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Prostate cancer aggressiveness: a new biomarker

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Posted 10/24/2012 4:18 PM (GMT 0)
Not sure if this was posted did a search and could not find....

making strides!!!

http://www.stonehearthnewsletters.com/prostate-cancer-aggressiveness-a-new-biomarker/prostate-cancer/

 

Posted 10/24/2012 4:47 PM (GMT 0)
Since Riluzole is an approved drug, why wait 12 to 18 months, another 32,000 men die, before you try it on prostate cancer patients? If it shows promise, use it NOW! I bet if Dr. Koochekpour had PC that 12-18 month wait would be reduced to a week or two....
Posted 10/24/2012 8:04 PM (GMT 0)
There are a number of approved drugs for other indications that have looked very promising in studies.
But try to get one prescribed and most doctors will balk at off-label prescription. Many doctors only use the ASCO 'standard of care" and nothing else. Its frustrating.
Posted 10/25/2012 5:41 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks for the article. It is of particular interest to me as I am on AS and anything that will predict how aggressive my PCa is can help me change my treatment.

mP

 

Posted 10/25/2012 6:11 PM (GMT 0)
AKAI, I can relate to your plight. I just found out that I have a gene mutation called BRCA2 which tends to make the cancer far more aggressive.

At first my oncologist didn't even want to look at it, didn't want to test for it. He told me that it only mattered if I had children which I don't. So I went to another center in Philly and got tested, and the tests came back positive. I have the gene, and now my cancer seems to be progressing.

Now, suddenly, my oncologist is interested. He didn't talk to me about it but he copied my test results and filed it.
Posted 10/25/2012 7:25 PM (GMT 0)
John, I think I recently read that "PARP" inhibitors, which are in trials, may possibly affect BRCA mutations.
e.g. ABT-888
Posted 10/25/2012 8:11 PM (GMT 0)
Yes, I consulted with a genetics teams about the PARP-inhibitors. The current thinking is that a combination of Lupron, XTandi and PARP-inhibitors may be effective.

1) Lupron - suppresses testosterone
2) XTandi - tries to stop the cancer cells from processing testosterone
3) PARP - attacks the cancer cells BRCA gene and causes the cell to self-destruct.

It doesn't make me happy that the mutation means that my cancer is far more aggressive than if I didn't have it, but at least I know and the addition of the PARP could mean the difference between life and death.
Posted 10/25/2012 8:11 PM (GMT 0)
Johnkeats, I feel the same way, sometime I brought up things I read about new studies and my Uro would say that he was not aware and kind of left it at that. I think they are very busy and perhaps can't just follow through with everything that their patients bring up. The frustration is when I tried on my own and got no where.

I recently read about another study regarding the same thing (new biomarker) that Dana-Faber Cancer Center participated. Sent them an email, got a response, suggesting that I should look into a different study that was done by somebody else. Sent them back the article that I referred to in the first email.... no response. I think a lot of studies in the news never really become reality leaving people like me very disappointed.

Post Edited (akai) : 10/25/2012 2:22:16 PM (GMT-6)

Posted 10/25/2012 8:18 PM (GMT 0)
I would like to feel that my doctor leaves the office at night, goes home, has dinner, gets into his comfy clothes, turns on his widescreen tv and starts watching a movie, then right before going to bed, jumps over to his PC and searches frantically for clinical trials and new therapies that would treat my individual condition. Alas, I don't believe this happens. I think that they only think about us right before they walk into the consulting room with their laptops and perhaps a few minutes after when they are making notes. This may be necessary due to the large number of patients they see, but its still unnerving when you have cancer and you are putting your life in their hands.

A very disturbing moment came last week when I went to see my oncologist and he talked to me for about two minutes about "re-starting" Casodex before I reminded him that I was STILL taking Casodex. He paused, covered his face with his hands and muttered, "OK, I thought I had taken you off, I have to rethink this." Then he began talking about taking me OFF Casodex because my PSA was rising.

He also said he was going to order a PSA and T-level for next month, and a half hour later when the nurse gave me the order, it didn't have either on it. If I hadn't checked, I would have gone for the blood drawing next month and would have been blissfully unaware that I was only getting a base metabolism.

Post Edited (JohnKeats) : 10/25/2012 2:22:06 PM (GMT-6)

Posted 10/25/2012 8:31 PM (GMT 0)
Man, I feel your pain. My Uro was scheduling me for a PSA test (first one after my Bx - DX) at his hospital when I saw him last. I reminded him that my last three PSA tests were done at two different labs and with three different assays (before my Bx), so, instead of writing me a prescription so I can go back and test at the lab that last did my PSA test he said that this would be a good time to establish a baseline at his hospital????????????

I am on AS and PSA is one way of detecting whether my cancer is advancing? It is not proper to try to compare my PSA results when they not tested at the same lab or not using the same method, yet it did not bother him????

I got my family doctor to write me a prescription for a PSA and will do it Quest which last did my PSA, then I will have to go back to my Uro and do anohter one at his hospital about a week from now.

What a mess.

 

Posted 10/25/2012 8:36 PM (GMT 0)
Akai, can you tell me what AS is? I'm unfamiliar with that.
Posted 10/25/2012 10:50 PM (GMT 0)
Active Surveillance or watchful waiting, this is why predicting cancer aggressiveness is so important to me.
Posted 10/26/2012 2:32 AM (GMT 0)
D'oh! Of course, sorry. I'll be looking into this and if I come up with anything, I'll let everyone know.
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