Podcast appearances and mentions of joel nowak

https://ard.bmj.com/content/early/2021/08/22/annrheumdis-2021-220597 As per the link above, individuals taking the drug methotrexate experience an up to 62% reduced rate of an immunological response when given a mRNA Covid-19 vaccination like to Pfizer and Moderna vaccines.  This finding suggests that patients on methotrexate may need alternate vaccination strategies such as additional doses of vaccine, dose modification of methotrexate or even a temporary discontinuation of this drug.In this podcast, Joel Nowak from Cancer ABCs, who is taking methotrexate, after having is booster shot of the Moderna vaccine was informed by his doctor that he should have not received the injection without having made a modification in his methotrexate.   Joel talks about his frustration and anger that he was not informed about this complication when the research was first published, three months prior to his receiving his Covid-19 booster shot.   Joel shared his current plan to discontinue taking methotrexate and hope that the booster will still create some antigen effect.  He will follow up in a few weeks and check his antigen level (blood test) and then if he hasn't received an adequate result go on a campaign to obtain an additional Covid vaccination booster while still remaining off methotrexate.Joel's story should serve as a warning to anyone taking methotrexate that they need to discuss this issue with their doctors prior to having a mRNA Covid-19 vaccination.  Support the show (https://www.cancerabcs.org/new-page-2/)

When you are first diagnosed with cancer, when the doctor says to you have cancer, you are likely to have many different responses. Among these first possible responses are fear, apprehension, disbelief, sadness, anger, dread, or even denial. Any and all of these reactions are reasonable and normal.The question is how do you chose to deal with these feelings?  Everyone's cancer is different and how we as individuals deal with our cancer is also different. However, developing a specific mindset, taking personal responsibility for yourself and your medical care, learning about your disease and  deciding on how you are going to come to grips with your reality will immediately influence you today and tomorrow. We all have choices to make, the choice we eventually make will have repercussions from today until the day we die.  Making better choices is hard, but so much of our future is dependent on the choices and decisions we make from today and on. In this podcast, Joel Nowak shares some lessons he has learned about being diagnosed with cancer.  Joel has been told he has cancer on six different occasions.  He has been diagnosed with 5 different cancers (thyroid, renal (kidney), melanoma, prostate and appendiceal (appendix cancer) as well as a prostate cancer recurrence five years after his primary treatment. Cancer ABCs would like to thank its podcast sponsors for their support of this podcast program.  Our sponsors include:Myovant/PfizerFoundation MedicineBayer DendreonSupport the show (https://www.cancerabcs.org/new-page-2/)

Joel Nowak and Shane Norris discuss his unusual Covid Pandemic Journey with a new prostate cancer diagnosis.  Shane, a well respected music producer and gig worker, joined with other New Orleans artists to raise funds for out of work New Orleans musicians.  As he begun to create a fund raising vehicle he was diagnosed with prostate cancer.  Shane shares the experience he had navigating the Covid pandemic as he searched for the prostate cancer treatment that he felt best suited his needs.  With financial support raised from a GO-Fund-Me project as well as help  and guidance from a number of resources, including medical professionals,  family and friends,  Shane decided to become the first man in Louisiana to treat his prostate cancer with HIFU treatment.  Despite Shane having to deal with the pandemic,  learn about prostate cancer, learn about potential treatments and their possible side effects Shane and his colleagues raised and distributed $400,000 to out-of-work New Orleans artists.   Some Important Additional Information: 1-  High Intensity Focal Ultrasound (HIFU) currently has a CPT code, but is not covered by any of the commercial insurers in the United States.  2- The rate that CMS (Medicare) reimburses is current so low no medicare facility can  afford to offer HIFU.   Men with medicare or commercial insurance should assume that they will have to pay 100% of the cost of the treatment.For additional information about HIFU and to advocate for changes to HIFU reimbursement rates you can contact 877-884-HIFU (4438).3-  Shane's personal experience with side effectsfromhis HIFU treatment does not guarantee that others having HIFU  will have the same experience.  Every man has different side effects from every treatment they may  have.Support the show (https://www.cancerabcs.org/new-page-2/)

