Prostate Cancer Immunotherapy

[mharan]

Does anyone know about the latest advances on prostate cancer immunotherapy?

[Tall_Allen]

So far, Provenge is the only approved immunotherapy (Keytruda only if you have a rare mutation), but there are probably a hundred in clinical trials.

[mharan in reply to Tall_Allen]

Thanks, I'm checking with Stanford and Memorial Sloan Kettering and I'll post what I find out.

[Tall_Allen in reply to mharan]

My point is that there are too many answers to your question for any simple answer. Is there a particular kind of immunotherapy you are interested in?

[mharan in reply to Tall_Allen]

I don't know yet. I have just started my research. Stanford has had some success with blood cancer immunotherapy but I don't know how far they have gotten with tissue cancers.

[Tall_Allen in reply to mharan]

All cancers are different - a therapy that works for one type of cancer may not work for others. Sadly, prostate cancer has been found to be "cold" to almost all immunotherapies that work for other cancers. It's not for lack of trying.

Here's a list of 89 immunotherapy trials for prostate cancer that are currently active:

clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/resu...

Here's a list of 94 recent trials that have ended:

clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/resu...

[mharan in reply to Tall_Allen]

Thanks, Allen. I'll dive into them and give you my response.

[Avanat]

My husband (Stevana on this site) is in an immunotherapy trial for the drug Opdivo (Nivolumab). It’s being run out of Dana Farber but he is participating at Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa. He was the first patient at Moffitt to be in the trial. Like Tall Allen mentioned, this is only one of many immunotherapy trials. Below is the link to the trial my husband is on and it is still enrolling new patients.

clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show...

[mharan in reply to Avanat]

Thanks, Avanat. I'll go through the documentation and give you my opinion of what I find.

[addicted2cycling in reply to mharan]

AS a FYI, I had one combo of Opdivo + Keytruda + Yervoy in situ for the right half GL10 Cryoablated Prostate in Dec 2015 by my treating doctor.

[mharan in reply to addicted2cycling]

Hey A2CSo what was the outcome?

[addicted2cycling in reply to mharan]

My OUTCOME desired and so far achieved has been as much active life normalcy as possible. Not sure my choice will accomplish long term results but as of now I am doing OK. Bicycled 54 miles last night and last Saturday and now after a couple of hours of sleep I'm getting ready to take bike to food stores. Took a bit longer than in the past (9 hours) to bicycle 154 miles 2 Saturday's ago but fine with that as I am getting closer to my 71st birthday.

[GP24]

I am not keen on immunotherapy. These therapies come with a lot of side effects. And they are effective for a limited time only. This is what I learned from immunotherapies for non-prostate cancers.

[mharan in reply to GP24]

GP24I have been getting finding the same results from my research

[j-o-h-n in reply to GP24]

To GP24,

As I've posted many many times, My Lung Melanoma is being treated with Keytruda, it's working and absolutely NO side effects. (at MSKcc)...

Good Luck, Good Health and Good Humor.

j-o-h-n Wednesday 04/21/2021 5:08 PM DST

[Chugach in reply to GP24]

I’d be dead by now without Keytruda. I don’t notice many side effects compared to experience with different chemotherapy drugs

[Darryl Partner]

Here’s an immunotherapy trial Malecare is working with. You can apply here: malecare.org/clinical-trial/

[mharan in reply to Darryl]

DarrylI'll check it out. Thanks

[Spyder54]

Talk with “addicted to cycling”. He is on to something new and exciting.

[mharan in reply to Spyder54]

Hey Spyder54What?

[Hidden in reply to mharan]

He has a trial of one that sounds pretty good. But its a trial of one.

[Spyder54 in reply to mharan]

This is link from “addicred to cycling on vaccine. cancerres.aacrjournals.org/...

[Patrick-Turner]

I wish I knew. But I know of nothing available here in Australia, and the only thing approved in USA is Provenge, and its eye wateringly expensive, and If I wanted it, I'd have to go to USA, but before I got there the administers would check out if I was in good enough condition with available white cells to be able to be modified. The mean time of extension to life is 4 months, but then you could be lucky and get 10 years. So I doubt I will ever get IT.

Some get hardly any more time with Provenge, and maybe that's because the altered white cells do get to work killing Pca cells but then they don't generate new generation of white cells which keep up the good work. IMHO, where a man gets a big long benefit from Provenge its where the white cells replace themselves with new white cells that can continue killing Pca cells.

