Re: psa up after radical prostectomy

[Guest guest]

tennismema wrote:

> Went to Dr. Lepor yesterday; at this time he said that in 3

> months get retake on psa. If it goes up, the hormone if it

> stays the same, one more test 3 months and then if stays the

> same, then radiation. He made it make sense, by saying if we

> do the hormone right away we won't know if it is just in area

> of prostate and if it isn't and we do radiation right away it

> would have no effect.

>

> What is your opinion?

I'm not a doctor and hesitate to express any opinion here. Your

doctor certainly knows more about this than I do. However I do

want to know how he will tell whether the cancer is beyond the

reach of radiation. Is he implying that if the PSA rises, then

the cancer must be outside of the radiation area? How much

would it have to rise to imply that? If it doesn't rise does it

mean it can be treated by radiation?

We already know that it's rising. It went from .02 to .04 to

..44 (or .53). What additional information does he hope to get

by looking at another PSA and how will he interpret different

possible results?

At this point, I don't think it can hurt to get a second opinion

on this.

You also asked a question about diet.

I have read that a low fat diet is good and that some

supplements are sometimes used. Some supplements I've heard of

include green tea extract, pomegranate extract and resveratrol

(from grapes). Lycopene (from cooked tomatoes or tomato sauce)

was also thought to be good though some studies dispute that.

Vitamin C, Vitamin D and selenium have sometimes been

recommended.

Whether the diet or any of the supplements have any real effect

is impossible to say. The data supporting them is slender. My

personal opinion is, if the supplements are known to be

harmless, and don't cost a lot of money, then it can't hurt to

take them.

As I understand it, some supplements, like Vitamin D and

selenium, can be harmful if you take too much. So I wouldn't

take more than the recommended dosages for those, or for any of

them for that matter.

Good luck.

Alan

[Guest guest]

tennismema wrote:

> Went to Dr. Lepor yesterday; at this time he said that in 3

> months get retake on psa. If it goes up, the hormone if it

> stays the same, one more test 3 months and then if stays the

> same, then radiation. He made it make sense, by saying if we

> do the hormone right away we won't know if it is just in area

> of prostate and if it isn't and we do radiation right away it

> would have no effect.

>

> What is your opinion?

I'm not a doctor and hesitate to express any opinion here. Your

doctor certainly knows more about this than I do. However I do

want to know how he will tell whether the cancer is beyond the

reach of radiation. Is he implying that if the PSA rises, then

the cancer must be outside of the radiation area? How much

would it have to rise to imply that? If it doesn't rise does it

mean it can be treated by radiation?

We already know that it's rising. It went from .02 to .04 to

..44 (or .53). What additional information does he hope to get

by looking at another PSA and how will he interpret different

possible results?

At this point, I don't think it can hurt to get a second opinion

on this.

You also asked a question about diet.

I have read that a low fat diet is good and that some

supplements are sometimes used. Some supplements I've heard of

include green tea extract, pomegranate extract and resveratrol

(from grapes). Lycopene (from cooked tomatoes or tomato sauce)

was also thought to be good though some studies dispute that.

Vitamin C, Vitamin D and selenium have sometimes been

recommended.

Whether the diet or any of the supplements have any real effect

is impossible to say. The data supporting them is slender. My

personal opinion is, if the supplements are known to be

harmless, and don't cost a lot of money, then it can't hurt to

take them.

As I understand it, some supplements, like Vitamin D and

selenium, can be harmful if you take too much. So I wouldn't

take more than the recommended dosages for those, or for any of

them for that matter.

Good luck.

Alan

[Guest guest]

Alan and tennismema --

For what it's worth from a non-doctor:

1. Since he has a non-zero PSA, your husband has passed from the

realm of urology to the realm of oncology. Get the oncologist on

board _now_.

2. It's not so simple as:

" If the supplements are known to be harmless, take them. "

The rule should be:

" If the supplements are known to be harmless _and not to interfere

with the actions of medications_, take them. "

You're not talking about _preventing_ cancer any more -- it's already

there. So you really want to know

a) how the supplements will interact with any hormone-blocking drugs,

(if he's taking them), and

how they will affect the growth of existing prostate cancer cells.