Joel Nowak, a man living with prostate cancer and the co-founder and CEO of Cancer ABCs discusses the importance of making clinical data (like the recent patient-focused publication in "Future Oncology" Online Feb 2021) available to patients and caregivers to promote informed decision-making and empower men to take charge of their health. As the co-founder and CEO of Cancer ABCs, he has a unique perspective on patient advocacy and the value of bringing resources to men living with prostate cancer. He was also uniquely involved in the publication of the patient-focused research that was published in Future Oncology. Joel T. Nowak, MA, MSW, is a cancer thriver and advocate who has been diagnosed and treated for five primary cancers, including advanced prostate cancer. He is a co-founder and CEO of Cancer ABCs, which has as its mission to facilitate tangible improvements in the lives of people who have been affected by cancer(s), by providing them and their loved ones the necessary survival tools, education, support and advocacy so that they can become responsible for and take an active role in their own medical care and wellbeing. Joel also serves as a programmatic reviewer for the Department of Defense Prostate Cancer Research Program, is a member of the External Patient Review Board for the Herbert Irving Cancer Center at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital, is on the Advisory Board for the Prostate Cancer Clinical Trial Consortium (PCCTC), where he is also an active member of the team developing the Ironman Study, and the DORA Trial. Joel was involved in the development of the Metastatic Prostate Cancer Project with the Broad Institute. He has been involved in the development of clinical trial protocols for a number of trials actively being considered for funding. He has published numerous plain language documents, blogs, and papers for cancer patients and their caregivers. #CancerABCs #FutureOncology #ProstateCancer

Men who have a local prostate cancer recurrence, or their PSA starts increasing, after having prostate cancer surgery (a radical prostatectomy), the treatment of choice is considered salvage radiotherapy (SRT). In the post prostatectomy setting, SRT may impose significant risks and complications.Potential complications or side effects can include incontinence, bladder neck contracture, bladder and bowel symptoms, needing secondary procedures, as well as secondary malignancies. Radiation should never be considered non-invasive, but it can halt the progression of the cancer. Therefore, reserving radiotherapy for those who will most benefit is of great concern.In this podcast Joel Nowak speaks with Mr. John Harrison who had salvage radiation and has experienced many of these side effects. On two occasions John has used Hyperbaric Oxygen Treatment which he describes as well as having a colostomy to allow his colon to rest and hopefully heal. In addition to having deal with radiation toxicities, he still has to be treated for his progressing prostate cancer. John has just completed a Phase II Clinical Trial as well as using Lupron, aka Hormone Therapy (ADT). To date, John has had limited relief from his symptoms, but his cancer is under control. John shares his journey and experiences treating his side effects from both the surgery and the salvage radiation. Despite all of his symptoms he maintains a positive attitude and reminds us that his experiences are his and do not reflect what others might experience.John considers himself an outlier. As an outlier he offers some sage advice for all of us who are being treated for prostate cancer. Support the show (https://www.cancerabcs.org/new-page-2/)

Written Transcript at https://www.cancerabcs.org/transcript-racial-disparities-in-prostate-cancer-clinical-trialsJoel T Nowak interviews Emily Rencsok, an MD/PhD student at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. They discuss the findings of a recent publication which she was the first author that analyzed 59 prostate cancer clinical trials based in North America and Europe.Overall, Rencsok and colleagues looked at 72 global phase 3 and 4 prevention, screening, and treatment clinical trials for patients with prostate cancer that enrolled patients between 1987 and 2016. Of the 72 trials, 59 had race data available; corresponding with a total of approximately 844,000 participants.When the researchers analyzed the diversity of enrollment over time, they found that the proportion of black men who were enrolled in prostate cancer clinical trials decreased from 11.3% in 1995 to 2.8% in 2014. Even further, the investigators found that the proportion of white participants in these clinical trials has primarily remained above 80% since 1990.Joel and Emily also discussed the Iron Man study that has been making strives to reverse this trend. They also discussed implicit racial bias in both clinical trials and treatments offered to black black individuals (Rencsok EM, Bazzi LA, McKay RR, et al. Diversity of Enrollment in Prostate Cancer Clinical Trials: Current Status and Future Directions. Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers & Prevention. doi:10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-19-1616.)Support the show (https://www.cancerabcs.org/new-page-2/)

