Information on Zytiga, already had radiation & currently on Lupron

djs123
djs123 Member Posts: 102

My husband was diagnosed in January or 2012 with prostate cancer, gleason 9..5+4.  His bone and ct scans in June indicated no spread.  Short story, in November he was diagnosed with cancer in the lung and bone, stage IV, unrelated to the prostate....He is currently being treated with chemo for that.  

This has been an incredibly useful site for me particularly when we first found out about the prostate.  I have learned so much here.  Since the lung cancer has taken over most of our energy I haven't been visiting the prostate discussion group, (been obsessing about lung cancer) But now that I've calmed down a bit, I've been back and am curious about some comments I've read about the good effects of Zytiga.

My husband had 40 radiation treatments and has been on Lupron.  He never had an elevated psa, but it did rise a bit last month.  Original psa at diagnosis was .46 now increased to 2.5.  Doctor is not concerned since he said in husband's case it's not reliable since is psa was never really elevated.  DRE is normal.  He has two urologists, one up north and one in Florida.  The Florida doctor coordinated radiation since we were here,  but both doctors do the lupron shots and the doctor up north diagnosed him.  Do you think he should he go into the second doctor for another opinion about the PSA?

Wondering if we should perhaps explore Zytiga.  He just had a 3 month shot about 3 weeks ago.

All considered he is doing quite well except for being exhausted much of the time.

Appreciate your thoughts, Thanks so much for taking the time to respond...

God bless

Comments

  • ralph.townsend1
    ralph.townsend1 Member Posts: 359 Member
    Zytiga

    I'm sorry for your husband and YOU! This Monster is mean and controlling, but you will win this fight.

    Zytiga sound like a answer for your husband, I'm in month 13 and it's still working!

    I hope your doctor will go that wayCool

    God bless!!!! 

     

  • Wackytacky
    Wackytacky Member Posts: 13
    Sooner the better

    That's my motto!   I wish I had found this board earlier because I would have pushed for my dads Dr to start the zytiga sooner......

     

    best of luck to your husband!

  • Wackytacky
    Wackytacky Member Posts: 13
    Sooner the better

    That's my motto!   I wish I had found this board earlier because I would have pushed for my dads Dr to start the zytiga sooner......

     

    best of luck to your husband!

  • Trew
    Trew Member Posts: 932 Member
    DJS123, I know nothing about

    DJS123, I know nothing about zytiga, but I do understand the concern you have for your husband and I sympathize with what you are both going through. 

    -Trew

     

  • ralph.townsend1
    ralph.townsend1 Member Posts: 359 Member
    Trew said:

    DJS123, I know nothing about

    DJS123, I know nothing about zytiga, but I do understand the concern you have for your husband and I sympathize with what you are both going through. 

    -Trew

     

    Zytiga

    These are side effect that you can have, the one I have the most is Hot Flashes. There have been some others, but it has control the cancer. One year of this highly aggressive cancer kept under control! I'm also on 4 month Lupron.

    Besides the PC, I have Diabetes II, heart problems, Nerve problems cause from Vietnam Agent Orange.

     

    If you are taking ZYTIGA®:

    • Take ZYTIGA® and prednisone exactly as your healthcare provider tells you.
    • Take your prescribed dose of ZYTIGA® one time a day. Your healthcare provider may change your dose if needed.
    • Do not stop taking your prescribed dose of ZYTIGA® or prednisone without talking to your healthcare provider first.
    • Take ZYTIGA® on an empty stomach. Do not take ZYTIGA® with food. Taking ZYTIGA® with food may cause more of the medicine to be absorbed by the body than is needed and this may cause side effects.
    • No food should be eaten 2 hours before and 1 hour after taking ZYTIGA®.
    • Swallow ZYTIGA® tablets whole. Do not crush or chew tablets.
    • Take ZYTIGA® tablets with water.
    • Your healthcare provider will do blood tests to check for side effects.
    • Men who are sexually active with a pregnant woman must use a condom during and for one week after treatment with ZYTIGA®. If their sexual partner may become pregnant a condom and another form of birth control must be used during and for one week after treatment with ZYTIGA®. Talk with your healthcare provider if you have any questions about birth control.

    ZYTIGA® may cause serious side effects including:

    • High blood pressure (hypertension), low blood potassium levels (hypokalemia), and fluid retention (edema).
      Tell your healthcare provider if you get any of the following symptoms:
      • Dizziness
      • Fast heartbeats
      • Feel faint or lightheaded
      • Headache
      • Confusion
      • Muscle weakness
      • Pain in your legs
      • Swelling in your legs or feet
    • Adrenal problems may happen if you stop taking prednisone, get an infection, or are under stress.
    • Liver problems. You may develop changes in liver function blood test. Your healthcare provider will do blood tests to check your liver before treatment with ZYTIGA® and during treatment with ZYTIGA®.
    • The most common side effects of ZYTIGA® include:
      • Weakness
      • Joint swelling or pain
      • Swelling in your legs or feet
      • Hot flushes
      • Diarrhea
      • Vomiting
      • Cough
      • High blood pressure
      • Shortness of breath
      • Urinary tract infection
      • Bruising
      • Low red blood cells (anemia) and low blood potassium levels
      • High blood sugar levels, high blood cholesterol and triglycerides
      • Certain other abnormal blood tests

    Tell your healthcare provider if you have any side effect that bothers you or that does not go away.

     

  • VascodaGama
    VascodaGama Member Posts: 3,638 Member

    Zytiga

    These are side effect that you can have, the one I have the most is Hot Flashes. There have been some others, but it has control the cancer. One year of this highly aggressive cancer kept under control! I'm also on 4 month Lupron.