PS -- I've posted on this topic (the use of supplements) before, and

won't do it again for a while.

>

> > Went to Dr. Lepor yesterday; at this time he said that in 3

> > months get retake on psa. If it goes up, the hormone if it

> > stays the same, one more test 3 months and then if stays the

> > same, then radiation. He made it make sense, by saying if we

> > do the hormone right away we won't know if it is just in area

> > of prostate and if it isn't and we do radiation right away it

> > would have no effect.

> >

> > What is your opinion?

>

> I'm not a doctor and hesitate to express any opinion here. Your

> doctor certainly knows more about this than I do. However I do

> want to know how he will tell whether the cancer is beyond the

> reach of radiation. Is he implying that if the PSA rises, then

> the cancer must be outside of the radiation area? How much

> would it have to rise to imply that? If it doesn't rise does it

> mean it can be treated by radiation?

>

> We already know that it's rising. It went from .02 to .04 to

> .44 (or .53). What additional information does he hope to get

> by looking at another PSA and how will he interpret different

> possible results?

>

> At this point, I don't think it can hurt to get a second opinion

> on this.

>

> You also asked a question about diet.

>

> I have read that a low fat diet is good and that some

> supplements are sometimes used. Some supplements I've heard of

> include green tea extract, pomegranate extract and resveratrol

> (from grapes). Lycopene (from cooked tomatoes or tomato sauce)

> was also thought to be good though some studies dispute that.

> Vitamin C, Vitamin D and selenium have sometimes been

> recommended.

>

> Whether the diet or any of the supplements have any real effect

> is impossible to say. The data supporting them is slender. My

> personal opinion is, if the supplements are known to be

> harmless, and don't cost a lot of money, then it can't hurt to

> take them.

>

> As I understand it, some supplements, like Vitamin D and

> selenium, can be harmful if you take too much. So I wouldn't

> take more than the recommended dosages for those, or for any of

> them for that matter.

>

> Good luck.

>

> Alan

>

[Guest guest]

Alan and tennismema --

For what it's worth from a non-doctor:

1. Since he has a non-zero PSA, your husband has passed from the

realm of urology to the realm of oncology. Get the oncologist on

board _now_.

2. It's not so simple as:

" If the supplements are known to be harmless, take them. "

The rule should be:

" If the supplements are known to be harmless _and not to interfere

with the actions of medications_, take them. "

You're not talking about _preventing_ cancer any more -- it's already

there. So you really want to know

a) how the supplements will interact with any hormone-blocking drugs,

(if he's taking them), and

how they will affect the growth of existing prostate cancer cells.

PS -- I've posted on this topic (the use of supplements) before, and

won't do it again for a while.

>

> > Went to Dr. Lepor yesterday; at this time he said that in 3

> > months get retake on psa. If it goes up, the hormone if it

> > stays the same, one more test 3 months and then if stays the

> > same, then radiation. He made it make sense, by saying if we

> > do the hormone right away we won't know if it is just in area

> > of prostate and if it isn't and we do radiation right away it

> > would have no effect.

> >

> > What is your opinion?

>

> I'm not a doctor and hesitate to express any opinion here. Your

> doctor certainly knows more about this than I do. However I do

> want to know how he will tell whether the cancer is beyond the

> reach of radiation. Is he implying that if the PSA rises, then

> the cancer must be outside of the radiation area? How much

> would it have to rise to imply that? If it doesn't rise does it

> mean it can be treated by radiation?

>

> We already know that it's rising. It went from .02 to .04 to

> .44 (or .53). What additional information does he hope to get

> by looking at another PSA and how will he interpret different

> possible results?

>

> At this point, I don't think it can hurt to get a second opinion

> on this.

>

> You also asked a question about diet.

