I Have MS; Can Prostate Cancer Be Worse For A Man With Multiple Sclerosis?
People with MS may have compromised immune systems, which could make any kind of illness a little more challenging. However, most people with multiple sclerosis live relatively normal life spans. Most people who have had MS for a number of years live with other health conditions also, just like people without MS. Let’s look at some of the factors that may help or hinder someone with a dual diagnosis of MS and prostate cancer.
The chemotherapy drug, Novatrone, has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat MS. Novatrone helps to slow down the progression of multiple sclerosis. Novatrone is administered intravenously every three months. Novatrone is also approved for the treatment of prostate cancer. Novatrone is often given in combination with steroids to treat men with the pain associated with prostate cancer. Novatrone is well tolerated in men with prostate cancer and MS.
Challenges
Studies have shown that a fairly high percentage of men with prostate cancer also have MS. A study involving 1408 men with prostate cancer resulted in 60 percent of these men having multiple sclerosis. The study also showed 38 percent of the men with MS also had diabetes. To say the least, it can be challenging to live with the everyday challenges of MS and other illnesses such as diabetes. Prostate cancer is a life threatening disease; most people with prostate cancer have other diagnoses as well.
Awareness
A man is more than the diseases and conditions he may have. Men should be treated as individuals and not just as patients with prostate cancer or patients with MS or any other disease. Breast cancer has lots of awareness because large groups of individuals made it happen. There needs to be more awareness about prostate cancer. There is some awareness, and President Barack Obama declared September as prostate cancer awareness month. Maybe in the months and years to come there will be more awareness to the disease that kills so many men.
Bladder problems
Many men with multiple sclerosis have bladder problems. Sometimes men with MS will leak urine or not be able to empty their bladder. It can be very embarrassing for men to talk about. It is one thing to say “my feet are tingling today” than “I can’t stop wetting my pants today.” And too, because you have prostate cancer, you may bladder control problems and erectile dysfunction.
Testosterone
Testosterone is like food for prostate cancer, so it is important the person with prostate cancer have low testosterone levels. Testosterone can be a viable treatment for people with MS to slow down the progression of brain deterioration. Your doctor would need to keep both your diagnoses is mind when treating you. Medications and treatments that could be beneficial for one of the conditions could be contraindicated for the other condition that you have.
When you have more than one diagnosis, it is important to keep both conditions in mind when considering treatment. You, as an individual, should try to learn as much about your illnesses as possible. It might even be beneficial to have a second opinion from another doctor before going ahead with a certain form of treatment. It is important to note that most people live good long lives with MS, and that the most significant threat to your life is from the prostate cancer. It is also important to try not to make the MS worse while treating the prostate cancer. If caught early enough, prostate cancer can be treated/cured before it has metastasized to other parts of the body.
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