On July 29th, we hosted an informational webinar titled “Is Gleason 6 Really Prostate Cancer? – A Debate!“.
Dr. Ming Zhou (Pathologist-in-Chief and Chair of Anatomic and Clinical Pathology, Tufts Medical School), and Dr. Scott Eggener (Vice Chair of Urology at the University of Chicago), each presented their cases at the AnCan program in this video.
Dr. Zhou took the view that if it looks like a cancer, which Gleason does under the microscope, then it’s a cancer. One of Dr. Eggener’s key points, in response, is that he has never seen a patient die from Gleason 6 so why call it a cancer.
The question-and-answer period covered such issues as whether a high-volume Gleason 6 is more risky than a low-volume Gleason 3+4=7. Dr. Eggener argued that these Gleason 6’s can be risky. He also said not enough men with 3+4 go in AS. The doctors engage in an informative and entertaining cross-fire discussion that should not be missed.
So who won? Our poll showed that before the debate: that 55% of respondents thought Gleason 6 is a cancer, while 10% thought it wasn’t a cancer. 35% were unsure.
The numbers changed dramatically after the debate: Only 22% thought Gleason 6 is cancer, 47% said Gleason 6 is not a cancer, and the remaining 31% were unsure. Dr. Eggener clearly won the debate.
The following day, Dr. Zhou got back to us saying:
“Dr. Eggener has won me over. I am now in his camp. I just proposed to work together to educate pathologists on this topic. As you know, I am also the president of Genitourinary Pathology Society (GUPS, an international GU pathology society). I will do my part to change the name.”
Rick’s view on the webinar is simple: “If there’s a real winner from this debate, it’s that AnCan is bringing the sides closer together!”
I happen to agree!
Watch the must see debate here:
Special thanks to Myovant Sciences – Pfizer, Foundation Medicine, and Advanced Accelerator Applications for sponsoring this webinar.
This post is dedicated in loving memory of Lung Cancer Advocate Don Stranathan. May his memory always be a blessing to us all.
Friend of AnCan, and advocate Peggy Denis from The Insightful Breath had some great reflections on milestones as she hit a big cancerversary number, 5 years!
Peggy beautifully puts into words the ebbs and flows of what we experience during our years of having cancer, or a chronic illness:
Five years of saying hello, we are on this path together and goodby, it is an honor to know you – see you on the other side. Five years of devastatingly painful losses and still, five years of encouraging gains. During this five years we’ve maneuvered through a pandemic. Didn’t see that one coming but didn’t see cancer coming either so there’s that. Most importantly, five years of experiencing profound love and five years of living in the moment.
On July 7th, Dr. Niels Olson(Pathologist, researcher, and Chief Medical Officer, Defense Innovation Unit In Mountainview, California) spoke at our Active Surveillance Virtual Support Group with a special presentation titled “Son, I have prostate cancer. What do I do now?”
Dr. Olson shared about his prostate cancer research journey, both professional and personal. Dr. Olson’s father’s diagnosis with prostate cancer set Olson on this path.
Watch him share his research using machine learning, or “artificial intelligence,” to teach computers how to read slides from radical prostatectomies and biopsies. In some circumstances, machines can outperform humans. But Dr. Olson said the machines are not ready to take over. He explains some of the finer points of pathology in this video.
We want to thank Dr. Olson for answering questions!
Watch here:
(Slides to be posted here soon!)
For information on our peer-led video chat ACTIVE SURVEILLANCE PROSTATE CANCER VIRTUAL SUPPORT GROUP, click here.
To SIGN UP for the Group or any other of our AnCan Virtual Support groups, visit our Contact Us page.
Hi-Risk/Recurrent/Advanced PCa Video Support – Men & Caregivers Recording, July 5, 2021
Apologies for starting the recording late this week – but we made up for it by going almost 1 hour overtime! That’s what happens when the Calendar causes us to miss a week.
Editor’s Choice: Maybe we can control hot flashes after all …… and dexmethasone may ease chemo lows (rd)
Topics Discussed – order may be a little off this week …. sorry!
Uro fails to follow up w. denovo Mx Dx; neighbor provides care & guidance where not really wanted; managing advanced PCa since 2009 with IHT; the Embr gizmo brings succes; starting Ac225+pembro+enz trial; Pylarify now available; genetic testing; orchiectomy v LHRH; Orgovyx; Stability continues for man who started with 3000 PSA; 20th chemo coming up!; Dex may ease chemo low; Medical MJ for appetite and more; huge fatigue – but maybe overdoing it?; negotiating a drug holiday; PSA low end for a Pylalrify result; darolutamide could work; switching docs at The James; chemo brings results with just 6 sessions
Chat Log
John Ivory (to Everyone): 5:29 PM: My father & uncle had prostate cancer; my mother had breast cancer, but my germline was negative
John Ivory (to Everyone): 5:33 PM: abiraterone (sometimes known by brand name Zytiga
Dennis Correia (to Everyone): 5:39 PM: Dr. Parminder Singh at Mayo Hospital in Phoenix.
scott (to Everyone): 6:20 PM: Sorry for the repeat, how do you spell the specific oncologist from earlier?
