ARN-509

Yesterday I gave another blood sample. I have them every three months, to monitor the progress of my prostate cancer. Then I have another routine Zoladex implant. It's all become quite routine over the last ten or more years. 

But yesterday's was only two weeks after the regular quarterly test. It’s a different test and is part of the screening process to quality to join 1200 men worldwide on a trial for the a new drug. But ARN-509 has its limits. If my cancer has spread to other parts of the body, for instance, I probably won't be accepted on the programme.

So blood tests and scans are being done. If I get on the trial I have a two-thirds chance of getting the drug rather than the placebo. Meanwhile, even if I'm not accepted, at least the evaluation process will tell me a bit more about what’s going on.

It’s dozen years since I was diagnosed with a fairly vigorous cancer and I am amazed that I am still around. It’s even better that, after all these years of soaking up quite large amounts of public Health money on Zoladex, I may now be able to make a small contribution to research. So we've filled in the forms….