Prostate Cancer Information

Question: seeking information on help with prostate cancer treatments without insurance? a family member has stage 3 prostate cancer. his insurance is declining to pay saying it was a pre exsisting condition. where should he go for help. obviously time is of the essence.

Answer: I dont know what stage 3 is.. BUT I had prostate cancer in 2005 and was given a harmone shot called lupron to start with .. One lupron shot will put the cancer on hold for about 4 months.. and if his cancer isnt real bad there is a possibility that it can keep him alive 8-10 years... The shots cost about $1,200.00 to $1,500.00 each.. dont know if this will work for you.. If he is near California .. he might call Loma Linda University Medical Center..Proton Radiation Department.. They treat lots of prostate cancer there and it is a Seven Day Adventist Hospital.. I have no idea if they would help him if he explained his situation.. all I know is that they are some of the nicest people I have ever met.. wish I could help more..

Question: Prostate Cancer information PLEASE HELP!!!? My dad had a biopsy done and he will be having to go back to have his prostate "scraped". What does this mean and what is the process like??? Or will they completely remove it? And what is the healing process like? How long will he be in the hospital? How long will he be home recovering? Soooo many questions because Im a concerned daughter and my parents didnt really understand the docs terminology! Any info please help!!!

Answer: If he's having it scraped he probably doesn't have prostate CA. They basically go in from the urethra and scrape down the prostate from the inside to widen the opening in an attempt to give the poor guy some relief from not being able to pee through the narrowing.

Question: Prostate Cancer information PLEASE!!!? My dad had a biopsy done and he will be having to go back to have his prostate "scraped". What does this mean and what is the process like??? Or will they completely remove it? And what is the healing process like? How long will he be in the hospital? How long will he be home recovering? Soooo many questions because Im a concerned daughter and my parents didnt really understand the docs terminology! Any info please help!!!

Answer: No he is not having it removed. It sounds like he is having a TURP. Usually you go home the following day. The prostate isn’t really scraped. The patient is under general anesthesia and the surgeon enters the urethra with a scope and removes pieces of the prostate. When he wakes up he’ll have a catheter. There are no incisions. Recovery is a week or two. This isn’t really a treatment for prostate cancer. It is done to relieve symptoms.

Question: Prostate Cancer? Could I get some information on prostate cancer? Thanks.

Answer: With early diagnosis, prostate cancer is very treatable and in some cases, can be considered cured. The prostate generally increases in size as men age. The risk for prostate cancer also increases with age, although scientists do not know what causes prostate cancer. The good news is that it usually develops slowly and, if you're asking on behalf of yourself, I hope you're doing well : ) You can learn more about symptoms, prevention, research and treatment at this site: http://cancer.health.ivillage.com/reproductivesystemcancer/prostatecancer.cfm Good luck!

Question: Information on prostate cancer? DOES A LOW PSA LEVEL (BELOW 4) MEAN THAT PROSTATE CANCER HAS PROBABLY NOT SPREAD FROM THE PROSTATE?

Answer: How much a cancer has spread cannot be determined by the PSA level. How was this person diagnosed? A PSA below 4 is normal and a doctor would not likely do other tests. If he already had his prostate removed and his PSA is rising that is a different story.

Question: How much time would you have off work if you had prostate cancer? How much time would you have off work if you had prostate cancer and were having an operation for it? How long would each stage take in the whole thing of having it and getting rid of it? Any other information about prostate cancer is welcome! ....Thankyou...X does 6-7 months sound too long?? I know someone who is going to be off work for that amount of time and was wondering if that was what was wrong with him ? what else could it possibly be if it can't be that?

Answer: There are several options for treating prostate cancer. My husband had his prostate removed and was off 6 weeks. He is now undergoing 39 treatments of radiation, 5 days a week, which will take a little over 7 weeks. He works M-F and just leaves early for his treatment. He hasn't missed a day so far and he's half way through his treatments. He is otherwise very healthy and in his mid-fifties. It can be different for each individual depending on several factors. An older man or someone with other medical problems would probably not be able to work. So you see, it all depends on the person and the type of treatment they have chosen.

Question: Phase 2 Prostate cancer anyone have information?? My father was just diagnosed with prostate cancer. The doctor said he's in Phase 2. We're gonna get the surgery in 6 weeks. I want to know how long I can expect to still have him around. Because the doctors aren't being very helpful.

