Prostate Cancer Survivors

 

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Re: ADT3 primary treatment

Fred
I attempted to answer your stated question: "I wonder why this treatment choice is not better known?" More directly it was not my intent to offer logical reasons for not choosing Dr. Bob's approach.
You sound like a bright guy who thoroughly did his research. It appears to me as though you made a great choice, perhaps. the best choice for your particular circumstances.
The fact remains that Dr. Liebowitz's approach to the treatment of prostate cancer is not particularly well known. You are in position to help remedy that situation.
Hope this clarifys my earlier comments.
Regards Don O.

Re: ADT3 primary treatment

Don,

I guess what bothers me the most is that when you are diagnosed with Clinically Localized Prostate Cancer you rarely if ever get a referral to a medical oncologist specializing in prostate cancer. Urologists are surgeons, not cancer specialists. You have to "seek out" a medical oncologist specializing in prostate cancer. Most of these specialists, Snuffy, Shultz, Lam, Tucker, Strum do believe in ADT3 as a first line treatment for CLPC. I just think that patients should be made aware of this option and that some men have long lasting remissions.

BTW...Since I had a "negative biopsy" post treatment, by definition, I am in total remission.

Re: ADT3 primary treatment

Fred:
I agree with your follow-up comments.
Congratulations on your remission!
We would benefit from your continued participation. Hope you elect to share your experience in the "Survivors Stories" forum.
Regards Don O.

Re: ADT3 primary treatment

Fred, I am thrilled for your favorable results and glad that you took the time to share your story on this site. I concur with Don that, as a general proposition, more information is preferable to less when it comes to helping men understand this malady.

Nevertheless, since you are only 12-24 months post treatment, it may be a bit premature to declare a "total remission" on the basis of one negative biopsy. As you're aware, a biopsy is essentially a sampling exercise. The urologist takes 6-12 cores from various regions of your prostate gland, oftentimes guided by TRUS or other advanced imaging. A positive malignant finding in any of those cores means, by definition, that you have PCa. However, the reverse isn't necessarily true. The cancer may have dodged the core samples, especially if your ADT3 did succeed in shrinking your tumor. The malignant cells may be existing microscopically, staying beneath the radar until they multiply into a critical mass once again.

Barring a saturation biopsy (which pulls more cores and thus conveys a more certain status), only another 3-4 years of follow-up will truly tell if you in fact have a durable cure on your hands. Keep getting your PSA level tested at least every 6 months for the next few years. Thereafter, it would still be prudent to be tested at least every year.

Best wishes for a lasting remission/cure. As Don asked, please do keep your story current on this site so we can track your journey.

Re: ADT3 primary treatment

Scott,

Thanks for the kind words. I agree with pretty much everything you said and would like to add that men that have a radical prostatectomy are not necessarily "cured" even if the margins are clear, the pathology is negative, and the PSA is undetectable post treatment. I don't believe the word "cured" should be used with this disease. I think durable remission is about as good as it gets. I would be interested to know if any other ADT3 patient has reported a post treatment negative biopsy on this site?

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