I'm on Ra223 after Lu177 did not get rid of all bone mets. Lu177 looked like it was killing all bone mets after 4 doses. But the low Psa was caused by Xtandi, which like Cosadex and Zytiga hardly kill many Pca cells - they just low down Pca growth rate and lower Psa.

If Ra223 damages my bone marrow too much and cannot kill bone mets faster than they are growing, then docs will send me to get Cabazataxel, and that may not work very well just like Docetaxel did not work in 2018. So Ra223 gives me a long time, or hardly any time, and nobody knows yet; I have 2nd Ra223 dose in 2 days in Sydney, and I know I could die in a year.

Patrick Turner.

[HopingForTheBest1 in reply to Patrick-Turner]

Patrick, your posts have been so helpful and useful for many of us here. Wishing you many more months and years as possible.

I was lucky to have had Provenge treatment back in Feb/Mar 2019, which was fully covered by my insurance. I believe it costs over $500,000. No one knows if it gave me any extended benefit. I am throwing anything potentially effective as I can at this beast to hopefully give me more precious time.

Regarding LU177, do you have AC225 available, as I have read that it could possibly be a somewhat more effective PSMA treatment?

[Patrick-Turner in reply to HopingForTheBest1]

Provenge began costing usd $90,000 when it became available over 10 years ago in USA. But a company supplying it stopped, so it was taken over by another company and In read where they thought they could make it work better than it did. $90,000 for maybe 4 month extension to life seemed too expensive, and now you say it costs $500,000 which I think is quite absurd. And you don't know if it did any good. Not as many ppl in Australia have private health insurance as in USA, and most ppl here baulk at the huge premiums, and as you should know, if your insurance paid out $500k then they expect premiums to cover that, so I guess maybe you have paid premiums for many years. I could not be insured. I was low income earner most of my life. The trouble which prevents USA ever having a Medicare like in Australia is the costs that doctors charge for their services.

Ac225 is available here amoung a list of nuclides for various cancers.

it is thought to be more effective than Lu177, but both rely on PsMa and if your Pca does not produce PsMa, then these fancy-smancy nuclides just don't work.

But Ac225 will give worse side effects so that you will get a dry mouth from wrecked saliva glands, which attract Lu177 and Ac225 without anything to do with PsMa.

But I had 6 doses Lu177, and no dry mouth.

I cry when I watch a sad movie on TV, so tear glands are also OK.

There is research going on to make Lu177 work using some other chemical produced by Pca to make Lu177 go to mets so there is no reliance on PsMa.

This could be a real breakthrough, but likely to become therapy after I die.

Patrick Turner.

[EdBar in reply to Patrick-Turner]

I believe if you drill down on the Provenge results those who got Provenge with a PSA of 5 or less who were minimally or a symptomatic had a median survival benefit of 14 months. The 4 month survival rate was for everyone enrolled in the trial or study, many of whom were very advanced. 14 months is outstanding for a treatment that has minimal SE’s. Now that I seem to have left my long run of my PSA being undetectable I am planning Provenge as my next move. My local MO is working on getting me prequalified and I will be discussing with Dr. Sartor during my visit next month.

Ed

[MateoBeach in reply to Patrick-Turner]

No Patrick. Sorry but you are not permitted to die in a year. We are not done with you so soon. Any news trials with Provenge out there? I know they are enrolling for very early use in AS.

[Patrick-Turner in reply to MateoBeach]

I have not heard or read that Provenge is available in Australia or any nearby country.What is AS?

I really can't argue with Nature who gave me DNA that led to Pca, and docs are not magicians. But I am thankful that most are not witchdoctors.

Patrick Turner.

I'll be leaving here soon to get a train to Sydney where a lady doc of high amount of diligence will shoot me up with 2nd dose Ra223. Then we wait a month and do a PsMa scan, while looking at blood tests, which may tell us all more than the scan.

Patrick Turner.

[hansjd in reply to Patrick-Turner]

Best of luck with your Radium 223 treatment Patrick. Really hope it works for you.

[MateoBeach in reply to Patrick-Turner]

AS is active surveillance for lowerGrade early PC. Would love me to see more availability and widespread. But cost is the obstacle. Good

Luck with the Ra223. May it provide its wondrous possibilities for your benefit.

[treedown in reply to Patrick-Turner]

Yes Patrick good luck and good travels.

[Patrick-Turner in reply to treedown]

Hi all who wished me good luck for my trip to Sydney for Ra223.

