Dr, Nick Vogelzang Presentation

It's possible.

LOL. It was a good meeting. Dr. Vogelzang typically deals with patient's that are well advanced and dealing with castrate resistant disease. He is an internationally recognized research leader and investigator in the treatment of prostate cancer. That stated my disclaimer is that he is my personal oncologist and he is the nut case that encouraged me to transition from an online prostate cancer forum moderator to a live support group leader. So it is that he was our guest speaker tonight - our last meeting of 2011.

So I'm biased.

His presentation tonight focussed on progression. This category of patient was defined by those who have progressed beyond their initial treatment and have a rising PSA. He said it's very important to keep in mind that it's probable that this happened no matter the initial therapy and it does not mean that the initial therapy failed. People need to remember that initial therapies are not just meant to be curative but also to help in the early stages to treating aggressive prostate cancer that may have already advanced beyond a curative level. Dr. V. mentioned that he has never seen a duplicate case of advanced prostate cancer. What does't work for some sometimes works for others. And visa versa.

He presented his latest presentations of CRPC at ASCO as well as his most recent information on XL184. He is a principle investigator of XL184 as well as others and he likes what he sees.

There were some excellent slides on the locations in time to insert treatment. Such as Abiraterone (Zytiga). It was introduced as a drug that helps after initial chemotherapy failed, but we have since learned that it is also effective in delaying chemotherapy for longer intervals. That study is still under investigation but the numbers will support this finding and the FDA will support that use. Until then it will be a battle to get insurance companies to cover it.

Dr. V. also presented his support of a study that is testing men's diet habits after diagnosis that includes online and telephone monitoring. He said it matters and that these "volunteers" will be grilled to fix their dietary habits. The key point here is ~ Guys take special care of yourselves. Please!!! Stop propagating bad health habits.

He is sending me these presentations and I really need to know a best way to distribute them easily.

As soon as I get them I will post if possible.

PS: If he buys the lunch Saturday I'm two for two in this thread...

Thank you, sir...

Tony

I get a second presentation today. Nick and I are riding out together to work with the Parhump, NV chapter. It's about an hour outside of Las Vegas (where "Mars Attacks" struck first in the movie) He is presenting again and I have begun funding that chapter's mailings. I have lot's of handouts for them.

PS we are also going to lunch and he makes a lot more than I do...

You have a great turkey day. I just bought ours and it will be deep fried. We have the cooker and I highly recommend that method.

Tony

Post Edited (TC-LasVegas) : 11/19/2011 10:46:50 AM (GMT-7)

Tony,

What diet changes is he recommending.  Vegan or Mediterranean or  neither.  Dr. Charles Meyers recommends a heart-healthy Mediterranean diet whereas Dean Ornish is more plant-based.

I would be interested in his thoughts.

Paul

@John.
Pahrump is just 20 miles from the Nevada Nuclear Test Site. That something in the water probably glows.

I didn't see your friends but I was with Vogelzang again today. He was 30 minutes late because of his work. So it was that I was asked if I could talk and I led a discussion on the USPSTF recommendation to stop screening for prostate cancer. I outlined two cases that pronounce the conundrum of this recommendation. Mine and my friend. My friend had 3+3=6 in one in twelve cores with only 9% of that one core positive. He could not get out of bed in the morning and called me one day in tears. He lost his wife to cancer and he feared that this was his destiny. He is on active surveillance and he recently had a PSA "jump" of .5 to 5.0. Again some panic. He's getting better but this is the patient the USPSTF does not think is a good diagnosis.

And then there's my story...

Tomorrow I go out on through the Valley of Fire ATV trails in Logandale with another oncologist. Since he's a radiation oncologist I'll see if I can get him to describe years of effects radiation in Pahrump drinking water might have. I will tell him my theory that since Pahrump added a Walmart around the same time we started receiving email with photo's of "Walmartians" that the movie "Mars Attacks" was not in fact a fictional movie. He might say it was the water...

Tony

Post Edited (TC-LasVegas) : 11/19/2011 11:26:41 PM (GMT-7)