Provenge Treatment – How It Works

When you hear the words “advanced prostate cancer”, what comes to your mind? Maybe it’s chemotherapy, weeks of hospital stay, drawn-out recovery, or even death.

The fact is, not all prostate cancer treatments require chemotherapy. Treatment with immunotherapy naturally induces the body cells to produce anti-cancer cells that aid recovery.

If you have been diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer or have a family member with the disease, the condition does not have to mean death. Instead, Provenge treatment can be an option to help revert to normalcy.

What Is Provenge Treatment?

Provenge is a brand name for a vaccine called Sipuleucel-T used to treat advanced prostate cancer in a certain category of men.

The treatment stimulates the patient’s body to produce anti-cancer cells with memory. These memory cells can respond to the prostate cancer for the life of the patient.

Unlike other common types of vaccines, Provenge isn’t preventative. Rather, it’s an FDA-approved therapeutic method that helps fight cancerous cells.

Who Is an Ideal Candidate for Provenge Treatment?

Provenge vaccine is unique to each patient. The doctor will use your body’s cells to produce a vaccine that specifically matches your immune system.

As such, the procedure isn’t similar to the other prostate cancer treatments. To determine whether the treatment plan is ideal for your condition, your doctor will consider:

• If you’re in an advanced stage of metastatic prostate cancer
• If the symptoms are resistant to hormone therapy
• If your system is showing a few or no cancer-related symptoms

The medical professional conducts a range of tests to determine the degree of spread of the cancer.

Should there be any doubt that the disease has spread beyond the prostate, a physician may recommend a bone scan. Other scans that are effective include CT scan, MRI scan, and PET scan.

Provenge Treatment Procedure

Provenge treatment typically takes four weeks to complete. But you don’t have to stay in the hospital if you’re in stable health.

Provenge follows three main steps, as follows:

Step 1: Cell collection

The patient undergoes a series of tests to determine if cell collection is possible. Then, the doctor may recommend Leukapheresis (CAR-T cell collection).

A special type of machine called apheresis is connected to the patient’s bloodstream with CAR-T cell therapy. As the blood flows through the machine, it sorts and removes white blood cells and allows the rest of the blood to flow back into the body.

In the next stage, the white (T-cells) collected are placed in the laboratory, where they’re cultured using a special receptor machine called Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR). This final stage of cell collection results in millions of cultured T-cells that mimic the patient’s harvested T-cells.

Step 2: Provenge infusion

The cultured T-cells are intravenously injected into the bloodstream using a catheter and a needle into the vein. It can be in the elbow, back of the hand, or wrist.

Provenge infusion typically requires three-doses, with each dose given after 1-2 weeks. Before each dose, the patient undergoes leukapheresis to ensure a constant supply of T-cells. The culturing process takes place approximately three days before every infusion.

Step 3: Follow Up

During the treatment, the doctor assigned to handle the patient conducts regular checkups and tests to assess well-being and health. Follow-ups differ from patient to patient depending on how their bodies react to the transfused T-Cells.

In the process, the physician or doctor keeps close watch of any new development. You may want to write down and ask questions, which is highly welcome.

Follow-ups continue even after completing your treatment plan and adapting to your normal lifestyle. The Provenge treatment facility may recommend a survivorship plan that you can change anytime.

The plan should include credentials of all professionals that are part of your journey, a summary of follow-up care, and long-term side effects to watch. It also contains possible side effects, psychosocial and medical problems resulting in aftercare, and how best you can adapt to them.

Provenge Treatment Side Effects

Provenge treatment results in mild or moderate side effects, and the body should tolerate them. The general rule is to stay hydrated to prevent the symptoms from escalating. Remember to seek medical attention anytime you’re unable to keep the symptoms down.

Most of the symptoms will go away without any medical attention. Yet, some can be extreme and need immediate attention.

Possible side effects to watch for include:

• Nausea
• Headache
• Back pain
• Joint pain
• Fever
• Fatigue
  ‘Chills

Notify your doctor if:

You have signs of lung problems or heart problems such as heart racing, trouble breathing, and chest pain. You may also experience high or low blood pressure, vomiting, dizziness, or fainting.

You have signs of stroke. Common red flags here include weakness or numbness in one side of the body, difficulty speaking, or faint vision.

You have signs of high fever. Symptoms to watch include body temperature above 100 Fahrenheit and chills.

You experience pain, redness, or swelling at the infusion site. These symptoms may denote infections, which should be dealt with immediately.

You have signs of thrombosis. Red flags to watch for include swelling or discoloration of the limbs, chest pain, or shortness of breath.

Interacting With Your Family Safe During Provenge Treatment

Unless your health is compromised or the physician instructs otherwise, you can always stay around those who you love. It doesn’t matter whether you’re in the first week or last stages of infusion; you’re safe to be with your family.

Families of admitted patients can also schedule a visit anytime. However, some Provenge treatment centers have strict guidelines that limit visitors from accessing the infusion area. If that’s the case, the family members may have to stay in the waiting bay.

Provenge treatment: Parting Thoughts

Provenge treatment is becoming increasingly important in the fight against prostate cancer. It helps the body naturally produce defenses against cancer without using any chemicals. Contact us at the North Georgia Urology center for all questions regarding Provenge treatment and aftercare.