Unfortunately, the blood test numbers for platelets from blood tests on Monday 19 April ahead of proposed Ra223 on Friday 23 April didn't show up from my Canberra pathologist to GenesisCare in Perth until 22 April, after I'd caught a train to Sydney.

So I arrived as scheduled at Sydney at 8:50am Friday, half an hour early at Level 6. The girls at GC in Sydney didn't know my doc was already there, and sent me to Waratah Imaging, Level B1, and girls there did not have me entered in their books on PC, so it seemed nobody knew anything. So I just waited around while they sorted matters out. 30 mins went bye, and my Dr showed up, and acknowledged my presence, then after awhile she got me to follow her to her office on level 6.

But by then the missing platelet cell count had showed up, and it was down from 130 2 months ago to only 61.

She ordered a new platelet count which we had by 11:30am, and it was only 56.

The ALP was 240, and Psa 845, all quite bad figures which I meant I would not get Ra223 any time soon; they will not give Ra223 with platelets below 100.

Pca is growing much faster than Ra223 can kill it, and nobody saw this coming.

But its what happens when Pca mutates.

So it looked like mutated Pca in bone mets has suddenly become far more aggressive and causing speedy rise of Psa and ALP. Nobody expected this. So I must get yet another blood test on Tuesday 27April. Then contact GC and ask what next, and contact my Canberra oncologist, and ask what next. With platelets so low, bone marrow function could be on brink of failure, and that may mean I can't have Cabazataxel. That means palliative care, and I may have to accept its time to die.

I probably was naïve to think I could have just brought my bone Pca to heal with bi-monthly doses of Ra223. But the GC doc I spoke to 10 weeks ago said the Ra223 success depended on Bone marrow function, and I have had 5 doses chemo in 2018, then 6 doses Lu177 in 2019+2020. Nobody could have known what would happen.

So I did try hard though.

So I had a big long talk to GC doc lady at Waratah Hospital, and possible because I was not to ne treated, and the only other patient was for Ac225, and he cancelled because he was not well enough.

So I was not the only one wanting to go ahead but also not well enough.

I now I feel like its my end time, and I would not be going again to Sydney, or stay with my dear sister, so our time together ended in tears, but she said she'd come to see me and I said I could not know what condition I'd be in, so I'll have to time her visit just right.

My older sister is the only woman I actually love. We do love each other.

It won't be forever.

So there we are, SNAFU, but I am glad to be back at home. I just don't feel very well, and cycling is out of the question.

I'll explain all to my 3 close friends, as I just have to all my friends here.

It seems nuclide therapy success is not as possible as we are led to believe by explanations from the makers of these drugs.

My Best Regards to all,

Patrick Turner.

[addicted2cycling in reply to Patrick-Turner]

P-T, DEEPLY SADDENED reading your post.

p.s. - might just try contacting my doctor since he has been "thinking and treating outside the box" for years with positive results.

[Fightinghard in reply to Patrick-Turner]

Patrick

Keep on doing what you can as long as you can. Hoping the time for cycling will return soon.

Best wishes and hope for some good news

[treedown in reply to Patrick-Turner]

Patrick I am having trouble finding words. I won't stop holding out hope and will need to process this. May your friends and family give you comfort and may what you seem to perceive as the end take a very, very long time.

[Shooter1 in reply to treedown]

It's been another two weeks, how is Patrick-Turner doing??? So sorry it is looking grim. Keep us updated please.Doug

[treedown in reply to Shooter1]

Thanks for asking and I wish I knew. I have been watching the forum and he has not responded to a email I sent that day. I do not feel I should intrude anymore than I have. I think about him almost everyday. If I hear I will let you know. It just seemed like such a sudden turn of events for him, but I suspect it can happen to anyone of us.

[Shooter1 in reply to treedown]

You are right there. One day in the future we will all see our MO and he won't have any more for us.

[CAMPSOUPS in reply to treedown]

Thank you treedown for trying to contact Patrick T.

I too have been concerned about him and feel that since his latest revelations were buried in a thread as a reply to a unrelated post that many of our brothers may not know how things are going for him.

Well actually not going for him.

I am hoping for him strongly if not for more treatment for at least continuance of the strong mental state he has always had. I hope he knows we all care deeply.

[Currumpaw in reply to Patrick-Turner]

Hey Patrick-Turner!

I can't click on the like icon for your post this time.

We are all wishing you success with your present treatment.

Keep trying! You aren't alone in experiencing bad days.

