Renowned prostate cancer oncologist and survivor, Dr Charles "Snuffy" Myers breaks down the ins and outs of prostate cancer treatment for patients everywhere. Details Include: Integrating A Comprehensive Approach To Treatment; Using Hormonal Therapy Alone Or With Radiation and Surgery To Prolong Life; Comprehensive Listing Of Vitamins, Diet, & Lifestyle Recommendations; Case Histories With High PSA Reductions; Infusing Treatment With Hope.
In the words of Dr. Charles "Snuffy"
Myers, "treating prostate cancer is a
lot like golf because you need to play it
as it lies." In this unique volume, both
practical and highly accessible, Myers
puts over thirty years of experience
with this disease to work for the
benefit of survivors everywhere. As one
of the most influential physicians in the
prostate cancer field today, Myers has
created the most hands-on and
comprehensive resource on hormonal
therapy and diet on the market. As a
prostate cancer survivor with an
undetectable PSA, Myers infuses this
book with the life-saving hope that led
to his own recovery.
Medical oncologist, scientist, and
nutrition expert, Dr. Charles "Snuffy"
Myers was a key player in creating
AZT, Suramin, Phenylacetate while
working at the National Institute of
Health. With over 250 research
papers published, Myers is one of the
leading developers of today's
prostate cancer canon on both the
research and treatment side of the
test tube. Former Cancer Director at
the University of Virginia, Myers
opened the American Institute for
Diseases of the Prostate in 2001 to
provide men with the comprehensive
care that saved his life.
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21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Mighty New Sword Unsheated in Our War with Prostate Cancer,
This review is from: Beating Prostate Cancer (Hormonal Therapy & Diet, 1) (Hormonal Therapy & Diet, 1) (Paperback)
This review was written by Prostate Activist Jim Waldenfels:We have a mighty new sword available to us in our war on prostate cancer. It's a new book: "Beating Prostate Cancer: Hormonal Therapy & Diet," by Dr. Charles "Snuffy" Myers, MD, 2006, Rivanna Health Publications, LLC. For so many of us our personal war hinges not so much on the existence of a therapy that will cure us or give us excellent control of the cancer; rather it hinges on whether we can get the right information in time to make a difference in our cases. That's what Dr. Myers has done in this book for hormonal therapy and diet! Many of us know of Dr. Myers or may even have heard or spoken to him at one of the many free talks as well as seminars and national conventions in which he has played a key role. (Among many accomplishments, he was the co-moderator of the 2003 convention (Burbank, CA) and the sole moderator for both the 2005 (Washington, DC) and 2006 (Reston, VA) conventions.) Many of us with newly diagnosed prostate cancer, with challenging cases, or with a desire to know all we can subscribe to his Prostate Forum newsletter. Some of us are his patients. He is clearly one of the leading doctors in the field of prostate cancer, and I am personally convinced he is the best at communicating sound information that we need to know in a way that is understandable to all, regardless of our education level, knowledge of prostate cancer, and medical training or lack thereof. (That would be the vast majority of us!) While I would welcome more graphs, charts and some footnotes myself, these resources are distracting to most of us who just want the straight information. Dr. Myers has aimed this book at this broad group, but he is specific enough that those of us who want to dig deeper can do so, and I'm convinced that those of us who have learned a lot about the disease will also find it well worthwhile. The book is an easy read, written in conversational style. (That said, Dr. Myers is writing for the reader who has some basic knowledge (or can find it quickly), including concepts like Gleason score, staging, PSA and DRE.) So what is it that is so exciting about this book? Actually two things. First, it is THE first book devoted to hormonal therapy for prostate cancer, particularly hormonal blockade therapy in the advanced intermittent triple blockade with maintenance form that is proving so effective as a primary therapy, as a therapy to control recurrence or as a supportive ("adjuvant") tactic, and as a way to at least partially knock the cancer back in challenging cases. Much of his discussion will be familiar to readers of the Prostate Forum and attendees at the national conventions, but there are many new points, and he gives us the latest information. Second, there is a fresh discussion of diet and lifestyle (meaning exercise and stress reduction). On both counts I learned important points, resulting in some adjustments in my tactics. The Myers team brought many boxes of the books to this year's convention, and it was virtually sold out. (I helped, buying one copy for myself, one for a physician, and two with money from friends who wanted one but could not come to the convention.) But there is more. The very first chapter ("The Golfer's Approach to Prostate Cancer," pp. 9-20) makes two vital points that set the stage for the rest of the book: first, we need to realize the importance of identifying and dealing with the particular nature of the prostate cancer that we are each having as individuals. Dr. Myers words for this stick in the mind: as in the game of golf, when we are facing prostate cancer, "we have to play it as it lies." Second, we need to be optimistic. As Dr. Myers put it, "In fact, over the years I've found myself asking if pessimism is as deadly a disease as prostate cancer itself." He considers this so crucial that he devotes several pages to it in this first chapter. Here's one brief excerpt: "I deal with life and death issues everyday, and time and again I have seen people give up and die long before they should have. In contrast, I have patients whose disease is so aggressive that their other doctors urge them to put their affairs in order, and yet they refuse to give up. These kinds of relentless optimists continually seek out new and better treatments and beat all odds." (I identify with that.) You do not have to be either a golfer or an optimist to understand what he is saying, and its easy to get these points after reading the chapter. (Dr. Myers uses the golf analogy effectively throughout the book.) It's not just at a pep-talk level; for instance, he discusses the usefulness of Welbutrin and Lexapro "as treatment for depression," as well as mentioning the role of vitamin D, a topic thoroughly discussed later in the diet section. Like so much in this book, this information is valuable whether or not you plan to have or have had surgery, radiation, or some primary therapy other than hormonal