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Can Enzalutamide and Abiraterone be used one after another?

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User
Posted 05 Aug 2017 at 18:45
My dad has stage 4 prostate cancer with metastatic bone in his spine. He had a metastitic spinal cord compression last year at T1 wich he recovered pretty well from, then unfortunately a second MSCC this year at T4/5. He's had Enzalutamide between these episodes but tgat has been stopped after this latest MSCC as it obviously wasnt working anymore. Oncology want to watch and wait and manage symptoms but dad is desperate for more treatment. Can Abiraterone be used after Enzalutamide? Has anyone any experience if this? Many thanks?
User
Posted 05 Aug 2017 at 23:23
I think that - medically - it can be used or at least tried.

However there was a NHS guideline to say that once one of the drugs was used, the patient is not eligible for the other ( no doubt due to costs).

You would need to ask your consultant.

I have not heard anything about this for a while - perhaps another member can update me if I'm wrong.

I'm sorry that this is not the news you want to hear.

Alison

User
Posted 06 Aug 2017 at 09:44

Very sorry that your dad is in this situation. The guidelines from current research suggest that if one of these two drugs stops working, then the other is unlikely to be effective. That's the reason that men are usually only given one option, though I believe there are a couple of forum members who have had both - possibly before these guidelines came out.

If the oncologists are suggesting watch and wait / symptom control perhaps it's because the cancer is only growing slowly? Do ask... Radium 223 is sometimes used at this stage but I think that partly depends on how strong the bones are. My partner was due to have Radium but unfortunately they decided that his bones were too fragile.

Thinking of you.

Ruth

x

User
Posted 06 Aug 2017 at 10:14

If the man has to stop taking one of them within 3 months (let's say due to side effects) then he can still be prescribed the other. But if Enzo has failed then abbi is unlikely to work and vice versa.

It seems that the hospital team are moving dad towards a palliative care plan. Does dad understand that and has anyone advised him on his rights, arrangements etc? Has he been allocated a Macmillan nurse or hospice support worker?

"Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards." Soren Kierkegaard

User
Posted 06 Aug 2017 at 10:15

PS how old is he?

"Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards." Soren Kierkegaard

User
Posted 06 Aug 2017 at 21:17
My husband was given enzalutamide but he suffered bad side effects however , his PSA dropped;so within three months he can try abiraterone hopefully it won't have the side effects but it will work, so perhaps your dad could give it a go
 
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