Talk Cancer » Prostate Cancer » Quadramet
Quadramet
Question:
Alan, I forgot to mention that I do have extensive bone mets and also have PCa in my Lypmh nodes. My prostate is still intact as the docs see no need to have it removed.
Response:
Alan, I forgot to mention that I do have extensive bone mets and also have PCa in my Lypmh nodes. My prostate is still intact as the docs see no need to have it removed.
Well, in that case, maybe you should pursue this. I suggest that you give the company a call. Ask them if there are any trials going on that are still enrolling new patients. If so, ask them about how to participate and where you can find the published results so far. In some cases, your local doctor might be able to participate in the trial – administering the medication and performing the follow up – if he’s willing to do it and is accepted by the researchers. However, I understand his reluctance to get involved in a trial of something that he doesn’t know anything about. I respect a guy who knows his limitations and tries not to exceed them. But there might be someplace else not to far away from you that is participating in a trial. I’m sorry to hear about the bone mets. I presume you’re on HT now. I hope it keeps working for you and that you are able to benefit from this new drug, or one of the other new drugs that are in trials. Good luck. Alan
Response:
Greetings all, Does anyone have any experience with Quadramet ( Samarium). I have been in a debate with a local radiation oncologist regarding its effectiveness. Understanding that it is used primarily for treating bone pain, a recent phase II study has shown that when used in conjuction with chemotherapy (Taxotere) it has shown to reduce PSA levels by as much as 75%. My Radiation Onco is unwilling to treat me with Quadramet because I have no bone pain, and my PSA is down to 5.89. Here is the link to the news release. http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=97538&p=irol-newsArticle_…
I have never heard of this. Why not call the company that makes it and ask if it’s appropriate for someone without bone mets? My guess is that they will say no. When an investigational drug is approved for clinical trials, it is only approved for specific applications and may not be used for purposes that the FDA has not approved. This sounds like it could be a bad thing, but it’s really a good thing in most cases and protects people against possibly severe side effects and possible loss of opportunity to try other treatments, in order to get some unproven benefit. The fact that the drug lowers PSA in some patients who have bone mets doesn’t at all prove that it will lower PSA in patients without bone mets. It might very well be that the drug only attacks prostate tumor cells that reside in bones. Your current doctor is probably right in not being willing to use it, even assuming he can legally do so. My advice is, don’t focus on one therapy and then chase after a doctor who will give it to you. There are a lot of conventional therapies, and a lot of investigational ones. Do some research on all of them. Look for example at the National Cancer Institute’s website on clinical trials (http://cancer.gov) and at (http://clinicaltrials.gov). Best of luck. Alan
Response:
Greetings all, Does anyone have any experience with Quadramet ( Samarium). I have been in a debate with a local radiation oncologist regarding its effectiveness. Understanding that it is used primarily for treating bone pain, a recent phase II study has shown that when used in conjuction with chemotherapy (Taxotere) it has shown to reduce PSA levels by as much as 75%. My Radiation Onco is unwilling to treat me with Quadramet because I have no bone pain, and my PSA is down to 5.89. Here is the link to the news release. http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=97538&p=irol-newsArticle_…