Currumpaw

[Patrick-Turner in reply to Currumpaw]

Never mind the click on the icon for like sort of stuff.What is remarkable is that I can type out these telegrams to everyone, and it does not cost 10c per letter like in 1955, and 10c was quite a bit of dough then. I don't have to go to the Post Office to tell them what to send, ie,

"Sick with Pca. Docs attending"

Of course in 1955, a Pca diagnosis was terrible, there was only getting balls cut out, then maybe last a few years until you died in horrible pain. Some men arranged to become bad alcoholics.

Patrick Turner.

[Currumpaw in reply to Patrick-Turner]

Hey Patrick-Turner!

There were no smiley faces in 1955 either. Whatever you pay for your internet, divide it by 10c and be sure to send enough messages and emails to get your money's worth!

Wishing you the best,

Currumpaw

[ellie2211 in reply to Patrick-Turner]

I hope ra-223 keeps working! And well. ✨My dad is starting this treatment in the next few weeks.

[Patrick-Turner in reply to ellie2211]

I wish your dad gets the benefit.I don't know yet if my Ra223 is working, but as far as I do know, my bones are not breaking yet. My spine gets sore sometimes, and I don't know why, could be inflammation, and I had to stop cycling, but if things improve, I'll be back onto bike asap. But I don't know if I can expect such good luck.

Stay well Ellie!

Patrick Turner.

[ellie2211 in reply to Patrick-Turner]

Thank you! I hope you can keep cycling. 🚲 I look forward to your updates

[Hotrod65]

Qualified for Pembrilizimab/Keytruda after diagnosis 7 yrs ago in which I was given a 3-6 month life expectancy, no response to conventional treatment options, Had both Genetic and Genomic Sequencing which determined I had a high tumor Mutational Burden, but also Neuroendocrine differentiation..50 infusions since has me in Complete Durable Clinical Remission NED, going forward I will receive 2 maintenance doses yearly, I'm currently not on treatment except for low dose prednisone for Adrenal Insufficiency caused by my Immunotherapy, yes I have side affects but I'm still alive and living a very active lifestyle with no limitations.... Immunotherapy in my opinion is the future for all cancer treatment advances.

[Hotrod65]

Follow-up to above post, I am considered a rare responder and carry an extremely rare Genomic varient POLE and possibly the one worldwide patient with this Mutation for MPC 4, my Doctor's can't give me a life expectancy any more, they won't when I ask, only that im producing the required data for further advancement of Immunotherapy for PC, ..we should all be living a Day at a time, i dont look back now from my early dark days and dont look to the future ,just the present..i Will continue my Advocacy work with several Cancer Foundation and studies on efficacy of Immunotherapy?.

[zenbee13]

Hi there, I'll be going to UCSF starting May 4'th. Apparently there are 3 Immunotherapy studies happening there right now. I'll let you know what I get selected for when it happens. Going to have Dr. Small as the lead for whichever I get.

Peace,

Bees

[mharan in reply to zenbee13]

Are these studies prostate immunotherapy studies?

[zenbee13 in reply to mharan]

Maybe not all of them... try the link below:clinicaltrials.ucsf.edu/pro...

Good luck my brother..

Bees

[mrssnappy]

This doesn't answer your question, but I was just reading this so thought I would share.

Mixed Results for Immunotherapy in Metastatic Prostate Cancer

— Combination trial missed response endpoint but exceeded historical results medpagetoday.com/meetingcov...

[LeeLiam]

Dr. Gary Onik has had some amazing abscopal effects combining cryo with immunotherapy drugs.

cancerres.aacrjournals.org/...

[j-o-h-n]

Greetings mharan,

As I've posted many many times, My Lung Melanoma is being treated with Keytruda, it's working and absolutely NO side effects. (at MSKcc)...

Please tell us your bio. Age? Location? When diagnosed? Treatment(s)? Treatment center(s)? Scores Psa/Gleason? Medications? Doctor's name(s)?

All info is voluntary, but it helps us help you and helps us too. When you respond, copy and paste it in your home page for your use and for other members’ reference.

THANK YOU AND KEEP POSTING!!!

Good Luck, Good Health and Good Humor.

j-o-h-n Wednesday 04/21/2021 5:11 PM DST

[Chugach]

I’m on Keytruda- it is an amazing drug. You need genetic testing of your PC to determine if it will work for you. But there are lots of clinical trials in the works to determine how to have it help a broader range of men.

[Dban]

A bit of interesting news - for mouse prostate cancer just now - but progress nonetheless.

technologynetworks.com/canc...