Jevtana and Prednisone....why?????

[PhillyProstate]

Anyone on Jevtana? Does it make a difference if you use it with prednisone??? I don't want to use a steroid. Also, I would rather not use more than one drug at a time so I can see what is working, but my doctor insists.

[CERICWIN]

As I understand it, with some of the drugs, prednisone is essential to prevent adrenal insufficency. The prednisone in itself does nothing to stop or slow the cancer, but to prevent some extreme side effects. I think that it's necessary to take prednisone with Zytiga, also.

I don't like steroids, either, but I just had to have an injection of Kenalog, a steroid, to deal with a case of eczema which had gotten out of control because of the stress of going through radiation treatments. It also helped with my arthritis and stimulated my appetite, which was practically non-existent.

Sometimes steroids are necessary.

CERICWIN

[Gultch in reply to CERICWIN]

I have been on 1000 mg daily of Zytiga with 5 mg (twice daily, am and pm) for a little over a year. Long term use of prednisone can contribute to "prednisone face" a rounding of the face and thinning of the skin. It's surprising how many that know me ask if im on prednisone .... "your face is rounder". Stetoids may not be pleasant, but they are a necessary component of the Zytiga therapy regimen.

[JoelT]

Philly,

Jevtana was tested along with prednisone and the FDA label is very specific that it must be taken with Jevtana. Jevtana severely depresses red and white blood cells which puts a patient at a very high risk for developing significant, possibly deadly, infections. The prednisone helps to minimize this problem.

As far as your comment about taking drugs separately, we are probably going to learn (there are a number of active clinical trials going on) that drugs taken in combination will be more effective then when each are taken separately.

Joel

[gibbo41 in reply to JoelT]

JoelT Thank you for your Jevtana post.

I started on Jevtana a week ago and am on prednisolone (=prednisone) 5mg daily. I would like to understand what it is about the action of prednisone that helps to minimize the risk of severe infections with a view to discussing with my oncologist the possibility of increasing prednisone to 5mg twice a day. Can you advise of a reference or information source that might explain this?

I understand the anti-inflammatory properties of prednisone but need to know if there is more to it than this. Thank you.

[maack1]

accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatf...

2.1 General Dosing Information • The individual dosage of JEVTANA is based on calculation of the Body Surface Area (BSA) and is 25 mg/m2 administered as a one-hour intravenous infusion every three weeks in combination with oral prednisone 10 mg administered daily throughout JEVTANA treatment. • Premedication is recommended prior to treatment [see Dosage and Administration (2.3)]