>

> I have read that a low fat diet is good and that some

> supplements are sometimes used. Some supplements I've heard of

> include green tea extract, pomegranate extract and resveratrol

> (from grapes). Lycopene (from cooked tomatoes or tomato sauce)

> was also thought to be good though some studies dispute that.

> Vitamin C, Vitamin D and selenium have sometimes been

> recommended.

>

> Whether the diet or any of the supplements have any real effect

> is impossible to say. The data supporting them is slender. My

> personal opinion is, if the supplements are known to be

> harmless, and don't cost a lot of money, then it can't hurt to

> take them.

>

> As I understand it, some supplements, like Vitamin D and

> selenium, can be harmful if you take too much. So I wouldn't

> take more than the recommended dosages for those, or for any of

> them for that matter.

>

> Good luck.

>

> Alan

>

[Guest guest]

cpcohen1945 wrote:

....

> 2. It's not so simple as:

>

> " If the supplements are known to be harmless, take them. "

>

> The rule should be:

>

> " If the supplements are known to be harmless _and not to

> interfere with the actions of medications_ , take them. "

>

> You're not talking about _preventing_ cancer any more -- it's

> already there. So you really want to know

>

> a) how the supplements will interact with any hormone-blocking

> drugs, (if he's taking them), and

>

> how they will affect the growth of existing prostate cancer

> cells.

Excellent points , I stand corrected.

Unfortunately of course, the information we need about

supplements is just not available. Partly because there is no

money to be made by drug companies in selling products which

cannot be patented, there is no economic incentive for them to

run clinical trials.

But you are certainly right. The problem is more complicated

than that supplements are known to be harmless in otherwise

healthy people - which is the only information we have about most

of them.

Alan

[Guest guest]

cpcohen1945 wrote:

....

> 2. It's not so simple as:

>

> " If the supplements are known to be harmless, take them. "

>

> The rule should be:

>

> " If the supplements are known to be harmless _and not to

> interfere with the actions of medications_ , take them. "

>

> You're not talking about _preventing_ cancer any more -- it's

> already there. So you really want to know

>

> a) how the supplements will interact with any hormone-blocking

> drugs, (if he's taking them), and

>

> how they will affect the growth of existing prostate cancer

> cells.

Excellent points , I stand corrected.

Unfortunately of course, the information we need about

supplements is just not available. Partly because there is no

money to be made by drug companies in selling products which

cannot be patented, there is no economic incentive for them to

run clinical trials.

But you are certainly right. The problem is more complicated

than that supplements are known to be harmless in otherwise

healthy people - which is the only information we have about most

of them.

Alan

[Guest guest]

Alan,

It is not quite as simple as drug companies not being interested. I wonder if as a society we are interested? There is a section at the NCI/NIH that is charged with looking at CAM.

The Annie Appleseed Project, a 501©(3) non-profit corporation, provides information, education, advocacy, and awareness for people with cancer and their family and friends who are interested in complementary or alternative medicine (CAM) and natural therapies from a patient's perspective. We are an all volunteer organization.......

Ann Fonfa, founder of The Annie Appleseed Project and a breast cancer survivor, has testified in Congress and to the Food & Drug Administration about a patient's need for CAM information. "Only by standing up for our right to know will we get the studies we need to make educated and informed choices."

Ann is right. You can go to her website at http://www.annieappleseedproject.org/index.html

Kathy

From: ProstateCancerSupport [mailto:ProstateCancerSupport ] On Behalf Of Alan MeyerSent: Sunday, October 26, 2008 11:41 PMTo: ProstateCancerSupport Subject: Re: Re: psa up after radical prostectomy

Unfortunately of course, the information we need aboutsupplements is just not available. Partly because there is nomoney to be made by drug companies in selling products whichcannot be patented, there is no economic incentive for them torun clinical trials.But you are certainly right. The problem is more complicatedthan that supplements are known to be harmless in otherwisehealthy people - which is the only information we have about mostof them.Alan

[Guest guest]

Alan,

It is not quite as simple as drug companies not being interested. I wonder if as a society we are interested? There is a section at the NCI/NIH that is charged with looking at CAM.

