Treasure Valley Prostate Cancer Support

07/24/2025

Who knew that you might live longer with healthy living? [Probably all of us, but here are some numbers from PCF.]
From the Research Desk: Healthier Lifestyle Linked to Longer Life After Diagnosis

Need another reason to lace up your walking shoes? More research suggests that leading a healthier lifestyle after being diagnosed with prostate cancer substantially lowered a person’s risk of dying from any cause.

Leading a healthier lifestyle after being diagnosed with non-metastatic prostate cancer was linked to a more than 30% decrease in risk of dying from any

07/19/2025

Here is a link to an article from PCF (Prostate Cancer Foundation), a very trusted site. It deals frankly with the issues of sexual intimacy that arise with prostate cancer.

This article shares options and insights for men and couples seeking to strengthen physical intimacy after prostate cancer treatment. Therefore, it

06/10/2025

For those of us facing metastatic castrate resistant prostate cancer you might find value in this magazine. It seems to include an inordinate number of advertisements for Pluvicto, but you're going to want to be informed about this drug regimen anyway.

04/21/2025

For a while, it was believed that it was safer to not be screened for prostate cancer than to be screened. [Personal opinion: it was never the over diagnosis that was/is the problem - the problem comes from over treatment.] Here is a study that shows skipping screening (and thus diagnosis) results in 45% higher mortality (=DEATH) from prostate cancer. [I know that the picture says 23%, but go to the link and read the article, it's 45%.]

Men who avoided prostate cancer screening were significantly more likely to die from the disease, according to a large European trial. The reasons for ignoring prostate cancer screening are complex but may be related to a lack of education about the importance of the diagnostic procedure.

04/13/2025

Here is a link to the new "Prostate Policy Pulse", the "Pulse". It comes from the Government Relations & Advocacy offices of ZERO Prostate Cancer (ZeroCancer.org). They will break down what is happening in the government with respect to prostate cancer and what it means for our prostate cancer community and what we can do about it, together.
https://zerocancer.quorum.us/prostatepulse/

03/30/2025

Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCF) is huge in the world of private organizations funding prostate cancer research. They are also extremely good with patient guides and patient information. This link takes you to the first of several informative articles with links at the bottom of each to the next. GOOD READS!

Many studies have shown that hitting prostate cancer hard in early metastasis with more than one treatment approach minimizes symptoms, preserves quality of life, and prolongs survival.  So why aren’t more men being offered the standard of care? What is undertreatment?  It’s aiming too low: un...

03/30/2025

Great news! Pluvicto, the radioligand treatment also called Lutetium 177 has been approved by the FDA for use without the requirement for chemotherapy first. Now men with advanced and advancing prostate cancer can use Pluvicto (presuming it is appropriate) BEFORE chemotherapy. This provides another option for treatment at that stage in advanced prostate cancer. [I do not know when private insurance and/or Medicare will approve coverage, but hopefully not long.]
https://www.pcf.org/c/breaking-news-expanded-fda-approval-of-177lutetium-psma-617/

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What this means for patients: Today, the therapy 177lutetium-PSMA-617 (Lu-PSMA; trade name Pluvicto®) was approved by the FDA for patients with advanced (metastatic) prostate cancer who have been treated with androgen receptor pathway inhibitor therapy. This medicine delivers a small dose of rad...

03/23/2025

Just a few years ago, prostate cancer was treated one step at a time (one therapy at a time). I had to advocate even as recently as 2019 to address my PCa with two therapies at the same time. Double has quickly been adopted as standard of care (SOC) and not surprisingly, triple is appropriate in many cases and can lead to much better results, particularly in the early stages of progression.

Many studies have shown that hitting prostate cancer hard in early metastasis with more than one treatment approach minimizes symptoms, preserves quality of life, and prolongs survival.  So why aren’t more men being offered the standard of care? What is undertreatment?  It’s aiming too low: un...

03/23/2025

Some folks get depressed by the situation they find themselves in, particularly men with recurrent metastatic prostate cancer. But there is hope. Besides treatments available today, there are more on the way. Here is one example:

DURHAM, N.C. – A treatment paradox has recently come to light in prostate cancer: Blocking testosterone production halts tumor growth in early disease, while elevating the hormone can delay disease progression in patients whose disease has advanced.The inability to understand how different levels ...

03/02/2025

This is how I was introduced at last Sunday’s ZERO Prostate Cancer awards night “Bold for Blue”.

The Edward C. Kaps Hope Award is given to an outstanding leader in a ZERO Us TOO Support Group who has shown unselfish, dedicated service to prostate cancer ...

01/30/2025

ZERO Prostate Cancer (zerocancer.org) has support for caregivers - the unsung heroes in the prostate cancer journey.
https://zerocancer.org/help-and-support/resources-for/caregivers