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Photodynamic therapy and sonodynamic therapy?

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Prostate Cancer
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Posted 4/25/2009 12:12 AM (GMT 0)
Hi,

I'm new on this site. My S.O. (45 years old) has recently been diagnosed and does not yet know his Gleason score or PSA results. His doc said to wait for their 2nd appointment after bone & CT scan results to give him his scores -- his appointment is in May. I've been doing tons of research on his behalf in the meantime. Wondering if anyone has ever heard of photodynamic therapy and sonodynamic therapy? They're approved for other cancers in the US (esophagus and lungs) but not for prostate. A clinic in Australia called Opal was using a combo of the two for prostate but they've stopped (for reasons other than effectiveness so their website says). Right now I cannot find any place that practices these. Has anyone heard otherwise? Any opinions out there about these therapies?

Thanks in advance for your thoughts.
Posted 4/25/2009 12:36 AM (GMT 0)

Dear Best Friend:

I have heard of both of those therapies but know of no suggested use for PCa.  However, depending on your friend's stats, there are many good alternatives for treatment of PCa that yield excellent results.

Also, I can see no reason that your doc is holding up on giving your friend his results.  In fact, I personally find that bordering on cruel and, pardon my French, but a load of crap to ask him to wait for further tests to provide the results that a patient deserves to know.  If I was him I would DEMAND to know the specifics of his results immediately including a full explanation of all of the pathology.  This is a disease where the patient needs to take charge and that's what I suggest.  The more you know about the disease and your particular situation, the better prepared you are to figure out what to do.  And, any physician that treated me like a child would not be my doctor for long...

Tudpock

Posted 4/25/2009 12:50 AM (GMT 0)
Hey Tudpock18,

While I totally agree with you, my friend has told me to stop 'going negative' on the doctor and cut the guy some slack as we were supposed to be at the f/u visit already by now and the delay is partially due to our schedule limitations. I guess the doc thought digesting the diagnosis on the 1st visit was enough for a day (whether that thinking is right or wrong). Anyway, we'll know shortly his test results as we're gonna consult with City of Hope soon and they've requested the documents now. Again, I agree with what you said and thank you for voicing what I felt myself.
Posted 4/29/2009 7:21 PM (GMT 0)
The problem with new therapies is that they are new. Over time some may be abandoned, some may be refined, and some may become new “standard” therapies. If you think that you can pick the new winner out of the new contenders, then the question has to be; “Why are you so much smarter than everyone else?”

To me, the choice is a “standard” therapy unless something about my particular condition makes them look bad. Remember that there is no conspiracy to suppress new ideas, just a healthy respect for the principle; “Above all, to do no harm.”
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