Canada has over 60 Prostate Cancer Support Groups that meet once a month. This Richmond group in British Columbia is founded in 2013 by volunteers and focused on providing help to Chinese-speaking men, but everyone is welcome. We speak English, Cantonese and Mandarin, meet on the second Thursday of every month from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm at the Seniors Centre of Minoru Centre for Active Living (7191 Granville Avenue, Richmond, BC V6Y 1N9 Multipurpose Room 1 (1033)). Join us for the professional presentation and talk to other men and family members who have been dealing with prostate cancer for weeks, months or even years.

No registration is required and all ages are welcome. Please swipe your Facility Pass ($36/year for seniors 55+ or spouses) or pay a $5 drop-in fee at the front desk when arriving for each session.

If you want to chat one on one with a survivor, you may drop in our walking club. The Richmond Blue Walkers walk 5-10 km on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 am-11 am, along the beautiful river dykes and parks in Richmond (Walk in the Richmond Shopping Centre during the rainy days or cold seasons). Click here for the schedule or contact Daniel Leung at 604-836-6423 for the locations and meeting places.

The Prostate Cancer Foundation Canada accepts donations online, please go to http://prostatecanada.ca/ 捐款前列腺癌基金會請到 http://prostatecanada.ca/

此支援小組乃義工組織,我們講英語普通話廣東話幫助您了解良性前列腺疾病與前列腺癌的病徵預防治療康復與最新醫療硏究等資訊每月第二個星期四下午6:30-8:30在「明納健康活動中心」的長者中心多用途活動室1 (1033)

每次都需要在前台的會員證(55歲以上長者年費$36),也可以付$5的單次場地費

列治文前列腺癌友步行團「藍天健行」每週二和週四早上9時至11時沿著美麗的河堤和公園散步在下雨天或寒冷季節步行於列治文購物中心)。點擊查詢活動更新 打電話604-836-6423 (Daniel)

This blog is provided as a public service. Any persons using the information or documents provided on the blog do so at their own risk.

You are advised to seek professional services from licensed physicians, psychiatrists, psychologists and health care professionals, if and when necessary.

Friday, October 30, 2015

'Milestone' prostate cancer drug “里程碑”前列腺癌藥物

  • 29 October 2015
  •  
  • From the sectionHealth

Prostate cancer cellImage copyrightSPL

The first drug that targets precise genetic mutations in prostate cancer has been shown to be effective in a "milestone" trial by UK scientists.
The study, at the Institute of Cancer Research in London, took place on 49 men with untreatable cancer.
The drug, olaparib, had low overall success, but slowed tumour growth in 88% of patients with specific DNA mutations.
Cancer Research UK said the trial was exciting.
The future of cancer medicine is treating cancers by their mutated DNA rather than what part of the body they are in.
The breast cancer drug Herceptin is already used only in patients with specific mutations. Olaparib targets mutations that change the way DNA is repaired.

DNAImage copyrightThinkstock

The trial results, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, showed the drug worked in 14 out of 16 men with such mutations.
Levels of Prostate Specific Antigen, which is produced by tumours, was more than halved and there were also significant falls in the number of prostate cancer cells detected in the blood and in the size of secondary tumours.
Patients responded to the drug for between six months and nearly a year and a half.
One of the researchers, Dr Joaquin Mateo, told the BBC News website: "It is very promising.
"Those entering the trial had an expected survival of 10 to 12 months and we have many patients on the drug for longer than a year."

Prostate cancerImage copyrightSPL
Image captionProstate cancer can spread to bone (in green)

Prostate cancer is the fifth most deadly type of cancer in men.
However, a larger clinical trial is needed before doctors can say if the drug extends life expectancy.
Dr Mateo added: "This is the first drug that targets specific genetically defined populations and we are going to see more and more of these coming in the next few years."
The advantage of targeted drugs is they can be given only to those patients who will respond, which both saves money and spares patients unnecessary side effects.
Some of the patients in the study were born with mutated DNA repair genes while in others the mutation developed inside the tumour.

'Significant step'

Professor Johann de Bono, the head of drug development at the Institute of Cancer Research said: "Our trial marks a significant step forward in the treatment of prostate cancer.
"I hope it won't be long before we are using olaparib in the clinic to treat prostate cancer."
However, the drugs watchdog in England - the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence - has already rejected olaparib for ovarian cancer on grounds - at £4,000 a month - of cost.
Cancer Research UK's Dr Aine McCarthy added: "This trial is exciting because it could offer a new way to treat prostate cancer by targeting genetic mistakes in cancers that have spread.
"The hope is that this approach could help save many more lives in the future."
Follow James on Twitter.

Thursday, October 8, 2015

September 23-25, 2016 BC Support Groups Workshop

Inline image 1
Hello to all interested prostate cancer support group folks:
In 2013 the BC Prostate Cancer Support Group Council with the support of Prostate Cancer Foundation BC (and several terrific sponsors) held a highly successful conference in Vancouver.
We are going to do it again - - in September of 2016:
  • A workshop to enlighten, to inspire, and to expand your horizons.
  • Save the date on your calendars now.  
  • Plan your trips and vacations around this weekend so as not to miss out.
  • September 23(Fri), 24(Sat), 25(Sun), 2016.
  • For registration please click here.

Kevin Higgins,
Chair,  Prostate Cancer Foundation BC Support Group Council 
_______________________________________________________
In 2013 we put together a set of workshops that provided a double focus:
  1. successful support group leadership
  2. new and exciting advances in prostate cancer care and treatment 
And we are ready to do it again.
This year we will be combining our efforts with the Pacific Northwest Prostate Cancer Conference.  This is an exciting full day of "the latest findings regarding prostate cancer treatment, prevention, survivorship and scientific progress" put together by the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute of Portland, OR, the University of Washington School of Medicine and the University of British Columbia Cancer Agency Research Centre.  This will be our Saturday (Nov 24) program.
_______________________________________________________

Friday, October 2, 2015

October Webinars and Support Group

October 6, 2015 Tuesday 10:00am
InspireHealth’s LIFE Webinar Series is a cancer care education program that you can access online from anywhere in Canada, including at your home or office. Four live sessions are provided in a convenient online format in which you can ask questions to a health practitioner.
Already an InspireHealth member? Please use our members-page to do a quick register:
http://www.inspirehealth.ca/members-only/login or 
Register

October 6, 2015 Tuesday 4-5pm Webinar on your computer (free of charge)
"Testosterone and the Prostate" by Dr. Larry Goldenberg
During this webinar, you'll learn about:
*       Testosterone is an important hormone for many aspects of male physiology
*       There is an intricate relationship between the hormone testosterone and prostate biology
*       Testosterone replacement therapy is a controversial topic
*       Giving testosterone to a man with known prostate cancer is not dangerous if done properly
*       The impact of moderately low testosterone levels on the prostate is a very different situation than the impact of hormone withdrawal therapy on cancer

Register Now <http://prostatecancer.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=381dca877e43c44046caa6dd1&id=a459f6e750&e=429b542523>

Click on map to enlarge

Please do not forget our Monthly meeting! 
請不要忘記我們每月的聚會!

October 8 Thursday 6-8pm Support Group sharing 
10月8日星期四 6-8pm支持小組分享
at Garratt Wellness Center, 7504 Chelsea Place, Richmond
Contact: Daniel Leung 604-836-6423