ZEROHour Newsletter: January 2022

Welcome Us TOO Hot SHEET Readers

A warm welcome to those just joining us from the Us TOO community. For over 30 years, Us TOO has provided a wide range of valuable support services and educational resources to help those affected by prostate cancer. These include support groups, the Hot SHEET newsletter, and the Prostate Cancer News You Can Use email. As part of our merger with Us TOO, we made sure the most important features of these resources were carried over to ZERO. Enjoy some of your favorite features and to our existing ZERO Hour subscribers, we hope you like these new additions of Between the Sheets, Progress in Prostate Cancer Research, and Doc Moyad’s What Works & What is Worthless Column Also Known as "No Bogus Science." Thank you for being part of our community.

Learn the Latest ACS Prostate Cancer Statistics and What These Trends Mean to You

The American Cancer Society (ACS) has just released its 2022 Cancer Facts and Figures. Prostate cancer continues to be one of the most prevalent cancers among men nationwide, showing a decrease in prostate cancer mortality rate, yet an increase in incidence and diagnoses. Notably, the report shows that Black men with prostate cancer continue to face disproportionate diagnosis and mortality rates, with Black men remaining almost twice as likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer as White men, and more than twice as likely to die from the disease.

Because of You, Our End of Year Campaign was Record Breaking

Thank you to everyone who donated to our End of Year campaign, and to Us TOO’s Holiday Hope campaign. With your generous support, we were able to raise $566,481 to fuel our prostate cancer advocacy, education, and patient support programs. You have made a positive difference in the lives of many other people. Thank you!

Livestream to End Prostate Cancer

The Countdown to ZERO Variety Show on New Year's Eve was a huge success! Over $37,000 was raised during the day and we can't thank you enough for helping us provide the resources to those fighting prostate cancer.

Register Today for the 2022 ZERO Prostate Cancer Summit

Join ZERO and the prostate cancer community for the annual ZERO Prostate Cancer Summit. This virtual event will take place March 4-8, 2022. The Summit is one the of the biggest and most important annual events for the prostate cancer community, with excellent opportunities for support and education, as well as advocacy programs to reach out to policy makers. Register by February 1st and we will send you a special welcome kit in the mail.

Join a Webinar

January 29th at 12:00 p.m. ET
Active Surveillance Patients International (ASPI) Presents:
"Anxious Surveillance:
Coping with Anxiety and Active Surveillance"
With Dr. Lara Bellardita, PhD, PsyD, of the National Cancer Institute in Milan, Italy.
Register now

January 31st at 8:00 p.m. ET
AnCan Presents:
"Cancer, Chronic Illness, and Intimacy."
With Dr. Rachel Rubin
Register now

February 3rd at 12:00 p.m. ET
ZERO - The End of Prostate Cancer Presents:
"Results of the 2021 Veterans Prostate Cancer Survey."
Be the first to hear about the latest trends in prostate cancer experience among Veterans, including comorbid conditions, treatment choices, and side effects. We'll also be joined by a physician who will provide background on Veterans and prostate cancer.
Register now

What prostate cancer support and education events are happening this month? Check the calendar! The Prostate Cancer Calendar web page is a resource for the entire prostate cancer community. If you are looking for a prostate cancer event, please check the calendar. If you have a support group, webinar, seminar, or other prostate cancer event that will benefit the community, you can post it right to the calendar.

Listen to These Prostate Cancer Podcasts

Legendary guitarist and founding member of Twisted Sister, Jay Jay French goes one on one with his urologist and surgeon in the latest episode of his podcast "The French Connection." French, who is also featured in ZERO’s "We’re Not Gonna Take It" campaign and will be featured at ZERO's upcoming Summit, was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2018. He and Dr. Samir Taneja discuss French’s journey from diagnosis to recovery in a candid episode of the podcast available on Spotify, Apple Tunes, Podcast One and Amazon.

Prostate Cancer: Real Talk has recently posted a new podcast about mental health in the prostate cancer journey. Check out Episode 08: You Are Not Alone!, featuring Jim Schraidt, ZERO Board Member, Us TOO Support Group Leader, and prostate cancer survivor.

New Resources - Find a Clinical Trial

Learn more about clinical trials, how a clinical trial might be a good option to consider in your prostate cancer journey, and how they benefit research and lead to the development of new prostate cancer treatments. Be sure to check out our new clinical trial finder to see if there is a trial that is right for you.

