Women who are determined to have a high risk of breast or ovarian cancer can actually have them removed to prevent cancer from occurring. Why can't this be an option for men? Why can't men have their testicles removed to prevent testicular or prostate cancer?

"The first study, led by Noah D. Kauff, M.D., of the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York, NY, involved 170 women age 35 and older, all of whom carried either the BRCA1 or BRCA2 genetic mutation (see the journal abstract). Women with these mutations have a 60 to 85 percent risk of developing breast cancer and a 15 to 65 percent risk of developing ovarian cancer by age 70." Age 70? Isn't that similar to men who have a high risk of getting prostate cancer?

http://www.breastcancer.org/risk/high_r ... e_options/

http://www.cancer.gov/ClinicalTrials/re ... urgery0502

There are no studies that have actually linked testosterone levels with prostate cancer. The evidence of any link is more or less of the anecdotal variety. The medical business is full of wrong ideas, ideas that have evolved for years, that are proved wrong when actual clinical trials are conducted.

As to the concept of breast removal to avoid breast cancer, there are now ongoing a number of studies intended to provide much more strict guidelines of who may or may not benefit from such a procedure. Current evidence from these studies indicates that over 60% of these procedures are of no benefit to the patient; either she will never get breast cancer or she will develop cancer from another source.

I do know that very good data on treating prostate cancer shows that either castration or drug treatment to block testosterone produces only a temporary effect on the progression of the disease.

Much more research is needed.

Speed

I am aware , cause I know a participant , that there is a study being done of preventative orchiectomy to stop prostate cancer.

Those in the study must have a long family history of early onset prostate cancer.

The premise is that a blood enzyme, that is produced by the testicles, not testosterone is the cause of prostate cancer. As a eunuch , I do not have this blood enzyme at all.

Participants in the study had volunatary orchiectomies, and have been on low dose Testosterone therapy , since the surgeries. So far, to my knowledge,( thru my friend who is in it) there have been no cases of prostate cancer.

The premise is that once the need for fertility is passed, that men could then opt to be castrated, to prevent prostate issues later in life. With low dose testosterone, sexual function, and male characteristics are maintained.

A positive result of this study could lead to castration being a regular part of the aging of males.

Ray

i would like to be in a study like that

i am already castrated for 17 years..i wonder if that would be a problem

Lets hope that the results are such that it does make removal of a man's testicles easier to obtain. Especially after the age of 45-50 and not TG.

I am thinking of having both my testicles and prostate removed. There is a high incidence of both prostate cancer and bph in my family, and I don't want to worry about that as I age. Also, I am still way to horny, at 56, to feel very calm, most of the time. I've had enough women in my life to satisfy a hundred, or more, men several times over, and I am sick of sex, sick of the whole game.

Are there any, in here, who have had both removals, as above? I am new here, but it seems from the posts that I've scanned, that many in here have had very unprofessional, unsafe procedures performed on themselves by questionably qualified practitioners. Some of the post-surgery stories read like horror tales.

I would like to hear from those who have had orchiectomies and are now feeling fine, without hrt. Also, if your prostate has been removed, as well, I'd like to hear about it.

Thanks for your time.

Too Long in the Fire (imported) wrote: Fri Jan 30, 2009 12:27 pm I am thinking of having both my testicles and prostate removed. There is a high incidence of both prostate cancer and bph in my family, and I don't want to worry about that as I age. Also, I am still way to horny, at 56, to feel very calm, most of the time. I've had enough women in my life to satisfy a hundred, or more, men several times over, and I am sick of sex, sick of the whole game.

Are there any, in here, who have had both removals, as above? I am new here, but it seems from the posts that I've scanned, that many in here have had very unprofessional, unsafe procedures performed on themselves by questionably qualified practitioners. Some of the post-surgery stories read like horror tales.

I would like to hear from those who have had orchiectomies and are now feeling fine, without hrt. Also, if your prostate has been removed, as well, I'd like to hear about it.

Thanks for your time.

I started with chemical castration to see if I could handle the effects and side effects of castration. Knowing that I could handle them I was castrated. I am happy living as an eunuch without any HRT. I would not consider going on any unless I have a major medical reason for doing so.

Without testosterone in the body the chance of developing prostrate problems is greatly reduced. As my doctor said I have a near zero chance of having a problem. So having it removed would put my body at a risk of having post op problems. Having a urinary problems after prostrate removal is too high for me to want to take a chance. I am not into wearing a diaper or catheter the rest of my life.

bph and prostate cancer is rampant in my family

i talked to my doctor when i was 40 about my family history..he told me the only way to stop it from happening was to be castrated before i got any older.

