October 23, 2018 – Follow-up, no Lupron

“Remission Man Gets Checked” was the headline in the local paper.  Okay, it didn’t make the papers because it wasn’t that exciting.  In my September 7^th checkup I had asked to stop the Lupron injections to see what might happen.  My oncologist agreed, as long as we watch my PSA and testosterone levels in 6 weeks.  Today was my 6-week appointment.

I had the labs the day before and unfortunately the ultra-sensitive PSA results take several days because they send the sample out.  In the meantime all of my other results were extremely normal.  My testosterone level is 17, which says the Lupron is still affecting me.  I am now chaffing at the bit to know what my PSA is.

During this period I have been taking my supplements, watching my diet to cut down on sugar, and doing some exercising.  I need to exercise more!  I feel I am wasting away, although I have only lost three or so pounds.  I just feel skinny, seeming that my muscles are smaller and I am not as strong.

During this period I also considered the Care Oncology Centers protocol, mainly because of a post in UsToo! from a guy with the same Stage IV cancer who went on the COC protocol and, without Lupron, experienced tumor shrinkage. The Care Oncology protocol is:  Oral atorvastatin up to 80mg once per day, oral metformin up to 1000mg once  per day, increased to bid, oral doxycycline 100mg once per day, oral Mebendazole 100mg once per day.  It is managed by a tele-doctor and my labs on a quarterly basis.  The initial tele consult costs $800, the meds cost $60/month, and quarterly consults cost $295.  Of course none is covered by insurance.

I talked to a COC specialist and he recognized that some of what I have been doing with my supplements constitutes a metabolic treatment (affecting cell growth).  The COC protocol is essentially metabolic treatment.  He talked about the advantages of metabolic treatment and how safe their particular treatment is.  He added that he thought in my case the treatment would stave off the cancer growth and, using doxycycline in particular will help stop calcium from leaching into the bloodstream.

I discussed this with my oncologist, Dr. Bhangoo.  He said the protocol could possibly help, but that there was so little evidence that it would help in the case of prostate cancer.  I thought a lot about what he said, what the COC doctor said, and read as much as I could find on COC.  I came to the conclusion that I would just continue my “metabolic” treatment with the supplements that some evidence has shown have reduced cancer cell production and see what happens without the Lupron.  I’ll reserve COC for later.

That said, I had read that metformin, which is used to treat diabetic conditions, may be a true anti-cancer drug.  This was first based on anecdotal evidence that diabetics being treated with metformin had a reduced risk of cancer and improved cancer outcomes.  Since this discovery, preclinical studies have shown that metformin impairs cellular metabolism and suppresses oncogenic signaling pathways.  In other words it could slow cancer cell division.  Metformin also has few side effects, the major one being diarrhea. 

I talked with Dr. Bhangoo about my desire to try metformin to go with my supplements that are also trying to also slow or stop cancer cell division.  He said he could prescribe it for me and we could start with a low dosage.  I am very much looking forward to getting my prescription.  I am less concerned about diarrhea because I am having the opposite problem recently.  I am blaming my problem on the Modified Citrus Pectin or some other supplement I am taking.  Being constipated is no fun!  My oatmeal and veggie smoothies aren’t doing the trick.

So, next we will (1) find out what my PSA reading is and (2) see what happens when I take metformin.

Signing off for now,

Remission Man