Prostate Cancer Survivors

 

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Re: Re: Testosterone levels, have any of you guys ever played with the third rail?

I guess we all know that testosterone is the fuel that feeds the PCa fire. Therefore I suspect one would need to feel very comfortable with that in mind, before altering the body's testosterone levels.

Re: Re: Re: Testosterone levels, have any of you guys ever played with the third rail?

John,

There is a fair bit of debate about the place of testosterone in the growth of PCa cells. Whilst there is a general view that this is the source of the fuel, it also appears that there are variants of the disease that do not need testosterone related fuels to keep on growing: were this not the case, then ADT would work every time, and clearly it doesn't.

The other argument is that if all indicators are that the tumour was completely contained within the prostate - as evidenced by a lack of detectable PSA - then there are no cancer cells to be fuelled by testosterone.

There are some big assumptions there - hence, I think, Jose's reference to the third rail.

All the best

Terry in Australia

Re: Re: Re: Re: Testosterone levels, have any of you guys ever played with the third rail?

Yes Terry I concur with your comments. But there is also the issue of the bodies own immunological response to PCa cells to be considered as well. Following successful treatment of whatever variety for PCa, it would be inappropriate to speculate that the body no longer produces rogue PC cells. By rogue I mean daughter cells dissimilar in cell structure to the adult. The body immune system still functions in targeting and destroying such cells, but it's efficacy is questionable. Thus my rationale suggests a fine balance between maintain homeostasis and rogue cell production. Such a balance may be tipped toward successful rogue cell production by heightened testosterone levels.
John

Re: Re: Re: Testosterone levels, have any of you guys ever played with the third rail?

Is testosterone really the fuel? Or is it the DHT and Estradiol that are made by enzyme conversion from Testosterone (therefore causing a low ratio of Testosterone to Estradiol)?

Progesterone cream has been shown to reverse PC by blocking the conversion of Testosterone to Estradiol (by aromatase) and to DHT (by 5-alpha reductase).

If Testosterone were the culprit, then teenage boys would get PC. But the men who do get PC tend to have high Estrogens and low Testosterone.

If you block conversion of Testosterone into the real bad guys, you should get the benefits against PC and at the same time get the benefit of increased Testosterone.

Search Progesterone Prostate Cancer for more info on this subject.

Re: Re: Re: Testosterone levels, have any of you guys ever played with the third rail?

Well, "third rail" is a new term to me, living here in southwest USA where there are no mass transit systems. That said, I guess you could say I played with fire... I was diagnoised in 1992 @ 49yrs. Had RP in January 1993. Maintained 0.1-0.3 PSA for 11 years. Original urologist retired; discussed T treatment with new urologist, who agreed we could try. After patches and cream, wound up with bi-monthly injections of DepoTestosterone, which proved to be most effective. However, after about 18 months, PSA began to creep up; went down after a 2-3 month recess, then back up when resumed. After having no T treatment for several months, PSA crept up to 0.6, at which time I went through 35 radiation treatments. Two years since last radiation treatment, PSA is still back down to 0.01-0.02. Have decided no more T treatments.

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