The Annie Appleseed Project, a 501©(3) non-profit corporation, provides information, education, advocacy, and awareness for people with cancer and their family and friends who are interested in complementary or alternative medicine (CAM) and natural therapies from a patient's perspective. We are an all volunteer organization.......

Ann Fonfa, founder of The Annie Appleseed Project and a breast cancer survivor, has testified in Congress and to the Food & Drug Administration about a patient's need for CAM information. "Only by standing up for our right to know will we get the studies we need to make educated and informed choices."

Ann is right. You can go to her website at http://www.annieappleseedproject.org/index.html

Kathy

From: ProstateCancerSupport [mailto:ProstateCancerSupport ] On Behalf Of Alan MeyerSent: Sunday, October 26, 2008 11:41 PMTo: ProstateCancerSupport Subject: Re: Re: psa up after radical prostectomy

Unfortunately of course, the information we need aboutsupplements is just not available. Partly because there is nomoney to be made by drug companies in selling products whichcannot be patented, there is no economic incentive for them torun clinical trials.But you are certainly right. The problem is more complicatedthan that supplements are known to be harmless in otherwisehealthy people - which is the only information we have about mostof them.Alan

[Guest guest]

Kathy Meade wrote:

> It is not quite as simple as drug companies not being

> interested. I wonder if as a society we are interested? There

> is a section at the NCI/NIH that is charged with looking at

> CAM.

I agree that my statement was an oversimplification, though I

think there is some truth to it.

....

> Ann is right. You can go to her website at

> http://www.annieappleseedproject.org/index.html

I did a cursory look at this website. It has a very

useful looking web page on prostate cancer. See:

http://www.annieappleseedproject.org/proscanis.html

There is a lot information on diet and supplements that people

might find interesting, as well as other information.

Alan

[Guest guest]

Kathy Meade wrote:

> It is not quite as simple as drug companies not being

> interested. I wonder if as a society we are interested? There

> is a section at the NCI/NIH that is charged with looking at

> CAM.

I agree that my statement was an oversimplification, though I

think there is some truth to it.

....

> Ann is right. You can go to her website at

> http://www.annieappleseedproject.org/index.html

I did a cursory look at this website. It has a very

useful looking web page on prostate cancer. See:

http://www.annieappleseedproject.org/proscanis.html

There is a lot information on diet and supplements that people

might find interesting, as well as other information.

Alan

[Guest guest]

> >

> > Hi, My husband had a radical prostectomy one year ago. last psa

> > was .02 3 months then.04 at 6 months . This psa was .53 then with

> > redo .44 (He did have hernia sugery 3 months ago.)

> > Anybody else with similar scenario? what options are next

> > Thanks

> > Have a happy and healthy

> >

>

Dr. DiPaola is very good I've seen him a few time & would be on

a clinicle trial through him now if my insurance would cover it.

He was recomended to me by my my oncologist at Hopkins.

[Guest guest]

> >

> > Hi, My husband had a radical prostectomy one year ago. last psa

> > was .02 3 months then.04 at 6 months . This psa was .53 then with

> > redo .44 (He did have hernia sugery 3 months ago.)

> > Anybody else with similar scenario? what options are next

> > Thanks

> > Have a happy and healthy

> >

>

Dr. DiPaola is very good I've seen him a few time & would be on

a clinicle trial through him now if my insurance would cover it.

He was recomended to me by my my oncologist at Hopkins.

[Guest guest]

> >

> > Hi, My husband had a radical prostectomy one year ago. last psa

> > was .02 3 months then.04 at 6 months . This psa was .53 then with

> > redo .44 (He did have hernia sugery 3 months ago.)

> > Anybody else with similar scenario? what options are next

> > Thanks

> > Have a happy and healthy

> >

>

Dr. DiPaola is very good I've seen him a few time & would be on

a clinicle trial through him now if my insurance would cover it.

He was recomended to me by my my oncologist at Hopkins.