Anyone on AS taking Proscar?

Tech70
Tech70 Member Posts: 70 Member
in Prostate Cancer #1

I've petty much decided that given my test results, AS is the way for me right now.  That leaves me with BPH and all the symptoms that go with it.  My urologist mentioned Cialis as a possibility, but I don't think that actually shrinks the prostate.  I have a pretty big one, 72 cc sticks in my mind, and shrinking it makes logical sense.  Plus I doubt my insurance will pay for Cialis; I can afford it, but if Proscar works, there's a generic that would be covered.  I know there was some indication that Proscar could result in a more serious case of Pca, but in the book Invasion of the Postate Snatchers the authhors indicated that this was a misinterpretation of the data. 

I'll anxioiusly await replys while waiting for the hearing to return to my left ear following yesterday's MRI (That sucker is loud!!)

Comments

  • ASAdvocate
    ASAdvocate Member Posts: 193 Member
    #2
    If you Google "proscar prostate cancer"

    If you Google "proscar prostate cancer", yoi will find various articles which seem to say that it has some preventative effect, but taking it does not change overall survival. The earlier studies about more aggressive cases seem to be disproven.

    Another item that I would like to hear more about is prostate artery embolization (PAE), which is being promoted by hospitals near me as a solution for BPH. They claim that it reduces the prostate volume by 85 percent.

    But, what is the feasilbility for those who already have a diagnosis of PCa? So far, I haven't read a discussion of this.

     

     

  • Max Former Hodgkins Stage 3
    Max Former Hodgkins Stage 3 Member Posts: 3,819 Member
    #3
    ASAdvocate said:

    If you Google "proscar prostate cancer"

    If you Google "proscar prostate cancer", yoi will find various articles which seem to say that it has some preventative effect, but taking it does not change overall survival. The earlier studies about more aggressive cases seem to be disproven.

    Another item that I would like to hear more about is prostate artery embolization (PAE), which is being promoted by hospitals near me as a solution for BPH. They claim that it reduces the prostate volume by 85 percent.

    But, what is the feasilbility for those who already have a diagnosis of PCa? So far, I haven't read a discussion of this.

     

     

    ??

    Tech 70,

    I took Flomax for several years for BPH before the PCa diagnosis.  Of course I probably had PCa that whole time.

    It worked great, allowed good urinary function. I recall it not being expensive either.  I don't know if it is suitable for your particulars but is worth asking.  Of course Flowmax is absolutely not a curative form of treatment,

    max

  • hopeful and optimistic
    hopeful and optimistic Member Posts: 2,346 Member
    #4
    alpha 5 inhibitors

    Proscar(Finasteride) and Advodart are two different alpha 5 inhibors. Proscar works with one receptable whick Advodart(dusteride) two so Advodart is more effective The prostate size will be reduced. Additioanlly with Advodart the PSA will be halved. Johns Hopkins did a study called REDUCEfor Advodart that showed that progression of disease may be reduced. Among the men in the study group some indicated more aggressive cancer found. There is contraversy, and some think that since the prostate size was reduced, more cancers were found at biopsy.

    Side effects from Advodart were noted in study, in that there MAY be more heart related incidents.

    A few years back I discussed Advodart in conjunction with my Active Surveillance program with my doc. Since my prostate was not large att the time, we decided that the benefit of prostate size reduction would not be realized, so I decided not to take Advodart. ...I do know many men who decided to take this drug, another choice.

    Advodart was initially approved , but later on was not because of concern about the side effects, as discussed above


    Avodart was originally approved by the FDA in 2002 as a treatment for patients with symptomatic benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), or “enlarged prostate,” (though it has also been studied as a potential treatment for male pattern baldness).Feb 2, 2011




    FDA Denies Approval for Avodart for Prostate Cancer Prevention ... image


    www.cancernetwork.com/.../fda-denies-approval-avodart-prostate-cancer-prevention




     

     

     

    Finasteride works by blocking the conversion of the hormone testosterone to the more potent hormone dihydrotestosterone. It does this by blocking an enzyme called 5-alpha reductase. ... Therefore, a reduced amount of dihydrotestosterone in theprostate causes it to shrink. This helps you to pass urine more easily.Mar 17, 2015

     

     

    http://theoncologist.alphamedpress.org/content/17/7/888.full.pdf

     

     

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dutasteride

     

     

  • Tech70
    Tech70 Member Posts: 70 Member
    #5
    Max Former Hodgkins Stage 3 said:

    ??

    Tech 70,

    I took Flomax for several years for BPH before the PCa diagnosis.  Of course I probably had PCa that whole time.

    It worked great, allowed good urinary function. I recall it not being expensive either.  I don't know if it is suitable for your particulars but is worth asking.  Of course Flowmax is absolutely not a curative form of treatment,

    max

    Max,

    Max,

    I'm currently on Flomax and while it helps, I still have issues with frequent urination.  As a matter of fact, when I was having my MRI this past Friday, I had to interrupt the procedure about half way through to urinate because of the hydration I was receiving in the IV they started to allow administration of the contract media.   A complicating factor is that I have very infrequent atrial fibrillation, but if I become dehydrated by avoiding liquids when I know I'm going to be in a situation where a bathroom isn't handy, it can trigger an a-fib incident. 

    Thanks for your input.

    Tech

  • mcin777
    mcin777 Member Posts: 66
    #6
    Tech 70

    Tech 70, my latest exam shows my prostate to be 109cc.  I have frequent urination if I drink coffee and water, which I do.  I do not get up at night to use the bathroom.  I can sleep six or seven hourse, usually six, and not get up once during the sleep period.  I too am on AS.  I recently had MRI and Fusion Biopsy along with blood test.  3+3 in all cores.  I sent my slides from Biopsy to John Hopkins and they confirmed the 3+3.  I have slow growing cancer and the Pathologist said that even though one of my cores is 100% cancer that Drs are generally more concerned with the level of growth than amount of cancer.  I am still in process of trying to decide whether to stay on AS or get something done. Because my prostate is so large, the only real option for me cuirrently is robotic prosectomy.  Seeds  or  HIFU won't work.  I may try to slow the growth of the cancer even more through diet and find what I can to natually reduce the size of the prostate.

     

     

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