., Provenge, Leukine, low dose cyclophosphamide, etc.) before and during the radiation, and follow-up with an immune check-point blocker (e.g., Yervoy). What he was able to get and afford was Leukine, so he did that for 2 weeks (and ADT for 2 months) prior to SBRT on the lymph node and surrounding area. He is now following that with a year of ADT, including Zytiga.

He found the Leukine to be unpleasant at first - "sticky breathing" - but that went away after the first week. As with all immunostimulants, there is a danger of life-threatening runaway immune cascade. Leukine, a synthetic GM-CSF, is also one of the active ingredients in Provenge.

- Allen

I was fortunate enough to get and try this for free (don't ask-don't tell), still have some too. Very costly to get from only Specialty Pharamacies too. You keep it refrigerated and self inject like into your leg or such and not veins, EZ injectable. Can have side effects, Snuffy Myers says some people have a nasty reaction to it, I must have been one of them.....got super chills and more. So, weird I ended up in hospital but then again it was a Dr. Myers concept I tried of Leukine+ Keto+ Estradiol (might have been an overload- LOL). Anyway that combo works in Hrpca patients like 70-80% of patients (says Dr. Myers), unfortunately didn't do squat for me when I tried these and psa rose slightly while trying them. So, I was in the group of people whom have reactions to Leukine, I figure. Otherwise it can be useful stuff hope you have good insurance, value of like $6000-8000 a month or more for this. I used Zytiga after these protocols and it drove psa down every month for like 6 months (fyi), we never know what drug may be the best choice. Maybe some docs know, but even that is controversial territory.