When John Adams' prostate cancer came back after 18 months, he thought he would be forced to make the long journey from Bundaberg to Brisbane to receive lifesaving care.A 72-year-old Bundaberg man is the first person in Australia to take part in a global prostate cancer treatment trial
The Primordium Trial combines the standard radiotherapy and hormone therapy treatments for prostate cancer and adds another hormone-blocking drug to examine its efficiency.Shortly after Mr Adams' initial diagnosis in 2018, he underwent a radical prostatectomy in Brisbane to remove the entire prostate gland.
"All the trial involved for the first six months was just taking the trial drug at the same time each day, so you get yourself into a routine.The radiation oncologist Mr Adams was referred to was Gerry Adams, who works with Genesis Care at the Bundaberg hospital. "The aim globally is to treat 400 patients. It [the trial] will probably continue to recruit over the next two to three years.Radiation oncologist Gerry Adams says trials in regional areas are important.
"The drug that they're testing in this instance is called Apalutimide — it's relatively new; it's recently been subsidised by the Australian government.