In this blog PCRI presents an interview from our contributing partner, Prostatepedia. 

Mr. Jeff Lee, a mobile technology veteran, develops clinical trial apps for most major pharmaceutical companies. Prostatepedia spoke with him about how mobile technology streamlines the clinical trial experience for both patients and researchers alike. Here is the interview:

Per the NCCN guidelines, the treatment options for High-Risk prostate cancer are surgery, beam radiation, or a combination of beam radiation plus radioactive seeds. Hormonal therapy (with Lupron for example) is usually given along with the radiation for two to three years. But patients certainly wonder if one of these three treatment options is better than the other two. A study published recently in the October 2016 issue New England Journal of Medicine compared surgery and beam radiation prospectively in men with mostly Low-Risk prostate cancer. It showed equivalent survival rates. A prospective study for High-Risk prostate cancer, however, is unavailable. Only retrospective studies are available.

Focal therapy is a treatment option for men with specific types of localized disease. This treatment attempts to ablate areas of the prostate that contain cancer, while sparing healthy tissue. This article covers both technical and practical information about HIFU.

If you or your partner have experienced prostate cancer, you might have questions and concerns about sexual recovery and rebuilding your sex life. This article will help identify things you can do now, wherever you are in your recovery, to start to create a sex life you want. With prostate cancer, as with many things in life, there are the physical realities of the situation, and there are options for dealing with those realities. How we deal with the realities influences how they affect our lives. Try to adopt the mindset that you will do your best to create what you want sexually, within the boundaries of what’s physically possible. 

This is a letter that we received from a recent helpline caller. It demonstrates the critical importance of support empowerment and information and how it prepares you for partnership with your medical professionals. This letter was published with permission from its author.

"Researchers are hopeful about the potential for a novel agent in high-risk prostate cancer" states Tony Berberabe, MPh in his published article for Cure Magazine on June 23rd, 2016

"This video is intended for the wives, husbands, partners and loved ones of men who may be at risk of having prostate cancer or who have been diagnosed with the cancer. Our aim is to help you help him navigate through what can be a complicated, confusing and anxiety ridden time.

Cancer that spreads outside the prostate gland is what makes prostate cancer dangerous. Metastatic prostate cancer cells cause malfunction by impeding normal function. Some organs, like lymph nodes for example, continue to function quite nicely, even if the degree of cancer spread is extensive.  Lymph node spread, therefore, is the least dangerous form of prostate cancer metastases.  At the other end of the spectrum is the liver, which is far less tolerant.  The seriousness of bone metastases, the most common site of prostate cancer spread, lies about half way between that of node metastases and liver metastases.

LDR (low dose rate) brachytherapy for prostate cancer is more commonly known as seed implants. You may be familiar with this treatment option but for those of you who may be new to the confusing world of prostate cancer treatment, seed implants involve the insertion of small radioactive pellets or seeds into the prostate by transrectal ultrasound guidance, in order to deliver a focused dose of radiation to the prostate.

Eight years ago, at the age of 55, I learned I had prostate cancer. At that time, ignoring three separate doctors’ recommendations, I decided to forego surgery. One of my doctors, a urologist, gave me the name of a patient who was on active surveillance. I contacted Brad Cole and our conversation gave me the courage to try it myself.