chemo question

[spinosa]

has anyone had adriamycin prescribed/administered? If you have, please tell us about the experience/results.

[Tall_Allen]

For prostate cancer? Is this a Hail Mary play?

[spinosa in reply to Tall_Allen]

No - so far, so good - 16 month check = undetectable. RO is of the opinion I'll make it - but, the red devil - though incredibly sickening - seems effective for a number of victims.

[tango65 in reply to spinosa]

Best of luck.

[Hidden]

The only trial data I've seen dates back to the early 90s. They found no improvement with overall survival as far as I know. I seem to remember that gourd_dancer did it.

healthunlocked.com/advanced...

You could PM him and ask him about his experience.

[cesanon]

Sounds like the well informed comments here may give you reason to ask your doc for more details about what treatments they considered and why they chose the one they did.

And what are some pros and cons of some alternatives.

[j-o-h-n in reply to cesanon]

As per your request: "stop reading my posts please. Thanks" I did not read your post.

Good Luck, Good Health and Good Humor.

j-o-h-n Wednesday 07/10/2019 8:27 PM DST

[Hidden]

Spinoza, I have had the red devil in a six month clinical trial in 2004. I am one of nine with a complete response. I was able to stop all medication in 2010! Today I remain undetectable and taking 4 mg of Androgel twice a week. BTW, I am one of two in this group under this protocol.

Urol Oncol. 2009 Mar-Apr;27(2):165-9. doi: 10.1016/j.urolonc.2007.12.004. Epub 2008 Mar 4.

A retrospective review of combination chemohormonal therapy as initial treatment for locally advanced or metastatic adenocarcinoma of the prostate.

Amato RJ1, Teh BS, Henary H, Khan M, Saxena S.

Author information

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:

Chemotherapy for hormone-refractory prostate cancer reduces PSA levels and enhances overall survival (OS), suggesting that administration in earlier disease stages may be beneficial. If expansion of an androgen-independent clone present during androgen deprivation mediates the transformation from an androgen-dependent to an androgen-independent phenotype, combination chemohormonal therapy would be effective initial treatment for locally advanced or metastatic prostate cancers. A retrospective review was conducted to evaluate results.

MATERIALS AND METHODS:

Chemohormonal therapy outcomes were retrospectively evaluated in men with locally advanced or metastatic prostate cancer seen at our institution between January 2001 and February 2003. Chemotherapy consisted of three 8-week cycles (once weekly intravenous doxorubicin 20 mg/m(2) and thrice daily oral ketoconazole 400 mg in weeks 1, 3, and 5; once weekly intravenous docetaxel 35 mg/m(2) and thrice daily oral estramustine 280 mg in weeks 2, 4, and 6; and no therapy in weeks 7 and 8). Hormone therapy consisted of hormonal ablation during and after antiandrogen therapy after chemotherapy.

RESULTS:

Data for 31 men (median age, 63 years [range, 41-74 years]; white, 97% [30/31]) were reviewed. At 1 year, median PSA level had fallen 99.3% (range, 91.7%-99.9%) from a baseline value of 14.3 ng/ml (range, 1.9-497.9 ng/mL). Median time to progression was 34+ months (range, 14-68+ months). Median OS was 56+ months (range, 17-73+ months).

CONCLUSIONS:

Combination chemohormonal therapy for locally advanced or metastatic prostate cancer safely and effectively reduces PSA levels and increases OS. We are now testing this approach in a prospective, Phase II randomized clinical trial.

Gourd Dancer

[Hidden]

Spinosa, I hav posted many times on my treatment. Search “gourd Dancer advanced prostate cancer. An example:

Please understand that I was a guinea pig in 2004 and received different treatment for my Stage 4 with distant Mets than the typical standard. A clinical trial setting is vastly different than the typical treatment. Heck even a hospital MO during a knee replacement remarked, “That’ll never work.”

However, when your guy says in 2010, “(Gourd Dancer), I cant find any cancer in your body, you are cured. I know that you are a realist and think remission, so let’s stop the Lupron.” Me: “Won’t my PSA rise.” Doc: “No. If it does then you are back on Lupron. Let’s find out.”

Fast forward to a year later with PSA <0.1 and T <5.0, “Let’s jumpstart your testosterone with Androgel.” Me: “Won’t my PSA rise.” Doc: “No. I still can’t find any cancer in your body.” A month later, PSA, <0.1 and T, 579.

Fall of 2016. PSA, <0.1 and T, 525. Since it has been six years since my last nuclear bone scan and soft tissue CT scan, I had my 24th set of scans since 2003. Results: this realist became a true believer that my body had no cancer.

Today my PSA is still <0.1 with no medication and T ranges from 500 to 750 on 4mg of Androgel twice a week. I have had quarterly blood draws since 2006. One day, the standard treatment will change for those with newly detectable Mets. I was one of nine with a complete response. There is a member on this group who had a partial response.

The treatment: “Each course of chemotherapy lasts for 8 weeks. Patients were treated in weeks 1, 3, and 5 with doxorubicin 20 mg/m2 as a 24-hour intravenous infusion on the first day of every week in combination with ketoconazole 400 mg orally 3 times a day daily for 7 days. In weeks 2, 4, and 6, treatment consisted of paclitaxel 100 mg/m2 intravenously on the first day of every week in combination with estramustine 280 mg orally 3 times a day for 7 days. 30 mg of Prednisone everyday through the three courses of chemotherapy.” Note: quarterly injections of Lupron/Eligard continued.

There are those who say that our results are antidotal. However, I am a Statistic of One. And the only statistic which matters is my Statistic. At 72, I am enjoying life. Guys, this is not a in your face scenario; only that as a guinea pig in a clinical trial by a medical oncologist professor and researcher who has dedicated over 30 years of his life in metastatic prostate cancer research, I am cured by the Grace of God and the knowledge of a great man.

Continue your fight and never give up as one day this bastard of a disease will be Killed.

Gourd Dancer

[spinosa]

Thanks, groud dancer! I understand your being a "guiena pig," but this ancedotal tale is the sort of thing I was looking for. Even in breast cancer - the primary cancer for which this is used, as far as I can tell - "cure" rate is only about 70-75%.

[j-o-h-n]

"cure" rate is only about 70-75%.? I'll take those odds...

Good Luck, Good Health and Good Humor.

j-o-h-n Wednesday 07/10/2019 8:29 PM DST

[monte1111]

Yep. Since most of us have been told we are incurable, 70-75% "cure" sounds really good. Course I've only got 2 months to the 2 and a half expiration date they gave me. Think they got that wrong.