Founding Member of the Psychedelic Furs Battles Prostate Cancer
- Psychedelic Furs guitarist John Ashton has been diagnosed with stage four prostate cancer. The cancer had already metastasized at the time of diagnosis, so surgery was not an option.
- With the help of bassist Gale Ann Dorsey, Ashton’s wife created a GoFundMe page to collect donations for his treatment costs.
- Dorsey published an essay telling the story of Ashton’s life and explaining why he is in need of financial support.
Last week, Ashton’s friends and family publicly revealed that he has stage four prostate cancer. They organized a GoFundMe page to begin accepting donations. Ashton is best known as the founding guitarist of the Psychedelic Furs, one of the most dynamic post-punk bands of the 1980s.
Read MoreAt this point, Ashton's fundraiser has attracted 637 donors, and raised $56,078 out of its $100,000 goal. Dorsey finishes her essay writing, "I desperately want to write a happy ending to this story."
Advanced Stage Prostate Cancer
Prostate cancer begins in the walnut-shaped gland between the rectum and the bladder. It is the most common cancer in men, and it can present differently for different patients. In some cases, the disease may be categorized as “low risk,” meaning that it will not grow fast enough to require treatment. For other patients, the cancer may grow quickly and aggressively. Because of this range, screening is important and treatment decisions must be individualized.
Prostate cancer is said to be stage IV when the cancer has moved from the tumor to other parts of the body. Some common places for prostate cancer cells to travel to are the bones, lymph nodes, lungs, and liver. Stage IV prostate cancer cannot be completely cured, but there are several options for treating it and limiting its growth.
Dr. Stephen Freedland explains androgen deprivation therapy.
Treatment Options
The last 10 years have brought significant improvements in the treatments for advanced stage prostate cancer.
Dr. Stephen Freedland of the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center calls hormone therapy (also known as androgen deprivation therapy) “the standard treatment for men with advanced prostate cancer that has spread beyond the prostate gland.” He calls it the “first line” of defense, and “the backbone on which we build.” Typically administered as a monthly shot, the goal of hormone therapy is to limit the male hormones (called androgens, which include testosterone and dihydrotestosterone) that encourage prostate cancer cells to grow. This treatment does not “cure” prostate cancer, but it can shrink the tumor or slow its growth.
Some patients may benefit from undergoing both hormone therapy and chemotherapy. Chemotherapy can extend life, and for patients whose cancer has spread to the bone, chemotherapy may make a meaningful difference in relieving pain. If administered early, chemotherapy can extend an advanced state prostate cancer patient’s life by as much as a year and a half.
Dr. Stephen Freedland explains the risks and potential benefits of chemotherapy for advanced stage prostate cancer patients.
Financial Toxicity
The National Cancer Institute defines "financial toxicity" as a term for the personal and health problems caused by out-of-pocket expenses for cancer patients. A 2019 report released by the CDC found that 25% of cancer patients struggle to pay their cancer bills, and that 33% of patients are worried about it.
In a previous interview with SurvivorNet, Dr. Kris Zanotti of University Hospitals in Cleveland said that the phrase “financial toxicity” is helpful when discussing expenses in the context of other toxicities of cancer therapy. "Financial toxicity is real,” she said, “and it's associated with poor quality of life and poorer cancer outcomes."
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