Ancan – rick (to Everyone): 6:24 PM: Genitourinary medical oncologist
David Muslin (to Everyone): 6:24 PM: I give pat alot of credit for helping however, you can’t help someone who does not want to help themselves.
George (to Everyone): 6:34 PM: I signed up but was rejected because I don’t have hot flashes (yet).
John Ivory (to Everyone): 6:39 PM: For those on abiraterone, a reminder that the instructions say no grapefruit
Jeff Marchi (to Everyone): 6:40 PM: same with viagra!
John Ivory (to Everyone): 6:46 PM: SO good to hear, Ken!
David Muslin (to Everyone): 6:47 PM: You are an inspiration Ken
Peter Kafka (to Everyone): 6:48 PM: Ken, you are amazing! Good going
Bruce Bocian (to Everyone): 6:52 PM: Anyone try the Prolaris genetic test kit?
Len Sierra (to Everyone): 6:54 PM: Prolaris is useless for guys who are high risk/recurrent/advanced, i.e., this group.
Bruce Bocian (to Everyone): 6:54 PM: Ok thanks, Im thinking for my sons
Jimmy Greenfield (to Everyone): 6:54 PM: When I was taking dexamethasone I was cleaning the house constantly. My wife was sad when I was done -wanted me to get a scrip just for that
George (to Everyone): 6:55 PM: Woodburn Nuclear Medicine in Annandale Virginia for Pylarify PSMA-PET scan.
Jefferson (to Everyone): 6:55 PM: wwhere is fairfax ?
George (to Everyone): 6:56 PM: Fairfax 10 mi from Washington DC
Joel Blanchette (to Everyone): 6:57 PM: PSMA scan at Woodburn Nuclear Medicine & Metro Region PET Center
Pat Martin (to Everyone): 7:00 PM: Some tumors can make the T they need. As was explained by my MO
John Ivory (to Everyone): 7:12 PM: My question isn’t prostate related (is for My Mom), so I’ll just post it here. I’ll also go to caregivers tomorrow. Does anyone have any experience using medical marijuana as an appetite stimulant? Mom is down to 78 pounds from 100+ Looking for any way to stimulate her appetite
Jefferson (to Everyone): 7:16 PM: thank you ALL my oncologist has order blood genetic testing and was approved full help with the cost. I BELIEVE you have given me something to think about.
Len Sierra (to Everyone): 7:16 PM: The only cannabis drug approved by FDA for appetite stimulation is called Marinol (dronabinol). Marinol: https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2005/018651s021lbl.pdf
John Ivory (to Everyone): 7:17 PM: Thanks Len–will look into that too
Pat Martin (to Everyone): 7:23 PM: Comprehensive Metabolic Panel
Pat Martin (to Everyone): 7:31 PM: see all next Tues.
Len Sierra (to Organizer(s) Only): 7:32 PM: Gotta drop off, guys. Have a good week.
Bruce Bocian (to Everyone): 7:39 PM: Good night!
John Ivory (to Everyone): 7:49 PM: I’m on abiraterone w/o mets
Jeff Marchi (to Everyone): 7:51 PM: problem getting insurance to pay without metastasis
Herb Geller (to Organizer(s) Only): 7:53 PM: I gotta go soon. Bedtime!
Ancan – rick (to Everyone): 7:59 PM: Amir Mortazavi
Herb Geller (to Everyone): 7:59 PM: Gotta go. See you all Tuesday.
John Ivory (to Everyone): 8:00 PM: @Jeff wow, I got lucky then–maybe bc I failed surgery & radiation… Both ACA plan & now Medicaid have paid (I’m too young for Medicare)
George (to Everyone): 8:01 PM: https://cancer.osu.edu/find-a-doctor/search-physician-directory/amir-mortazavi
AnCan and The Marsh (well renown, long-established theater company with a large following in the Bay Area and venues in San Francisco and Oakland) collaborateevery 4th Wednesday of the month for Solo Arts Heal!
On June 23rd, we had the pleasure of having Stephanie Weisman!
Stephanie is Artistic Director and Founder of The Marsh, and has been personally touched by her own and loved ones’ cancer experiences.
June’s Solo Arts Heal was the grand premiere of “Stephanie’s Tidbits on Living While Maybe Dying“. This solo performance short is focused on Cancer Victim/Survivor PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder). It explores what recovery means when the outlook is unpredictable, And how one copes, both at survival and creative levels, with the stress of cancer, its treatment and moving beyond.
Watch this incredible performance here:
To SIGN UP for any of our AnCan Virtual Support group reminders, visit our Contact Us page.
