So after 19 treatments of the chemotherapy drug Taxotere over almost 2 years, it was ceasing to be effective, not to mention the terrible side effects.
So about 12 months ago I commenced Enzalutamide (marketed as Xtandi and formerly known as MDV3100) which has been developed by the pharmaceutical company Medivation for the treatment of metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer. It has been available now since about 2013.
How does Enzalutamide work? Prostate cancers depend on male hormones in order to grow. The hormones are called androgens and include testosterone. Enzalutamide is a type of drug called an androgen receptor antagonist. It blocks the male hormones from signalling to the cancer cell to grow. So it can stop the growth of the cancer or shrink it for some time.
It is being used for advanced prostate cancer where the biomarker PSA has reached castration levels of testosterone but still the PSA increases (and therefore the prostate cancer).
I have had great results. When I first started Enzalutamide my PSA was 150 and doubling almost every month. Now my PSA is >0.01, and has been so for 3 months.
How long this remains effective for me before the cancer mutates and gets around it remains to be seen. I’m told about 18 months is the average.
Some people do not tolerate the drug well, and side effects for me are mainly fatigue and impaired cognitive ability. But as the famous Australian bushranger (outlaw) said on his deathbed “Such is Life!”
Thank you and Namaste.