hello julian,
I've never heard of spinal compression in connection with taxotere and
there's many on alt.support.cancer and/or alt.support.canver.breast who've
been treated with taxotere.
The cancer iitself (spread to the bone) is a risk for spine compression.

If your reference is correct, here's what I've found. No mention of
taxotere at all.
http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/abstract/352/2/154
Risk of Fracture after Androgen Deprivation for Prostate Cancer
Vahakn B. Shahinian, M.D., Yong-Fang Kuo, Ph.D., Jean L. Freeman, Ph.D.,
and James S. Goodwin, M.D.

ABSTRACT

Background The use of androgen-deprivation therapy for prostate cancer has
increased substantially over the past 15 years. This treatment is
associated with a loss of bone-mineral density, but the risk of fracture
after androgen-deprivation therapy has not been well studied.

Methods We studied the records of 50,613 men who were listed in the linked
database of the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results program and
Medicare as having received a diagnosis of prostate cancer in the period
from 1992 through 1997. The primary outcomes were the occurrence of any
fracture and the occurrence of a fracture resulting in hospitalization.
Cox proportional-hazards analyses were adjusted for characteristics of the
patients and the cancer, other cancer treatment received, and the
occurrence of a fracture or the diagnosis of osteoporosis during the 12
months preceding the diagnosis of cancer.

Results Of men surviving at least five years after diagnosis, 19.4 percent
of those who received androgen-deprivation therapy had a fracture, as
compared with 12.6 percent of those not receiving androgen-deprivation
therapy (P<0.001). In the Cox proportional-hazards analyses, adjusted for
characteristics of the patient and the tumor, there was a statistically
significant relation between the number of doses of gonadotropin-releasing
hormone received during the 12 months after diagnosis and the subsequent
risk of fracture.

Conclusions Androgen-deprivation therapy for prostate cancer increases the
risk of fracture.

Source Information

From the Departments of Internal Medicine (V.B.S., Y.-F.K., J.L.F.,
J.S.G.) and Preventive Medicine and Community Health (Y.-F.K., J.L.F.,
J.S.G.), and the Sealy Center on Aging (V.B.S., Y.-F.K., J.L.F., J.S.G.) —
all at the University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston.

Address reprint requests to Dr. Shahinian at the Department of Internal
Medicine, University of Texas Medical Branch, John Sealy Annex, Rm. 4.200,
301 University Blvd., Galveston, TX 77555-0562, or at vbshahin@utmb.edu.

It's my non-expert understanding that Lupron suppresses testosterone and
testosterone is an androgen.

Looks to me, reading the above article, that they are questioning the
number of doses/treatments (of Lupron) during the 12 months after
diagnosis.

We know that growing tumours shed clones and if on chemo, the clones
eventually become resistant to the chemo (between one year and 19 months).
But since yoiu've had an RRP, the tumour's been removed (if you had clear
margins).

We know that spine compression and/or osteoporosis can affect quality of
life.
We know that chemos such as Taxotere can affect quality of life.
Apparently the FDA approved taxotere, in 2004, for hormone-refractory
prostate cancer
http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/news/2004/NEW01068.html

The others here would have to comment on Lupron, trlsyr their treatments
and experiences, osteoporosis and QOL.

What I don't know and I expect no one knows is whether there's cancer in
any of your remaining lymph nodes. And if so, where the cancer would
appear next. (it often, but not always spreads to the bone).   It looks to
me that your treating doctors want to hit it hard now, in case there is
residual cancer in any/some of the lymph nodes.   What I don't know is if
Taxotere is especially effective against cancer in the bone. (you could
ask Steph - see below)
Keeping in mind the chemo resistance, I would ask a radiation oncologist
if having the adjacent lymph nodes radiated would give some extra
insurance and save the taxotere, for if a frank tumour appears elsewhere.
You could ask Steph on news:sci.med.diseases.cancer He's a radiation
oncologist.

I'm not a doctor.
I hope I haven't caused any confusion and I do not wish to influence your
decision one way or another.
J

On July 11, julian wrote, in pertinent part:

As I understand it, spinal compressions occur due to weakening of the
bones (osteoporosis). This begins to occur immediately upon starting
a regimen of LHRH agonists such as Zoladex, Lupron or Trelstar. It is a
well-known (to those medics who are paying attention) side effect of
androgen deprivation therapy (ADT).

This osteoporosis and its precursor, osteopenia, are easily prevented
by use of adjuvant (same-time) oral or intravenous bisphosphonates
such as, among others, Aredia, Zometa, or Actonel.

I am taking Actonel 35 mg weekly to counteract the loss of bone mass
density caused by my LHRH agonist medication, which is adjuvant to my
salvage IMRT that concluded in October, 2004.

My radiation oncologist had no idea that osteoporosis would (not could but
*would*) occur as a result of the LHRH agonist (Lupron) he had prescribed.

Because I did what Julian is beginning to do, study and learn, I read of
this as well as other important matters of which the rad onc was ignorant. I
received advice from one of the leading medical oncologists in the
world. The rad onc refused to read it 'cuz the paper was nine pages long(!)

Consequently, I wrote the rad onc a letter informing him that I had
terminated our business. IOW, I fired him for cause. The cause was:
ignorance.

What I'm leading up to is this:

1. Loss of BMD *will* occur if Julian fails to make sure that he takes a
bisphosphonate while on Lupron. If Julian's medics are not aware of this,
he should wonder about their competence.

2. Julian is making the first steps toward what I've been preaching on this
NG: *study, learn, take charge*

He and he alone is ultimately responsible for his treatment, and he simply
must educate himself. His medics are, as my present oncologist knows
quite well, advisers at most.

As a sort-of defense of medics, I will concede that it is very difficult
and time-consuming to keep up to date with medical matters and medics
are, unfortunately but unavoidably, human.

OTOH, the information is available. I think that it is the medics' duty to
know it. It is very difficult and time-consuming to die of PCa, too.

The  medics chose to become medics instead of plumbers (no no not
dissing plumbers); we did not choose to become prostate cancer patients.

3. Julian should refer to the website of the Prostate Cancer Research
Institute at: http://prostate-cancer.org/index.html

This site will immeasurably aid him (and anyone else) in understanding and
dealing with this merciless killer.

4. Julian should buy and study (not read, STUDY) _A Primer on Prostate
Cancer_ by med onc and PCa specialist Stephen B. Strum and Donna
Pogliano. He will never regret it.

Julian, I was diagnosed with a Gleason 9 (the Gleason 8 in the other lobe
was missed) T2b  tumor (would have been T2c if the 8 had been found),
with only a 5.7 PSA -- too high but not horrible.

I have -- so far -- survived. So will you if you take command of your case.

Regards,

Steve J

"Never give in--never, never, never, never, in nothing great or small,
large or petty, never give in except to convictions of honour and good
sense. Never yield to force; never yield to the apparently overwhelming
might of the enemy.''
--Sir Winston L. S. Churchill

Seminal vesicle involvement with a 9+ Gleason would certainly be a cause to
consider agressive treatment like Lupron and chemo.