It is important to keep a positive attitude. Advances in cancer treatment now allow patients with prostate cancer to live full and enjoyable lives. Maintain your hobbies and interests and look to family and friends for support. Many patients also seek advice from a therapist to manage any sexual side effects that may occur. As always, be sure to discuss all of your options with your doctor.
Helpful Links
The American Cancer Society
1-800-ACS-2345
www.cancer.org
American Foundation for Urologic Disease
1-800-828-7866
www.afud.org
Cancer Care
1-800-813-HOPE
www.cancercare.org
Cancer Information Network
www.cancerlinksusa.com/prostate
Mayo Clinic Medical and Health Information
www.mayoclinic.com
The National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship
www.canceradvocacy.org
National Institute of Health (NIH)
www.nihseniorhealth.gov
OncoLink
www.oncolink.com
Patient Advocates for Advanced Cancer Treatments
www.paactusa.org
Prostate Cancer Research Institute
1-310-743-2110
www.prostate-cancer.org
Prostate Forum
www.prostateforum.com
WebMD
www.webmd.com
Indevus Pharmaceuticals
www.indevus.com
VANTAS is indicated in the palliative treatment of advanced prostate cancer.
VANTAS is contraindicated in patients with hypersensitivity to GnRH, GnRH agonist analogs, or any components in VANTAS. VANTAS is contraindicated in women and pediatric patients and was not studied in women or children. VANTAS, like other LHRH agonists, causes a transient increase in serum concentration of testosterone during the first week of treatment. Patients may experience worsening of symptoms or onset of new symptoms including bone pain, neuropathy, hematuria, or ureteral or bladder outlet obstruction. Cases of ureteral obstruction and spinal cord compression, which may contribute to paralysis with or without fatal complications, have been reported with LHRH agonists. If spinal cord compression or renal impairment develops, standard treatment of these complications should be instituted.
The most common systemic side effects were hot flashes (65.5%), asthenia (9.9%), implant site reaction (5.8%), testicular atrophy (5.3%), and renal impairment (4.7%). Five of the 8 patients had only a single occurrence of mild renal impairment (defined as creatinine clearance  30 and < 60 mL/min), which returned to a normal range by the next visit. The most common local side effects were bruising (7.2%), and pain/soreness/tenderness (3.6%).
Once serum testosterone concentrations at or below castrate level ( 50 ng/dL) were achieved, a total of 4 patients (3%) demonstrated breakthrough during the study. In one patient, a serum testosterone level of 63.1 ng/dL was reported at week 44; this patient's serum testosterone level returned to 8.1 ng/dL at the next reading. In another patient, a serum testosterone level of 3,340 ng/dL was reported at week 40. This aberrant value was possibly related to lab error. In two patients, serum testosterone rose above castrate level and the implant could neither be palpated nor visualized with ultrasound.
Response to VANTAS should be monitored by measuring serum concentrations of testosterone and PSA periodically, especially if the anticipated clinical or biochemical response to treatment has not been achieved.
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