Answer: You do not specify whether your father has been involved in a clinical trial. There are usually two phases, I will explain - evaluation of new drug treatments for cancer involves a series of clinical trials. Phase I trials are designed to assess tolerance to a drug, and to investigate pharmacokinetics; such trials are usually conducted on patients with advanced cancer of any type for whom there is no known effective treatment. Phase II trials are usually cancer-site-specific and ask whether there is sufficient evidence of activity for further evaluation of the new treatment; the outcome measure is usually tumor response (or shrinkage), and establishment of the RECIST criteria has facilitated uniformity in determination of response for patients with different types of cancer. If this is not the case, I shall discuss prostate cancer in the later stages, here, it can spread locally into the surrounding tissue or the nearby lymph nodes, called the pelvic nodes. The cancer then can spread even farther (metastasize) to other areas of the body. The doctor on a rectal examination can sometimes detect local spread into the surrounding tissues. That is, the physician can feel a hard, fixed (not moveable) tumour extending from and beyond the gland. Prostate cancer usually metastasizes first to the lower spine or the pelvic bones (the bones connecting the lower spine to the hips), thereby causing back or pelvic pain. The cancer can then spread to the liver and lungs. Metastases (areas to which the cancer has spread) to the liver can cause pain in the abdomen and jaundice (yellow colour of the skin) in rare instances. Metastases to the lungs can cause chest pain and coughing. You state that you are expecting him to be admitted for surgery in a few weeks time. To be certain about this condition, you would be advised to write down what you want to know, and consult the oncologist or specialist involved, and ask about your specific questions. I suggest that you write them down because, all too often, when confronted with the specialist one or more items may be forgotten and only remembered after the meeting is over. Hope this helps Matador 89

Question: There has been alot of information reported about the value of PSA in detecting prostate cancer.? Why is this test viewed as controversial?

Answer: prostate cancer (PCa) is the most common cancer and men- and it is being detected in more and more younger men. Some feel it is over treated in America. They used to think a PSA over 4 indicated PCa. Now they realize that some men have large prostates and the PSA value is related to the size of the prostate. And as men age the prostate gets larger. Today the key indicator is the change in the PSA value over time. Most PCa grows very slowly- like over ten to fifteen years. so if the PSA is not changing very rapidly - probably not an issue.

Question: Prostate cancer - genuine success stories needed please? I have googled for all of the information about prostate cancer, how its treated etc etc so dont need anything crap like that thanks. What I am after is genuine stories of how people have coped/beaten it, or not as obviously this is the case also. Anything useful is gratefully appreciated. Thanks

Answer: Have a look at www.gojihealthstories.com and www.pubmed.org (type in prostate cancer or oncology) Recommended amount of Himalayan Goji to drink in that situation is 120-240ml a day. More if you can. Cancer feeds off fermented sugars, Himalayan Goji Juice balances the sugars thus increasing the strength and nutrition of healthy cells and depriving cancer cells.

Question: Prostate Cancer with Gay Men VS Straight Men? I'm trying to do a report of a biology class about prostate cancer. I have been able to find information comparing different races and the stats of prostate cancer among them. I have not been about to find any information about prostate cancer in gays vs straight men. I would think that for gay it is less, because they are stimulating their prostate more, but I'm not really sure. I'm totally in the dark about this one. Question is: do gay men get prostate cancer less than straight men?

Answer: No one seems to have a clue. In truth, men of EITHER persuasion who have little or no sex seem to be the ones who are most susceptible to prostate cancer. The prostate is directly involved with the production of testosterone, or male hormone, which not only triggers sexual responses but ALSO is an emotional trigger for ALL men and since the biology is MALE the reactions are usually anger, rage, frustration and the like. Physical activity--working out-- is one way for men to reduce the negative effects of testosterone in the body. Frequent jacking off or person to person sexual activity is not only a stress reducer for men, but it is a NECESSITY in a different way then it is for women. For males the need for sex is much more frequent and the drive is often triggered visually and by scent in a much more aggressive way then it is for women. Without releasing this drive, the sperm in storage becomes susceptible to an aging process which is little un- derstood but which can be most easily identified by TASTE. Try tasting month old sperm. It will make you gag. The factor of not releasing sperm often will someday be identified as producing a carcinogen which has yet to be identified. While some of this information may seem disquieting to you--or even absurd--it is only because you are not advanced enough to grasp it. In a phrase: USE IT OR LOSE IT.

Question: can anyone give me some information on IMRT for prostate cancer? where is this treatment available in Europe?

