On January 12, Ed replied to Hugh:

Or better yet, the 189 characters in Ed's link are reduced by
tinyurl.com to the following 25:

http://tinyurl.com/yk9vsr

Very significantly, Hugh wrote:

Neither of whom might be up to date.

I recommend the following study references:

1. The authoritative website of the Prostate Cancer Research Institute
(PCRI) at:

http://prostate-cancer.org/index.html

...and go first to the section "Newly Diagnosed."

2. The excellent text _A Primer on Prostate Cancer_ 2nd ed., subtitled
"The Empowered Patient's Guide" by medical oncologist and PCa (prostate
cancer) specialist Stephen B. Strum, MD and PCa warrior Donna Pogliano.
It is available via the PCRI website and from any bookseller.

There are also several chapters of UsToo! International in the UK. See
their website at

http://www.ustoo.com/

....and look up a nearby chapter. Members will likely have very good
information with a local viewpoint.

I believe that UK medics (and their government bosses) consider the Yank
treatment (tx) of PCa to be too aggressive. There is a great deal of
controversy on that point. But controversy is common in all aspects of
medicine. Each patient must decide for himself what is best.

What is important and IMO too often neglected in these controversies is
the welfare of the patients who suffer while medics argue.

Here is information on a med onc in London who is strongly recommended
by Dr. Strum, whom I trust absolutely:

Professor R T D Oliver
Consultant Medical Oncologist
Holly House Hospital
High Road
Buckhurst Hill, Essex
IG9 5HX
T: 0845 257 8522
F: 020 8554 4895
E: u.d.somasundram@qmul.ac.uk

The London Clinic
20 Devonshire Place
London
W1G 6BW

Hugh has been drafted into a war that is not of his choosing. His
survival might very well depend upon his education about the merciless
enemy that has attacked him (the same can be said of us all). As in any
war, knowledge of the enemy is absolutely essential. Life has changed;
probably permanently.

Study, Learn, Take Charge!

Regards,

Steve J

"Empowerment: taking responsibility for and authority over one's own
outcomes based on education and knowledge of the consequences  and
contingencies involved in one's own decisions. This focus provides the
uplifting energy that can sustain in the face of crisis."
--Donna Pogliano, co-author of _A Primer on Prostate Cancer_, subtitled
"The Empowered Patient's Guide."

T4, yeah, I don't know where the T2 came from.
...

I'm guessing that it'll be sooner than that.  Science, especially
genetic engineering, is moving really fast. Something like the way
Prostascint binds a radioactive tracer to the prostate proteins,
deliver a package of markers, the T-cells attack, bang, you're cured.

Easy to write science-fiction, harder to actually do it.  Lots of smart
people out there working on the problem from different angles.

When I was diagnosed in 2004, the I read books written in 2002 that
talked about 3DCRT as the standard external beam radiation therapy and
something called IMRT was the future.

When they put me on the table, it was an IMRT that treated me.

In December of 2006, INOVA put up banners up for their Trilogy
radiation machine.  Dynamic beam adjustment under computer control, the
three gold targets.  Much more precise, a lot more software in it than
an IMRT.

Three different models of radiation machines in about 5 years.   Each a
big improvement of the previous.  I'm hoping for a medical breakthrough
in about that timeframe.

No way to know, of course.

The trick is to go with what works now.   For mets, it's ADT and doing
everything to mitigate the side effects.  Hang on for the ride.  

-kh