I told him lets do it ..his reply no way

finding a doctor is impossible almost..i talked it over with my wife who wanted me to have a vasectomy anyway..after some work i was castrated 16 years ago

no need to have the prostate removed if the testicles go..my prostate shrank to the size of a marble even as i take hrt

my psa last week was .4...testoterone by itself does not cause the prostate to swell ..something from the testicles causes the prostate to swell..once the testicles are gone the prostate shrinks hrt or not...

that has been my experience anyway the last 16 years

you dont want your prostate removed..my father had a simple turp..a rotor rooter job ...for the bph he suffered with for 18 years..he had a spinal and was awake till he went into cardiac arrest..they saved him but just barely..he has mersa bacteria in his prostate and it sent him into shock and arrest.

prostate surgery is one of the most dangerous and hardest to heal up from

getting rid of the testicles is easy and heals very well and caused me little pain

my advice ..just get a orchiectomy

Too Long in the Fire (imported) wrote: Fri Jan 30, 2009 12:27 pm I am thinking of having both my testicles and prostate removed. There is a high incidence of both prostate cancer and bph in my family, and I don't want to worry about that as I age. Also, I am still way to horny, at 56, to feel very calm, most of the time. I've had enough women in my life to satisfy a hundred, or more, men several times over, and I am sick of sex, sick of the whole game.

Are there any, in here, who have had both removals, as above? I am new here, but it seems from the posts that I've scanned, that many in here have had very unprofessional, unsafe procedures performed on themselves by questionably qualified practitioners. Some of the post-surgery stories read like horror tales.

I would like to hear from those who have had orchiectomies and are now feeling fine, without hrt. Also, if your prostate has been removed, as well, I'd like to hear about it.

Thanks for your time.

Too Long in the Fire (imported) wrote: Fri Jan 30, 2009 12:27 pm I am thinking of having both my testicles and prostate removed. There is a high incidence of both prostate cancer and bph in my family, and I don't want to worry about that as I age.

With regard to the relationship between T levels and prostatic Cancer, I am not sure what effects T levels have on the incidence of P cancer but there is a clear relationship between T levels and the rate of progress of the cancer once started. P cancer cells require T to grow and reduction/removal of T effectively slows the growth of the cancer to a low level. However the testicles are not the only source of T in the body with the rest (5% I think)produced by the pancreas so removing the testicles lowers but does not eliminate the problem. If cancer of the prostate isthe issue you may be able to obtain an elective prostatectomy which will remove the problem for ever but if you insurance does not cover it (unlikely that it will) cost will be a major deterrent.

There are drugs used to reduce T levels for inoperable PC conditions . one called Eligard is very effective reducing T levels to virtually udetectable levels ie lower than castration can achieve.

If your concern is really avoidance of PC and not an interest in becoming a eunuch per se drug called Eligard may be for you. It has the usual side effects that all T reduction drugs - hot flashes, osteoporosis, feminisation etc etc so it is not to be lightly taken. The same concerns arise with castration of course.

OTOH if you want to get rid of the risk but still maintain something of a sex life and desire, the elective prostatectomy would be the way to go. Once your prostate is gone there is NO possibility of getting PC!!! The plus side of this is that tour T levels are not affected and when done properly a reasonable sexlife ie quite possible with todays nerve saving techniques. The only differences are that your breeding days are over and there will be semenless orgasms according to reports which are still pretty good.

A regime of regular prostate checks (finger) and PSA blood counts should detect a cancer at the early stages but you should be aware that some PC's do not show up on the PSA test until it is too late!! This should be done regularly not more than 6 months apart but a biopsy is really the only definitive dignostic tool. If you have one of these kinds of cancer the finger method will still detect a cancer that is not showing up on the PSA test

Finally I can recommend the following as a useful and comprehensive text on the subject - DR PATRICK WALSH'S GUIDE TO SURVIVING PROSTATE CANCER whic gave me all the info I needed and doesn't require a degree in urology to understand.

So how do I know all this you might well ask?? I have early stage PC right now and have researched the prolific sources on the Web and also talked extensively with others who have had the surgery. This is a reasonable summary of what I have learned from others who have been there and done that.

Good luck with your deliberations[

Francis

Do you have any links to more information on this Enzyme? I guess my family history that makes me more then a little curious.

- MrT

raymar2020 (imported) wrote: Fri Jan 30, 2009 6:41 am I am aware , cause I know a participant , that there is a study being done of preventative orchiectomy to stop prostate cancer.

Those in the study must have a long family history of early onset prostate cancer.

The premise is that a blood enzyme, that is produced by the testicles, not testosterone is the cause of prostate cancer. As a eunuch , I do not have this blood enzyme at all.

Participants in the study had volunatary orchiectomies, and have been on low dose Testosterone therapy , since the surgeries. So far, to my knowledge,( thru my friend who is in it) there have been no cases of prostate cancer.

The premise is that once the need for fertility is passed, that men could then opt to be castrated, to prevent prostate issues later in life. With low dose testosterone, sexual function, and male characteristics are maintained.

A positive result of this study could lead to castration being a regular part of the aging of males.

Ray