Read Doc Moyad’s What Works and What is Worthless Also Known as "No Bogus Science" Column

For over 15 years and almost 200 consecutive columns, Dr. Mark A. Moyad of University of Michigan Medical Center, Department of Urology has written for Us TOO’s Hot SHEET newsletter with the hopes of offering some very practical advice to improve health outcomes. In the latest issue, he addresses a very exciting new report about the positive effects of exercise that should get you moving.

Get Between the Sheets

The bi-monthly Between the Sheets column provides a platform for experts to help men and women by providing answers to questions about sexual health and intimacy challenges that can result from prostate cancer treatment. In this issue, Dr. Anne Katz, Certified Sexuality Counselor and Clinical Nurse Specialist at CancerCare Manitoba, addresses a question from a prostate cancer caregiver who is struggling in a difficult relationship with her husband who has been distant and irritable after surgery.

Progress in Prostate Cancer Research

Advancements in prostate cancer research provide hope for finding a cure and lead to the discovery of new treatments to minimize the impact of a man’s prostate cancer and maximize his quality of life. Progress in Prostate Cancer Research is a ZERO Hour feature that includes some of the latest research from Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCF). This month, read the top stories from the PCF Scientific Retreat 2021: PRINCE Trial Shows Potential For Combination of LuPSMA + Pembrolizumab; and Harnessing Immune Cells to Kill Prostate Cancer.

Biomarkers: Your Questions Answered

What is a biomarker?

According to the National Cancer Institute, a biomarker is a biological molecule found in blood, other body fluids, or tissues that is a sign of a normal or abnormal process, or of a condition or disease. A biomarker may be used to see how well the body responds to a treatment for a disease or condition.

Is biomarker testing the same as genetic testing?

No! Biomarker testing is not the same as genetic testing. Genetic testing tells you which genes you have inherited, or have been passed on to you by your parents. On the other hand, biomarker testing looks for mutations in genes that could drive cancer growth or help predict how your prostate cancer might behave. Biomarker testing may also be called tumor testing or comprehensive genomic profiling.

Why is biomarker testing important for prostate cancer?

It’s an exciting time for prostate cancer treatment! Biomarker testing is transforming prostate cancer care and treatment by providing patients and their treatment teams with a vast amount of information on the genomic mutations that drive cancer growth.

How could biomarker testing impact how I choose my prostate cancer treatment?

The results of your tumor testing or biomarker testing could impact your treatment decision. The mutations and other biomarkers that are found in your tissue sample might tell your doctor if a targeted therapy or immunotherapy might work for you.

Be sure that you know all of your treatment options. Talk to your doctor about whether or not biomarker testing or comprehensive genomic profiling might be right for you.

(This content is provided in partnership with Foundation Medicine.)

SUPPORT Virtual US TOO Support Groups ZERO/Us TOO has virtual prostate cancer support groups that continue to meet regularly and host guest speakers. These meetings can be accessed by phone or by internet, and can be attended from any location. » Find a support group.

CHAMPIONS CORNER Meet Juan Vazquez Juan Vazquez is one of ZERO’s newest Champions. He is from Virginia and works at the Town of Vienna Police Department. His father passed away from prostate cancer in Dec 2017. 2021 was the first year that the Town of Vienna Police Department participated in Grow & Give and they ended up in second place for Top First Responder Team! They raised over $8,200. He shares more about his story on his fundraising page. » Read more.

CLINICAL TRIALS TALAPRO-3 Have you been diagnosed with metastatic castration-sensitive prostate cancer? Do you have a DNA Damage Repair (DDR) gene alteration? You may be eligible to take part in a clinical trial studying a potential treatment for this type of cancer. The TALAPRO-3 trial is evaluating whether talazoparib (the study drug) when taken with enzalutamide, an existing approved treatment for metastatic prostate cancer, can help keep tumors under control for longer than enzalutamide taken with placebo (an inactive medication). The trial will also explore the safety of this drug combination. » Read more. (This content is provided in partnership with Pfizer Oncology.)

Clinical Trials Advanced Prostate Cancer Have you been diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer? If so, you should talk with your healthcare provider about whether or not a clinical trial is the right treatment option for you. Researchers for this Bristol Myers Squibb study are in need of candidates with advanced prostate cancer. Read more. (This content is provided in partnership with Bristol Myers Squibb.)

Clinical Trials Help Us Understand Appetite Loss and Advanced Cancer Many people with advanced cancer struggle with low appetite levels and the weight loss that comes with it. That’s why we are researching a study drug—to understand its effect on appetite in people who are experiencing loss of appetite, unintentional weight loss, weakness, and fatigue caused by advanced cancer. Read more. (This content is provided in partnership with Pfizer Oncology.)

This newsletter is brought to you in partnership with Bayer and Advanced Accelerator Applications.