Orchiectomy vs. Hormone Therapy | Mark Scholz MD | Alex Scholz | PCRI
In the United States, achieving a state of low testosterone as a prostate cancer treatment is usually accomplished through the use of medicines like "Lupron," however, another option of achieving low testosterone in a man is "orchiectomy" or the removal of the testicles. In this video, PCRI's Alex asks medical oncologist Mark Scholz, MD, about orchiectomy and whether there are any advantages or disadvantages to orchiectomy versus chemical means of testosterone reduction like Lupron, and whether the aforementioned "intermittent hormone therapy" would be an option for a man whose testicles have been removed for prostate cancer control, but whose PSA have since remained low and stable.
0:07 What is an "orchiectomy" and how is it relevant to prostate cancer?
1:44 What are the side effects of orchiectomy?
2:07 Have you ever recommended orchiectomy for a patient?
3:16 How does orchiectomy affect a person's PSA?
4:05 Is it possible for someone to recover their testosterone after an orchiectomy?
6:36 In the context of intermittent hormone therapy -- can you use the time "off-treatment" to get a PSMA PET scan to visualize the disease and see if it could be vulnerable to a treatment like spot radiation -- potentially delaying the need to resume hormone therapy?
8:42 Which measures should patients take before committing to an orchiectomy?
Don’t know your stage? Take the quiz: Visit http://www.prostatecancerstaging.org
To learn more about prostate cancer visit http://www.pcri.org
Sign up for our newsletter here to receive the latest updates on prostate cancer and the PCRI: https://pcri.org/join
Who we are:
The Prostate Cancer Research Institute (PCRI) is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization that is dedicated to helping you research your treatment options. We understand that you have many questions, and we can help you find the answers that are specific to your case. All of our resources are designed by a multidisciplinary team of advocates and expert physicians, for patients. We believe that by educating yourself about the disease, you will have more productive interactions with your medical professionals and receive better individualized care. Feel free to explore our website at pcri.org or contact our free helpline with any questions that you have at pcri.org/helpline. Our Federal Tax ID # is 95-4617875 and qualifies for maximum charitable gift deductions by individual donors.
The information on the Prostate Cancer Research Institute's YouTube channel is provided with the understanding that the Institute is not engaged in rendering medical advice or recommendation. The information provided in these videos should not replace consultations with qualified health care professionals to meet your individual medical needs.