Joel Nowak discusses how one doctor, Dr. Emmanuel Antonarakis from The Johns Hopkins Hospital has modified his prostate cancer treatments in the era of the coronavirus. Joel shares how Dr. Antonarakis has moved to using telemedicine when possible, the changes he has made for his patients on hormone therapy (ADT), and how he is using chemotherapy differently for those men who need it as well as how he is avoiding using chemotherapy when possible.Listening to this podcast will help you better understand the possible changes you too might be able to discuss with your own doctor about your own treatment. It will help you ask better questions at your own medical appointments.Support the show (https://www.cancerabcs.org/new-page-2/)

Man Cave Health founder Tom Milana, Executive Director Jackie Lomtevas, and cancer thriver Joel Nowak discussed the need for men to be more proactive with healthcare, the mission of Man Cave Health, and the role of the Men’s Health Fair and Fashion Showcase.

Dr. Tim Richardson talks with Joel Nowak talk about the real survival advantages that the immunotherapy known as Provenge (sipuleucel-T) offers to men, especially men who get the therapy while their PSA is low (Schellhammer data) and men with an African-American background. Along the way, they also talk about what is immunotherapy, how it works, how Provenge is actually administered, its side effects and who should get the treatment and where in their treatment schedule would it be best to get the treatment. Support the show (https://www.cancerabcs.org/new-page-2/)

Joel Nowak discusses why men who have a radical prostatectomy, or the surgical removal of their prostate gland to treat prostate cancer often suffer urinary incontinence. Urinary incontinence negatively affects a man's quality of life so it is important that men know about their options so they can discuss them with their urologists. Surgically induced urinary incontinence can be dealt with when you have an RP to treat your prostate cancer, learn about your options as well as the risks and the rewards.Support the show (https://www.cancerabcs.org/new-page-2/)

Mr. Anson Tharayanil, a Medical Science Liaison from Genomic Health rejoins Joel Nowak from Cancer ABCs to talk about another test for men diagnosed with low or favorable medium risk prostate cancer, the Oncotype DX Genomic Prostate Score.The test should be used along side the traditional measures we use like biopsy Gleason Grade and scans to help a man decide if he is a good candidate for Active Surveillance (AS) as opposed to having surgical or a radiation intervention. Biopsies only sample 1% of a man's prostate gland, so as a stand alone measure it does not provide us with an accurate understanding of the aggressiveness of a man's prostate cancer. When added to the other measures, we traditionally still fall far short of accurately knowing which prostate cancers need immediate treatment and which can be monitored. Research shows that at least 20% of men who qualify for AS using the traditional measures if they go on and have surgery they find that their cancer is actually a lion in sheep's clothing, or is very dangerous. The Oncotype DX Genomic Prostate Score has been well validated and should automatically be used by any man who is trying to decide if they are a good candidate for Active Surveillance. Support the show (https://www.cancerabcs.org/new-page-2/)

In this podcast Anson Tharayanil, a Meical Science Liaison from Genomic Health, Inc. talks with Joel Nowak about their test, the Oncotype DX ARV-7 Nucleus Detect Test for men with castrate resistant metastatic prostate cancer. The test is used to determine if the second line hormone therapies like Xtandi, Zytiga and Erleada will be an effective treatment for men who have the diagnosis of prostate cancer that has left the gland (if they have metastases) and are no longer responding to the first line hormone (ADT) treatments like Lupron, Eligard, Prostap and Casodex. Initially, Anson gives an explanation about what is castrate resistant metastatic prostate cancer so that everyone can clearly understand the disease process that happens as prostate cancer progresses. Afterwards, he describes how the Oncotype DX ARV-7 Nucleus Detect Test works so that you can know if you are a candidate for any of the new second line hormone therapy drugs (Zytiga, Xtandi and Erleada). Anson also describes how it might be possible to re-sensitive some men who have stopped responding to thee drugs. Support the show (https://www.cancerabcs.org/new-page-2/)