blockade. After all, for such patients hormonal blockade may be used in the present as a booster for the other therapy because evidence is piling up that many patients will do better with this booster (as reviewed in the book), or it may be used in the future should there be a recurrence. We all need to be informed and to hear the good news about hormonal therapy. The next two chapters ("What Is Complete Remission?", pp. 21-28; and "Where the Ball Lies," pp. 31-43) start the main part of the book -- the coverage of hormonal therapy. The chapter on remission gives us an understanding of what remission is, and then goes on to discuss the surprising, impressive success of triple hormonal blockade therapy plus maintenance as the primary therapy in achieving apparently indefinitely long remissions in low-risk men. Dr. Myers mentions Dr. Robert Leibowitz's success with this therapy, and states that results in his practice validate Dr. Leibowitz's approach, including the observation that long term success is common. (And, I would add from my layman's viewpoint, side effects appear to be virtually completely reversible for nearly all, resulting in a high quality of life like the life prior to treatment, or superior.) Dr. Myers gives an encouraging account of the lesser but still impressive effectiveness of hormonal blockade for men who are already metastatic at the time of diagnosis, giving us the key details of his approach in such cases. He splices in his own successful experience in dealing with his personal challenging case of prostate cancer, which involved eighteen months of such therapy, a duration that he would reduce based on more recent knowledge. The next chapter deals with how to satisfactorily stage the disease so you know what you are dealing with. This goes well beyond the usual PSA, stage and Gleason scoring, which is all the staging that many of us get. I particularly liked the discussion of the great value of fusion ProstaScint scanning in appropriate cases; this is so needed; I wince when I hear many doctors dismiss ProstaScint: they have not kept up to date with ProstaScint developments and generally do not appreciate its usefulness. The next six chapters address the ins and outs of hormonal therapy, but in layman's language. The chapter titles are: "Understanding Hormonal Therapy", pp. 45-54; "How Hormonal Therapy Works", pp. 57-63; "Intermittent Hormonal Therapy", pp. 65-70; "Hormonal Therapy as Adjunct", pp. 73-90; "Second Line Hormonal Therapy", pp. 93-104; and "Case Studies: What's Your Handicap?", pp. 107-119. Dr. Myers quickly dispenses with two discouraging but still widespread myths: that responses last only 18 months, and that hormonal therapy does not kill prostate cancer cells (at least many of them). (If your doctor still expresses those myths to you, you might want to give him a copy of the book to get him up to speed; if your doctor is not open minded and you are serious about hormonal therapy as an option, in my opinion you need to find another doctor to explore or pursue that option.) He explains the roles of testosterone and dihydrotestosterone (DHT) in fueling the cancer, and the importance of monitoring levels of these hormones during therapy, something many physicians fail to do, leading to the false conclusion for an unfortunate few of us that hormonal therapy has failed when it really has not failed. One of the points that will be new to many of us is that several forms of hormonal blockade, while highly effective in minimizing testosterone, for quite a few of us are inadequate for reducing DHT, and in such cases a 5-alpha reductase inhibitor (Proscar or Avodart) is vital. Several chapters address "intermittent" (meaning "on" and "off" phases) hormonal therapy, the approach Dr. Myers strongly favors over the approach of giving hormonal therapy continuously for many years. The discussion of hormonal therapy as a booster ("adjuvant") to surgery and radiation ranges from low-risk cases, to what turn out to be high-risk cases without metastases, on to cases with metastases to the lymph nodes, and finally to cases with distant metastases; he again stresses the importance of fusion ProstaScint analysis in appropriate cases. Though I am personally doing very well as I begin my eighth year as a survivor, just starting my second off-therapy period using intermittent triple hormonal blockade with maintenance after again achieving a PSA low point of less than 0.01, I was especially interested in the chapter on "second line" hormonal blockade, meaning blockade after the first approach no longer can hold back the cancer; some day, hopefully many years in the future, I may need that. Dr. Myers covers such key second-line tactics including Ketoconazole, estrogen (particularly delivered via skin patches for safety), Sandostatin, Leukine, and combinations of second-line drugs. The "Case Studies" chapter presents... Read more ›
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Understand the biology of your prostate cancer before choosing treatment!,
This review is from: Beating Prostate Cancer (Hormonal Therapy & Diet, 1) (Hormonal Therapy & Diet, 1) (Paperback)
As a patient and patient care advocate, we have known Dr. Myers for over eight years. We are consistently amazed and in awe of his knowledge, reputation and compassion. Prostate Cancer is a very complex disease. It is NOT "one size fits all." Dr. Myers is an internationally recognized prostate cancer expert. Most men choose a treatment plan without understanding the biology of their cancer. Each case has its unique markers. Dr. Myers is a "PC Architect" who can help you with the important decisions on treatment. This book can provide the answers and options for men and their families who are searching in fear and confusion. Read this book and you will have the necessary tools to proceed with extremely important decisions about your life.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Review: Beating Prostate Cancer (Hormonal Therapy & Diet) by MD Charles "Snuffy" Myers,
By
This review is from: Beating Prostate Cancer (Hormonal Therapy & Diet, 1) (Hormonal Therapy & Diet, 1) (Paperback)
As an 8 year survivor I had the good fortune to be treated to one of Dr. Myers lectures at the time my initial radiation therapy failed. This lead to seeking his assistance on my case resulting in his supervising my triple blockade hormone therapy.His new book is an excellent representation of his skill in the medical oncology field and highlights his ability to communicate in lay terms, the logic behind hormone therapy. He goes beyond "pills" and helps build a lifestyle of diet and exercise to make survival worthwhile. His advise is especially meaningful as he is also a survivor and fully appreciates what the patient is experiencing
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