Answer: try www.radiologyinfo.org for more information of this treatment and The Royal Marsden Hospital in London, UK may have this kind of treatment available. Check the website www.royalmarsden.nhs.uk

Question: Can you get prostate cancer from masturbation? Im doing a report on prostate cancer for my college professor and I want my paper to include odd but correct information.

Answer: No. Absolutely not. Cancer comes from mutated cells. Masturbating does NOT mutate cells. Masturbating is HARMLESS.

Question: Did anyone see a recent article on Yahoo News regarding a new Prostate Cancer drug? I saw this article recently which was tested on a couple of men with prostate cancer, with incredible results. It was only a matter a of few weeks ago, however I am now unable to find it. I was hoping somebody may know this drug or have any information on it, name, availability, what stage of testing it is in etc. Any advice or info would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

Answer: Is this what you are looking for : news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7502238.stm Abiraterone could potentially treat up to 80% of patients with a deadly form of the disease resistant to currently available chemotherapy, they say. The drug works by blocking the hormones which fuel the cancer. The Institute of Cancer Research hopes a simple pill form will be available in two to three years.

Question: Tenderness or growth of male breast after removal of testes to cure prostate cancer? Hi my father who is 71 years old and has advance stage of prostate cancer. He is going through a surgery for removal of testes to stop cancer growth. Can anyone please share their experience with regards to the side effect related to growth of breast size. Also what other side effects are related to it. Request someone to share their practical experience rather then information from websites. Thanks

Answer: Orchiectomy is a form of hormone therapy used to help control, but not cure prostate cancer. The patient is usually given a choice of this surgical and obviously permanent procedure or the use of daily pills with periodic injections that may be stopped if the patient chooses. Your father’s doctor should have discussed the pros and cons along with the side effects of both with your father and/or family members for a decision to be made. Breast growth and tenderness is typical as is sterility, loss of sexual interest, erection problems, hot flashes, weight gain, loss of muscle mass and osteoporosis. In other words the lack of testosterone that gives male characteristics such as facial hair, a lower voice and higher sex drive and helps to protect them against many of the things that causes problems with women as we age is no longer there in the levels they are used to, so they begin to develop some of the same problems we have. Keep in mind your father has just gone through a sudden change in hormones and may appear in many ways, including emotionally, like a woman does when she goes through the change, only we are usually better equipped to deal with it. Although this is just my personal opinion, I believe this aspect of it is often not discussed or downplayed, as 98% of urologists are male and men are men, which I’m sure requires no further explanation.

Question: what are the prostate cancer symptoms? * Dull pain in your lower pelvic area * Urgency of urination * Difficulty starting urination * Pain during urination * Weak urine flow and dribbling * Intermittent urine flow * A sensation that your bladder doesn't empty * Frequent urination at night * Blood in your urine * Painful ejaculation * General pain in your lower back, hips or upper thighs * Loss of appetite and weight * Persistent bone pain More information about Prostate Cancer check http://prostatecancersymptoms.info

Answer: None of the above. They may be symptoms of cancer once it spreads from the prostate to other areas. I had no symptoms and prostate cancer was detected as a result of annual physical and blood check for cholesterol. My PSA went from 1.5 to 4.5 in 12 months. Doctor ordered biopsies and cancer was detected in 1 of 12 areas. The Gleason score was 4+4=8 (aggressive tumor) I had the prostate removed a month later. They found cancer in the sections the biopsies missed. I was 59 when it was removed. With no symptoms.

Question: does the gardasil treatment really help prevent cervical cancer? I'll be getting the treatment. Keep in mind I have a family history of cancer. My mother has been fighting ovarian cancer, her uncle had skin cancer and her father had prostate cancer. Any helpful information would be great too.

Answer: Over 99% percent of cervical cancer is caused by HPV. Gardasil protects against 2 strains of HPV (16 & 18) that cause 70% of cervical cancer (and the 2 strains that cause 90% of genital warts). With respect to those strains 16 & 18, Gardasil has shown to be 100% effective. So yes, it definitely prevents cervical cancer. Some people don't think Gardasil is that effective because it only reduces cervical lesions by about 45%. But the cervical lesions caused by other types of HPV are much less likely to progress to cancer than types 16 & 18. And acutally, Gardasil has been shown to give some protection against other strains. It's not close to 100%, but you have your chance of lesions from other types of strains reduced by maybe 20-40%. So yes, Gardasil definitely is helpful in preventing cervical cancer. Get it!