ESMO Clinical Practice Guidelines for PCa treatments 2015

The European Society for Medical Oncology published their updated Clinical Practice Guidelines for for PCa treatments 2015.

The updated ESMO Clinical Practice Guidelines on prostate cancer provide information on the current management of prostate cancer including recommendations for screening and diagnosis, along with stage-matched therapeutic strategies.

ESMO recommendations include:

• Patients with intermediate- or high-risk disease should have nodal staging using computed tomography (CT), MRI, choline positron emission tomography/CT (PET/CT) or pelvic nodal dissection. 

• Patients with intermediate- or high-risk disease should be staged for metastases using technetium bone scan and thoraco-abdominal CT scan or whole-body MRI or choline PET/CT

• Watchful waiting with delayed hormone therapy is an option for men with low-risk disease.

• Watchful waiting with delayed hormone therapy is an option for men with localised or locally advanced disease who are not suitable for, or unwilling to have, radical treatment. 

• Active surveillance is an option for men with low-risk disease.

• RP or radiotherapy (external beam or brachytherapy) are options for men with low- or intermediate-risk disease.

• Primary ADT alone is not recommended as standard initial treatment of non-metastatic disease.

• Options for patients with high-risk or locally advanced prostate cancer include external beam RT plus hormone treatment or RP plus pelvic lymphadenectomy. 

For full review and recommendations visit ESMO website below:

http://www.esmo.org/Guidelines/Genitourinary-Cancers/Cancer-of-the-Prostate

Take care 

Allen Lai

Comparing Treatment Options for PCa

We want to survive PCa and remain PCa free. Our survivability and prognosis will depend largely on the strategies and treatments adopted. Most of us would like to know what is best for us. Indeed there are many treatments for PCa at each degree and level of PCa. It will be best to discuss with our Oncologist what is best for us. Studies have given some statistics to assist us in choosing what could be the best options for us.

However we should always realise that statistics are just guidelines only. Your age, overall state of health and physicals are more important at any point of time. Do not depend on statistics only. Keep fit and moving to achieve the best prognosis post treatments.

The Prostrate Cancer Treatment Research Foundation has produced a very comprehensive tool to show the effectiveness of the many types of current standard treatments and to compare them for three levels of risks groups. These statistics represent not just survivability but include survival without PCa recurrence.

Visit the site here:

http://www.pctrf.org/comparing-treatments/

Do read the tutorial and explanations before viewing your chart.

Take care

Allen Lai

The Movember Founder - TrueNTH

Physical activity and regular exercising are strongly recommended as part of cancer treatments and recovery. Any exercise is better than no exercise. Get to know that exercises have no contradictions to any form of cancer treatments. There are special considerations for every cancer stage and treatment types. Get to know specifically the stress and limitations to metastastic cancer, particularly when cancer has spread to the bones. See above chart.

One of the best websites dedicated to exercises for PCa patients is TrueNTH, an initiative by Austrialian's Movember Foundation. This site is comprehensive and has programmes for starters and advance levels of exercises for every stage of the cancer. 

Get qualified explanations on the benefits of exercising and more so the cautions and special programmes for matestastic cancer. How to exercise safe. Be mindful of the Dos and Donts when exercising. The FAQ section has answers to most of our questions. And there are downloads for all your exercise needs with specific exercises planers.

Visit TrueNTH here:

http://lifestyle.au.truenth.org/why-exercise

Take care, happy exercising and enjoy your physical activities.

Thank you Movember Foundation.

Allen Lai