Vol. 8, No. 4

Summer 2009

Jerry Bylander, Editor  jerryby@cableone.net

The Director's Column

A Discussion of Hormonal Therapy and Adverse Effects from this Therapy

Hormonal therapy, or what many medical oncologists refer to as androgen deprivation therapy (ADT), is now gaining popularity as a mainline therapy in treating prostate cancer.  This therapy removes most of the testosterone hormone from the male who is on this therapy.  This deprivation can be accomplished by simple castration, or by the administration of chemical agonists that stop the production of testosterone chemically. Prostate cells need testosterone to proliferate whether they be healthy cells or mutated cells.  By depriving these cells of testosterone, the prostate cells wither or even die.  However there is the great argument that not all prostate cells need this substance to proliferate.  Despite this problem, this therapy is becoming the therapy of choice for elderly men or for men suspected with metastatic prostate cancer.  The therapy is not invasive and, under professionals guidance, stops the advance of prostate cancer for many years.

As with all therapies, there is a downside.  This therapy has adverse effects.  The one side effect I want to discuss is the effect of hot flushes or hot flashes.  Since the male androgen testosterone is removed, the small amount of female hormone in present naturally in males, called estrogen, produces these effects.  A most common side effect of men on this therapy is hot flushes.  Needless to say this is a troublesome problem for a male to deal with.

The good news is, your doctor has an arsenal of drugs that may inhibit or stop this adverse effect.  If your attending physician states that there is very little that can be done for this condition, there are questions for you to raise with your doctor.  Hot flashes accompanying ADT have been treated and its effects diminished with the following drug therapies:

Megrestrol

1 mg. of estrogen (DES) per day

PROVERA or MEGACE

are effective in some instances. There is minimal new information at this time about drugs that are believed to help alleviate symptoms of hot flushes in this situation: anti-depressants such as Effexor or Prozac.


For ongoing information about ADT and other topics, please attend our local Us-Too! Texoma Prostate Cancer Support Group meetings.

Henry Plunkett, Program Director

Next Meeting

Date:  Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Time:  6:30 pm - Social & Coffee  7:00 pm - Program
Location:  Classroom 1,  Wilson N. Jones, 500 N. Highland, Sherman, TX

Topic:  Treatments for Failed Therapy - DVD Presentation from Los Angeles, CA

About the Speaker:   To be updated

About the Program:   To be updated

We plan to continue our telephone tree to help get the word out.  We will ask those who want us to continue meeting, to take some names and call before the next meeting.  Please send us names and phone numbers of interested men. 

As always the group does not recommend any particular treatment, therapy, physician, or hospital. US TOO Sherman is a prostate cancer group formed for the purpose of sharing information, education, and mutual support.   

Last Meeting

Topic:  Meditation

Speaker:  Bill Mory, Ed.S., Brief Therapy Associates

Bill demonstrated meditation techniques and led a discussion with our group.

Other Important Events

Your organization's meetings listed here.  Contact the Editor at jerryby@cableone.net .

Editor's Notes

Material posted here is intended for educational purposes only and must not be considered a substitute for informed medical advice from your own physician.

Jerry Bylander, Editor