The first memory I have of prostate cancer is my dad laying down in a hospital bed in a ward filled with other men in varying stages of this disease after he was poked and prodded by a urologist. My dad had many such scares in his life. It was a very challenging time for my siblings, my mother but especially me. I am very close to my father and consider him to be my best friend. I am a real what you would call a daddy’s girl. I remember sitting with my dad before he was taken up to the ward and before he changed into a hospital gown in a smart-looking hospital feeling overwhelmed and on the brink of tears, wishing I could disappear into a hole in the ground and a dad who was in the best physical shape of his life.
The new drug for prostate cancer is a treatment called lutetium-177-PSMA-617 or LuPSMA and it has two components: a compound that targets a cancer cell protein called prostate-specific membrane antigen, or PSMA, and a radioactive particle that destroys the cells.
After 20 years, only 3 of 217 patients survive prostate cancer.
Nanoparticles are being tested as a means to deliver drugs to prostate cancer cells.
Men with moderate-grade disease have intermediate cumulative risk of prostate cancer progression after 20 years of follow-up.
The best painkiller for this cancer is paracetamol and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen and naproxen.
Foods that help prostate cancer are broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, bok choy, Brussel sprouts, spinach and kale. Some studies suggest that cruciferous vegetables may help slow down the growth of prostate cancer and reduce the risk of advanced prostate cancer.
A study involving 3,927 men in Greater Montreal suggested that drinking a beer every day over a long period is associated with an increase of an aggressive prostate cancer.
Prostate cancer feels like a painful sensation or burning urination. Painful ejaculation. Frequent pain or stiffness in lower back, hips, pelvic or rectal area, or upper thighs.
A low carb/high fat diet slows the growth of prostate cancer cells.
Drinking alcohol — even more than six drinks a week — doesn’t make the symptoms of an enlarged prostate any worse. In fact, men who drink more than that it is shown to otherwise be good for them have fewer prostate symptoms and better sexual function than teetotalers. This is what I came across in my research.
Currently, no treatments can cure advanced/metastatic prostate cancer. However, there are effective ways to help slow its spread, prolong life, and control its symptoms, including immunotherapy, hormone therapy, chemotherapy, precision medicine and clinical trials.
Radiation therapy is a good choice for many men with early-stage prostate cancer. It is also the best treatment for older men or those who have other health problems. There are different types of radiation therapy: such as External beam radiation.
Does prostate cancer shorten your lifespan?
There is a 15-year relative survival rate of 95 percent. Fifteen years after diagnosis, the average prostate cancer patient is 5 percent less likely to survive than a man without prostate cancer.
Many people worry about being in pain when they are dying. Some people do get pain if the prostate presses on their nerves or makes their bones weak. But not everyone dying from prostate cancer has pain.
There is now a targeted ‘radioligand’ that improves survival in advanced prostate cancer.
It is a new kind of prostate cancer treatment tested at OHSU where a targeting compound with a radioactive isotope irradiates and kills cancer cells, sparing most normal tissues.
Remember: Prostate cancer is not a death sentence, you can still in the ensuing months of your diagnosis live a fulfilling life.
