Low Iron in Blood

[Noel91]

Father has Low iron blood levels and he went from 0.06 PSA to 0.08 PSA in the last 2-3 months.

Doc says that it is not relevant as it is a low difference.

He was diagnosed in december 2017 with Stage 4 Prostate Cancer N1( in two nodes) and 2-3 mets in pelvis.I say 2-3 because the first doctor said he has two but apparently he has 3 now. His original PSA was 10.

He immediately started with ADT and Casodex and had microsurgery in February for a prostate and pelvic nodes removal.

He quickly responded to ADT and PSA dropped to 0.06.

One week ago he started with Zytiga + Predisone and he is really tired. He has also Type 2 Diabetes so sugar levels increased a lot.

Iam encouraging him to do more Sports and I try to do reiki to him at least 4 o 5 days per week as it makes him more relaxed.

He also has a healthy diet with organic food and without meat.

I was also wondered if there would be any natural suplement he can take while he is with Zytiga.

Do you suggest anything else he can do?

I read a post before that suggested to combine Chemo and Predisone but we are from Spain so it would be difficult to find a doctor that supports that.

Doctors do not mentioned any years he will live but in Lattitude Study the 30 months survival is 68% which is not really positive as docetxatel has a media survival of 54 or 58 months.

I am sorry for the large post and for my English.

Thank you for your help

[CalBear74]

Your father would benefit from at least three complementary tactics:

1. Investigate inositol hexaphosphate, aka IP6. Begin by reading Dr. AKM Shamsuddin's book at Amazon: "IP6 and Inositol.." He has led the way on cancer research using IP6. It has helped me for the last 3 years.

2. Go to nutritionfacts.org and look at some of these videos. By the way, IP6 was called phytate, but that term is not as popular as IP6 but you will still find it being used.

nutritionfacts.org/video/ph...

nutritionfacts.org/video/ho...

nutritionfacts.org/video/tr...

nutritionfacts.org/video/tr...

You may also want to investigate lycopene at this website. Recent research points to an effective combining with cayenne pepper pills (capaicin is the chemical agent) for treating prostate cancer.

I take Enzymatic Therapy's Cell Forte Powder. There are 3 competing brands on the market. All are excellent but pricing varies significantly. I use allstarhealth.com as they are a good distributor and don't try to gouge you on pricing.

How much powder in the scoop provided. I use 6 scoops in the morning and 6 in the late afternoon. I always mix in water in a closed large mug so I can shake vigorously. Always take on an empty stomach (2 hours no food). Never mix with anything containing protein as it can bind on a molecular level to the IP6. I don't know what is needed to "move the needle" on your father's PSA level. It takes this massive dose for me to accomplish that. However, dosing is one challenge for IP6 users. Your father may want to try 3 scoops in the AM and 3 in the PM. If the PSA does move downward in 60 days, move higher.

3. Mark Sholz, MD has written a book "The Key to Prostate Cancer"... This is a fairly recent book. One of his many physician authors says in a chapter that all prostate cancer patients should consider taking 3 supplements: aspirin, a statin drug, and Metformin (a drug for type 2 diabetics). Recent cancer research points to all 3 being effective. I don't take a prescription statin drug for cholesterol, I have long used the natural molecular equivalent: red yeast from Solaray with co-q-10 added. 2 in the AM and 2 in the PM. I take the molecular equivalent from nature for the Metformin: Berberine root from Solaray. 4 capsules before each meal.

I use additional supplements but this is a great deal of information already.

Your happy vegan, CalBear74

PS I get my gazpacho from Spain: Gazpacho Andaluz. I add ground vegetables to it for more anticancer punch. This is my lunch.

[Noel91 in reply to CalBear74]

thank you very much!A lot of research to do now.He has appointment on Tuesday so we will ask doctor if he can take those suplements.

[Tall_Allen]

Whether prednisone should be used with chemo is controversial, but it is always used with Zytiga.

You can't compare survival across studies - they used completely different patient populations.

[Noel91 in reply to Tall_Allen]

Thank you! But in Stampede those who have high volume or disease had a 51 months median survival.That is why there is something I do not really understand.

[Tall_Allen in reply to Noel91]

I can provide very approximate numbers...

In the Latitude study, 68% survived a least 30 months, and about 60% survived at least 42 months - the median (50%) survival was not reached before the study ended. Patients had two of the following conditions:

• a Gleason score of 8 or more

• at least three bone lesions, and

• the presence of measurable visceral metastasis.

In the STAMPEDE abiraterone trial, among metastatic men (who were less sick than in the Latitude trial), about 75% survived at least 30 months, and about 70% survived at least 42 months. Median survival was not reached within 54 months of follow-up.

In the STAMPEDE docetaxel trial, among metastatic men, about 80% survived at least 30 months, and about 70% survived at least 42 months. Median survival was reached at 81 months.

So all are pretty similar. The STAMPEDE researchers also looked at men who were randomized to docetaxel or abiraterone, and found no difference in their survival.

[Noel91 in reply to Tall_Allen]

Thanks a lot for explaining Tall Allen!

[CalBear74]

I neglected to mention that Dr. Sholz' book on prostate cancer briefly mentions low iron. He does not advocate iron supplements. They are ineffective. He believes doctors should be prescribing Procrit or a similar drug.

CalBear74

[cesanon in reply to CalBear74]

What is the reasoning for procrit instead of iron?

[CalBear74 in reply to cesanon]

It is a brief discussion and, therefore, no expanded rationale was offered. The author says iron deficiency "...can be corrected with medications such as Procrit and Aranesp. Iron is not beneficial for this type of anemia."

Later in the book the reader is warned that if Procrit or a similar drug is ineffective "...a transfusion may be necessary [to restore normal coagulation].

Also, I did find this article in the Journal Reviews in Urology:

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...

CalBear74

[louschu]

I took iron supplements and my psa spiked. Now eat red meat once a week and get enough iron to keep low normal countd

[CalBear74 in reply to louschu]

Did your doctor explain why an iron supplement would cause a PSA spike?

[CalBear74]

This video on the risks of iron supplements may be of interest to all who have posted here:

nutritionfacts.org/video/ri...

CalBear74

[louschu]

No but it's a free radical versus an antioxidant. Natural always Trump's supplements