| Q1: What are the treatment options for
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| | A study of more than 1,000 men with
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| advanced prostate cancer?
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| | advanced hormone-refractory prostate
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| Advanced prostate cancer is cancer that
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| | cancer demonstrated that giving an
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| has spread from the prostate to the
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| | injection of Taxotere in combination with
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| pelvic lymph nodes or to other parts of
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| | prednisone every three weeks demonstrated
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| the body. Advanced prostate cancer cannot
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| | a survival advantageof 2.5 months over
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| be cured but the progression of the
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| | prednisone and the chemotherapy drug
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| disease can be slowed and men can be made
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| | mitoxantrone, which are FDA-approved to
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| more comfortable with hormonal therapy
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| | relieve pain in men with
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| and, occasionally, chemotherapy.
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| | hormone-refractory prostate cancer.
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| Hormonal therapy is currently the first
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| | Side effects of chemotherapy include
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| treatment that is recommended to men with
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| | nausea and vomiting, fatigue, infection
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| advanced prostate cancer. The goal of
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| | risk, hair loss and tingling and numbness
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| hormonal therapy is to lower levels of
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| | in the hands and feet. People who
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| male hormones, or androgens, such as
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| | experience side effects from
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| testosterone, which can fuel the growth
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| | chemotherapy, however, can
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| of prostate cancer. This can be achieved
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| | takemedications to combat nausea and
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| with eithersurgery or medication.
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| | vomiting and low blood counts that lead
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| Testosterone levels can be reduced
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| | to fatigue and infection.
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| surgically by removing the testicles in
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| | Q4: What therapies can I take to control
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| an outpatient procedure known as an
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| | prostate cancer symptoms?
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| orchiectomy; prosthetic testicles may be
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| | Men with advanced prostate cancer may
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| used in the testicles' place.
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| | experience symptoms of their disease,
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| If a patient prefers medication to
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| | such as pain, that require treatment to
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| surgery, drugs such as LHRH agonists may
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| | make them feel more comfortable.
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| be given as shots every few months to
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| | External radiation treatments might be
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| lower testosterone levels. Other drugs,
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| | delivered periodically to shrink tumors
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| such as anti-androgens and estrogen
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| | and help to relieve pain.
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| therapy, can help block the activity of
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| | A group of drugs called bisphosphonates
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| male hormones. Sometimes surgery and
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| | can also be used to ease pain from cancer
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| medications are tried in combination.
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| | that has traveled to the bones; these
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| Side effects of hormonal therapy include
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| | drugs may also help prevent bone
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| impotence, low sex drive, tiredness, hot
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| | metastases.
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| flashes and weight gain. While hormonal
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| | Pain can also be managed with painkillers
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| therapy can lead to remissions up to two
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| | and non-drug methods. Some men might try
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| or three years, it cannot stave off the
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| | complementary therapies, such as
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| progression of advanced prostate cancer
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| | acupuncture, herbal therapies or
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| indefinitely and the disease usually
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| | meditation; it's important to tell your
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| returns.
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| | doctors about the complementary therapies
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| Q2: How will I know if hormonal therapy
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| | you are considering since there are risks
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| is working?
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| | for drug interactions and side effects.
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| The main way to determine whether
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| | Q5: Should I consider a clinical trial?
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| hormonal therapy is working is by
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| | Clinical trials are studies conducted in
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| measuring prostate-specific antigen (PSA)
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| | people to evaluate new methods and
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| levels with a blood test. Blood levels of
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| | medications for safety and effectiveness.
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| this protein can measure the presence and
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| | Many ongoing trials are investigating new
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| activity of prostate cancer.
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| | approaches to treating advanced prostate
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| So if PSA levels are going up, that's
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| | cancer, including cryosurgery, which uses
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| usually a sign that the treatment isn't
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| | liquid nitrogen to kill prostate cancer
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| working as well as it has been.
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| | cells, as well as new chemotherapy
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| There are rare instances when the PSA may
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| | combinations and new approaches to
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| not go up as the cancer is growing. In
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| | radiation therapy.
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| those cases, people usually have
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| | You should discuss the risks and benefits
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| symptoms, such as bone pain, which should
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| | of participating in a clinical trial with
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| be evaluated with X-rays. Some doctors
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| | your doctor.
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| may monitor for metastases with CT scans,
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| | Tips on how you can prepare for this
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| MRIs or bone scans.
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| | discussion:
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| Q3: What can be done if the hormonal
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| | Get a three-ring binder for all of your
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| options don't work?
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| | medical documents.
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| When someone has advanced prostate cancer
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| | Get copies of all of your laboratory and
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| that is no longer responding to hormonal
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| | pathology reports.
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| therapies-a condition known as
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| | Bring a note pad, tape recorder or a
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| hormone-refractory prostate cancer-other
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| | friend as another set of ears to your
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| forms of treatment may be required.
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| | doctor's appointments to be sure you do
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| Until recently, chemotherapy, which kills
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| | not miss any of the information.
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| fast-growing cells typical of most
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| | Make a list of all medications and
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| cancers, was not thought to work against
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| | complementary therapies you are taking.
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| prostate cancer cells, which are usually
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| | Consider your goals for treatment.
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| slow growing. Even though chemotherapy
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| | If considering hormonal therapy, consider
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| was sometimes used to relieve pain in men
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| | whether you prefer surgery or medications
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| with hormone-refractory prostate cancer,
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| | that will suppress your hormones.
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| it had never beenshown to improve
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| | Make a list of all symptoms and
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| survival.
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| | medication side effects you are
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| But in May 2004, the U.S. Food and Drug
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| | experiencing.
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| Administration (FDA) approved a
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| | Prepare a list of your questions and
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| chemotherapy drug called Taxotere
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| | concerns.
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| (docetaxel) for use in combination with
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| | Find out what clinical trials might be
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| the steroid prednisone, for the treatment
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| | available to you.
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| of advanced prostate cancer that is not
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| | Consider your expectations for
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| responding to hormone therapy. This new
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| | participating in a clinical trial.
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| combination can help some patientslive
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| | Consider the advantages and disadvantages
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| longer with the disease.
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| | of being in a clinical trial.
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