Jamie Bearse
CEO and President, ZERO – The End of Prostate Cancer
A prostate cancer diagnosis brings immense emotional stress for patients and their families. A treatment plan can be daunting — what treatment options exist, and what options are right for you and your specific diagnosis?
It’s important to remember that no matter your cancer status — whether your cancer was caught early, or you find yourself suddenly in Stage IV — you are not alone. Organizations like ZERO – The End of Prostate Cancer (the nation’s leading nonprofit in the fight against this awful disease) have resources, support, and education materials to help you determine the best treatment path for you.
For additional information on treatment options, talk with your urologist, oncologist, and other members of your medical team. Be sure to share your findings with your support network and family.
Different stage, different treatment
Early-stage patients may be directed to active surveillance instead of pharmaceutical or surgical treatments. In this case, a doctor monitors your cancer through regular tests to watch for signs that the cancer may be spreading or becoming more aggressive.
For men who have a cancer that is at risk of spreading, surgery, cryotherapy, radiation, or other treatments may be recommended to prevent the cancer from growing. Some patients may have the option of hormonal therapies, which work in different ways to stop or inhibit the actions of the male hormones (androgens), such as testosterone, which fuel prostate cancer growth.
Advanced patients facing metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) may be eligible for immunotherapy, which uses immune cells (white blood cells) to attack advanced prostate cancer. As of this year, advanced prostate cancer patients now have the option of PARP inhibitors, thanks to the recent FDA approvals of Rubraca and Lynparza. PARP inhibitors are designed to disable DNA repair pathways in cancer cells, which make it difficult for cancerous cells to survive or populate.
For more on these treatment types and others not listed here, visit zerocancer.org. For patients already diagnosed with prostate cancer seeking treatment assistance, call the ZERO360 Comprehensive Patient Support Line toll-free at 1-844-244-1309.
Additionally, you can join the fight to create new treatment options for prostate cancer by registering for free for the annual ZERO Summit, which will be held online from Feb. 28 to March 4. Sign up today at zerocancer.org/summit to raise your voice for necessary new prostate cancer treatments and diagnostics.
