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Has Prostate Cancer. Taking Hormonal Therapy. Recommended No Surgery. What Are The Other Options?
Question: my father has prostate cancer which has advanceded as new bone test is showing it in bones but not in other area and he is taking horomone therepy since last 2 years and doctors recently said no for surgery also..
can you please tell me what options are for him now ..and what is life expatancy here..
can you please tell me what options are for him now ..and what is life expatancy here..
Hello and thank you for sending your question.
As you have indicated the new test has showed that prostate cancer is now active in the bones. This is a very common area for prostate cancer to spread. In this kind of situation surgery to remove the prostate is never indicated. The reason why is because removing the prostate will have no affect on overall disease control.
If the hormonal medication is no longer active we refer to this as castrate resistant prostate cancer. Even in this kind of situation there are many treatments which are available. Regarding life expectancy this is very very difficult to predict and most patients can do fairly well for years.
As far as options are concerned these may include chemotherapy as well as additional medications such as abiraterone, ketoconazole, or enzalutamide. The sequence of which medication or therapy to use is up to the treating medical oncologist.
Many of these treatments are very well tolerated with side effects which most patients can handle.
Another possible option is participation in a clinical trial. Clinical trials utilize new medications on patients with certain criteria. If your father is interested he may discuss this option with the medical oncologist who might refer him or discuss active clinical trials which he might participate in.
Thank you again for sending your question. Please let me know if you have any additional specific concerns.
Dr Galamaga
As you have indicated the new test has showed that prostate cancer is now active in the bones. This is a very common area for prostate cancer to spread. In this kind of situation surgery to remove the prostate is never indicated. The reason why is because removing the prostate will have no affect on overall disease control.
If the hormonal medication is no longer active we refer to this as castrate resistant prostate cancer. Even in this kind of situation there are many treatments which are available. Regarding life expectancy this is very very difficult to predict and most patients can do fairly well for years.
As far as options are concerned these may include chemotherapy as well as additional medications such as abiraterone, ketoconazole, or enzalutamide. The sequence of which medication or therapy to use is up to the treating medical oncologist.
Many of these treatments are very well tolerated with side effects which most patients can handle.
Another possible option is participation in a clinical trial. Clinical trials utilize new medications on patients with certain criteria. If your father is interested he may discuss this option with the medical oncologist who might refer him or discuss active clinical trials which he might participate in.
Thank you again for sending your question. Please let me know if you have any additional specific concerns.
Dr Galamaga
Note: For further queries related to kidney problems Click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Prasad
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