castration

russwhot

This word may send shivers down my spine, but at least I may still have a spine. Get the point? I see so much that I don't like about hormone therapy that I am considering ALL other methods and if I reduce testosterone production to zero, what's wrong with that? I know there are probably OTHER problems associated with castration. Anyway, my history is: three years after diagnosis, my psa is 1.3 a full year after I-beam radiation. Started with a 5.8 psa and a 6 Gleason. Spent a year in homeopathic therapy before moving on to conventional radiation. Psa never higher than 7.7. I am looking at everything including castration. Anyone have any thoughts, other than the obvious male aversion to such a final farewell to our globes in the scrotum? I KNOW hormones will produce the same end result, but at what cost in side effects? Loss of memory is something I can't afford if I am to keep my head above water in this fight. Thanks to everyone for their comments and God bless all of you.

Benji48

Hi,
I can only respond from a personal viewpoint of currently being on hormonal (Lupron) therapy for the past 2 years & although everyone reacts differently, I have NO hot flashes, enlarged breasts, or any other side effect that I'm aware of! Certainly NO loss of memory! Where did you get that idea from?? Anyway with that said, yes castration is SUPPOSED to provide the same results & yes it is DEFINATELY a MALE thing, but I'd say put that out of your mind & don't tell anyone. They won't know the difference! The only thing I wish to comment on I know some individules that went that route & it didn't work either so just be prepared for that eventuality.
Good Luck & God Bless
Benji

russwhot

Benji48 said:

Hi,
I can only respond from a personal viewpoint of currently being on hormonal (Lupron) therapy for the past 2 years & although everyone reacts differently, I have NO hot flashes, enlarged breasts, or any other side effect that I'm aware of! Certainly NO loss of memory! Where did you get that idea from?? Anyway with that said, yes castration is SUPPOSED to provide the same results & yes it is DEFINATELY a MALE thing, but I'd say put that out of your mind & don't tell anyone. They won't know the difference! The only thing I wish to comment on I know some individules that went that route & it didn't work either so just be prepared for that eventuality.
Good Luck & God Bless
Benji

Thanks, Benji: I guess I got the loss of memory thing from other postings here. It's good to hear you have had success with Lupron treatments. Reading your other messages, it seems it has worked for you so far. Prostate Cancer is possibly the MOST treated cancer out there. There are many possibilities. russwhot

mbeavers

Russwhot,

I was diagnosed in 2001 on my birthday (57)that really sucked. Anyway in a year and a half psa (98-2001) went from 2.3 to 26 what a shock. had the needle biopsy and had a gleason of 8. another shock. Had three-d radiation Oh did I tell you the cancer was "out of the box. Had spread to the seminicle vessel(spelling) After radiation which I tolerated very well I walked two miles every day during treatment. I then went on hormone therapy, I had a problem with tolerating the hormone therapy. Big time joint ache and all the other side effects. 2004 my psa shot up to 75 decided to try hormone therapy again with same results. (I forgot to mention the costs associated with the shots my insurance only covered a portion) In August of 2004 I had the orchioemicty Removal of my testicles. Surgery was a walk in the park.Most of the bad reaction to the hormone threrapy have subsided. Still have hot flashes only much less severe. They actually help in these Ohio winter(cleveland area) I recently had my psa test and am waiting for the results so the jury is still out. My cancer had spread to my lower spine and several ribs. Pain is nagging but usually bearable. I will advise what psa number is. Have appt in march.

Good luck, hope the info helps

Mike Beavers,

russwhot

mbeavers said:

Russwhot,

I was diagnosed in 2001 on my birthday (57)that really sucked. Anyway in a year and a half psa (98-2001) went from 2.3 to 26 what a shock. had the needle biopsy and had a gleason of 8. another shock. Had three-d radiation Oh did I tell you the cancer was "out of the box. Had spread to the seminicle vessel(spelling) After radiation which I tolerated very well I walked two miles every day during treatment. I then went on hormone therapy, I had a problem with tolerating the hormone therapy. Big time joint ache and all the other side effects. 2004 my psa shot up to 75 decided to try hormone therapy again with same results. (I forgot to mention the costs associated with the shots my insurance only covered a portion) In August of 2004 I had the orchioemicty Removal of my testicles. Surgery was a walk in the park.Most of the bad reaction to the hormone threrapy have subsided. Still have hot flashes only much less severe. They actually help in these Ohio winter(cleveland area) I recently had my psa test and am waiting for the results so the jury is still out. My cancer had spread to my lower spine and several ribs. Pain is nagging but usually bearable. I will advise what psa number is. Have appt in march.

Good luck, hope the info helps

Mike Beavers,

Ok Mike, what's up with you? I guess i should say, what's down with you. Hopefully your psa is very much lower. How are you tolerating your operation? It looks like my psa has stabilized at .6, according to my last two tests. I was really worried for a while when it fluked up to 1.3. Good luck and God bless you. russwhot

Michael D

Castration

Thinking about castration vs. Provenge. PSA in the20's. Resistant to hormone therapy. Back, neck, ribs, hips, and jaw have cancer. Any thoughts? Provenge is100k.

Clevelandguy

Michael D said:

Castration

Thinking about castration vs. Provenge. PSA in the20's. Resistant to hormone therapy. Back, neck, ribs, hips, and jaw have cancer. Any thoughts? Provenge is100k.

Hormone therapy?

Hi Mike D,

Do you not get the same results from hormone therapy(HT) that you would from castration? I know that before I had my RP I talked with the doc about castration and he said why, we have drugs for that, no need to cut off you testicals.  I thought HT was just the chemical version of castration?  Provenge sounds very promissing, can you get financial relief somewhere for the cost?

 

Dave 3+4

Old Salt

Michael D said:

Castration

Thinking about castration vs. Provenge. PSA in the20's. Resistant to hormone therapy. Back, neck, ribs, hips, and jaw have cancer. Any thoughts? Provenge is100k.

Wrong comparison

If your cancer doesn't respond to hormone therapy, castration won't help. 'Resistant to hormone therapy' means that the cancer cells don't need 'outside' testosterone anymore to proliferate. 

Which kind of hormone therapy did you have?

VascodaGama

Advanced metastatic case

Michael,

I am sorry for the advanced status of metastases you describe. Dissecting the testicles will not improve the situation if cancer is hormone independent (refractory). Unfortunately all immune system therapies at present (like Provenge) has not shown yet to be a trustful mean for salvaging a systemic PCa case. The cancer in bone you report (back) could be affecting the bone-marrow which affects the immune system therefore a situation not recommended for using a immune type of therapy. Your health could deteriorate further. I recommend you to get an opinion from a medical oncologist specilist in PCa. Someone like Mark Scholz or a similar expert. 

You may try chemo therapy instead with the newer arsenal of drugs for HT refractory cases. Some oncologist use combination of drugs (cocktails) that include reinforcing the immune system (such as Leukine). Can you provide your age and any info about other health issues you may have/had?

Best wishes,

VGama