    Besides the PC, I have Diabetes II, heart problems, Nerve problems cause from Vietnam Agent Orange.

     

    If you are taking ZYTIGA®:

    • Take ZYTIGA® and prednisone exactly as your healthcare provider tells you.
    • Take your prescribed dose of ZYTIGA® one time a day. Your healthcare provider may change your dose if needed.
    • Do not stop taking your prescribed dose of ZYTIGA® or prednisone without talking to your healthcare provider first.
    • Take ZYTIGA® on an empty stomach. Do not take ZYTIGA® with food. Taking ZYTIGA® with food may cause more of the medicine to be absorbed by the body than is needed and this may cause side effects.
    • No food should be eaten 2 hours before and 1 hour after taking ZYTIGA®.
    • Swallow ZYTIGA® tablets whole. Do not crush or chew tablets.
    • Take ZYTIGA® tablets with water.
    • Your healthcare provider will do blood tests to check for side effects.
    • Men who are sexually active with a pregnant woman must use a condom during and for one week after treatment with ZYTIGA®. If their sexual partner may become pregnant a condom and another form of birth control must be used during and for one week after treatment with ZYTIGA®. Talk with your healthcare provider if you have any questions about birth control.

    ZYTIGA® may cause serious side effects including:

    • High blood pressure (hypertension), low blood potassium levels (hypokalemia), and fluid retention (edema).
      Tell your healthcare provider if you get any of the following symptoms:
      • Dizziness
      • Fast heartbeats
      • Feel faint or lightheaded
      • Headache
      • Confusion
      • Muscle weakness
      • Pain in your legs
      • Swelling in your legs or feet
    • Adrenal problems may happen if you stop taking prednisone, get an infection, or are under stress.
    • Liver problems. You may develop changes in liver function blood test. Your healthcare provider will do blood tests to check your liver before treatment with ZYTIGA® and during treatment with ZYTIGA®.
    • The most common side effects of ZYTIGA® include:
      • Weakness
      • Joint swelling or pain
      • Swelling in your legs or feet
      • Hot flushes
      • Diarrhea
      • Vomiting
      • Cough
      • High blood pressure
      • Shortness of breath
      • Urinary tract infection
      • Bruising
      • Low red blood cells (anemia) and low blood potassium levels
      • High blood sugar levels, high blood cholesterol and triglycerides
      • Certain other abnormal blood tests

    Tell your healthcare provider if you have any side effect that bothers you or that does not go away.

     

    Second line hormonal drugs

    DJS

    I do not thing that your doctor's response to your inquire was proper. PSA is still the best marker to judge your husband's cancer status.

    I would recommend you to visit an oncologist specialist on PCa. The level is still low but the increase was significant.

    Many other drugs similar to Zytiga are "poping-up". Ralph case is a good demonstration of an happy result. You may be interested in the following book that discuss about the present and newer medication for PCA.

    Promoting Wellness Beyond Hormone Therapy: Options for Prostate Cancer Patients, by Mark Moyad.

    Wishing you peace of mind.

    VG

  • djs123
    djs123 Member Posts: 102
    zytiga

    Thank you all for your replies.  We will be investigating this further and also getting the book recommended.

    djs

  • To Young to Die
    To Young to Die Member Posts: 2
    Does anyone know what other

    Does anyone know what other drug can be taken in combination with Zytiga besides Prednizone...Ive heard there is another option that doesnt harm the immune stystem like Prednizone does

  • VascodaGama
    VascodaGama Member Posts: 3,638 Member

    Does anyone know what other

    Does anyone know what other drug can be taken in combination with Zytiga besides Prednizone...Ive heard there is another option that doesnt harm the immune stystem like Prednizone does

    TooYoungToDie

     

    The doctor treating you is the right person to consult about your query. He can justify the reason for his recommendation on the protocol Zytiga+Prednisone or advice you on a substitute.

    In my view, Prednisone may be the drug that causes the lesser and lowest effect in the immunological system, among the corticosteroid type/group of drugs. It is taken with Zytiga because it passed the tests that control the side effects from the Zytiga itself. It also “works” well and protects the liver from the “wars” on the enzymes required to synsitizes the drugs (CYP3A4 in case of Zytiga) and cases such as hypocalcemia or inflammations, etc. Usually it is taken timely to coincide when Zytiga and other drugs are absorbed by our organism.

    There are a number of supplements that manage to replace the action of Prednisone in several situations but not as a whole (to a wider function). Turmeric (Curcumin) is recommended for certain cancers and it is effective in protecting against enzyme inflammation in the stomach but little is known about interaction with other drugs such as Zytiga. As an example, Betamethasone is a topic cream that substitutes prednisone as an anti-inflammatory medication. It also can be injected. Another drug named Cytoxan is also used to treat cancer when immunosuppressive is required but it is very toxic and must be administered as target medication under vigilance.

    Here you got a list of corticosteroids;
    http://www.livestrong.com/article/27014-list-corticosteroid-medications/

    I repeat that you should only substitute prednisone with a drug prescribed by your care giver. Be careful with reaction/interactions between drugs and supplements, and their effects to the over whole system (cardio, liver, kidneys, etc).  Frown

    Sargramostim (Leukine) is used by oncologists in some protocols with ketoconazole. Keto works similarly to Zytiga in Pca treatment and it also uses the same enzyme CYP3A4 and prednisone. Leukine thought is opposite to prednisone and it is taken with the intent to trigger immune response.

    You can listen to Dr. Myers video regarding the supplements;
    http://askdrmyers.wordpress.com/2011/11/16/curcumin-pca/

     

    Best wishes in your journey.

    VGama  Wink