Joel Nowak from Cancer ABCs interviews Michael Singer, a male breast cancer thriver. Michael, diagnosed at age 50, shares his journey and his advocacy as a man with breast cancer. Three years before learning that he had breast cancer his sister, with whom he lived, was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer. She succumbed to the disease one year after receiving the diagnosis. So, when Michael learned about his diagnosis, he assumed that he too would live for only one year.Like many other men, Michael did not know that men get breast cancer, so when his doctor told him that he had breast cancer, he thought that the doctor was mistakenly looking at his sister’s chart. Michael shares that it took two visits to his doctor’s office before he told the doctor that he had a lump under his nipple. When first diagnosed, he was too embarrassed to tell his friends or family that he had breast cancer, but instead told them that he had chest cancer. Michael also shares the frustrations and unhappiness he experienced in the breast cancer oncologist and surgeon’s offices and clinics where he was segregated and treated differently from the other breast cancer patients because he was a man. He talks about how “pink; pink balloons, pink ribbons, and pink medical forms” asking him if he was breastfeeding and when was his last menstrual cycle made him feel like a freak. Because of a television show he saw Michael shared how he finally came to grips with being a man with breast cancer and how he came to understand that he isn’t a freak because he has breast cancer. He realized that he could improve his life by connecting with many different advocacy organizations including the Male Breast Cancer CoalitionMichael is now THRIVING with cancer. He has developed systems and tricks, which he shares in the podcast, to deal with having to go to a breast cancer clinic and be the only man there for a mammogram (Mike refers to them as a menograms). He also shared information about the great work that both he as an individual and the Male Breast Cancer Coalition do to support men with breast cancer and advocate for the inclusion of men in breast cancer research and clinical trials. Support the show (https://www.cancerabcs.org/new-page-2/)

Joel Nowak talks with Dr. Corrie Painter. who is an eight-year Cancer Thriver with Angiosarcoma, a very rare and lethal cancer of the interior of the blood vessels. Dr. Painter is a researcher with the Broad Institute of MIT and Dana Farber. She is instrumental in designing and executing the Broad’s research project, The Angiosarcoma Project as well as their Metastatic Breast and Metastatic Prostate Cancer Projects. Dr. Painter shares her heart wrenching story of being diagnosed with Angiosarcoma, how she made her treatment decisions when there was no treatment available that had demonstrated any effectiveness in treating her cancer, and how she searched out others with the disease to find that many were no longer alive. Dr. Painter, who is an outlier, has been involved in the development of the Angiosarcoma Project that is a patient driven project that is defining the genetic map underlying Angiosarcoma and its potential treatments. The project is recruiting others with Angiosarcoma to participate by going to the website at www.ASCProject.org and clicking the “Count Me In” button. Cancer Thrivers who are counted in will be asked to contribute, from their home, blood, saliva and tissue samples for genetic sequencing as well as signing releases for the project to obtain their medical records. The project will map the genetics of Angiosarcoma and learn about how it relates to drug therapy and treatment efficacy. Cancer Thrivers who are “counted in” will receive regular updates on what is learned by the project.To be counted in go to the site at www.ASCProject.org and clicking the “Count Me In” button. WARNING – Dr. Painters story is very informative, but will pull your heartstrings.Read a Transcript of this PodcastSupport the show (https://www.cancerabcs.org/new-page-2/)

Joel Nowak interviews Dr. Eli Van Allen, a medical oncologist specializing in prostate cancer, from the Broad Institute, an MIT and Dana Farber collaboration and the Dana Farber Hospital about the Metastatic Prostate Cancer Project. The project is a research project created jointly with patients that are reaching out to men with metastatic prostate cancer and asking them to allow the Broad to have access to samples of blood, saliva, tissue (if there is any) and their medical records. The project will sequence the samples provided and define the genetic map of prostate cancer and evaluate the drugs taken in relation to the genetic discovers made. The overall goal is to expand the understanding of the genetics of metastatic prostate cancer, develop new drug targets, define prostate cancer subtypes, understand drug resistance, and expand our knowledge of racial differences and prostate cancer genetics and responses. Men who participate will receive regular communication about the findings of the project. For some men, the discoveries made by the project might be actionable. You can participate from home; everything will be sent to you in a discreet package. To participate go to www.mpcProject.org and click “Count Me In.” Additional project information is available at https://mpcproject.org/more-details

Joel Nowak discusses Androgen Deprevation Therapy, also known as Hormone Treatment for advanced prostate cancer.  http://malecare.org

Prostate Cancer patients should consider Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy for Radiation Cystitis and Proctitis, explained by Joel Nowak from Malecare Cancer Support http://malecare.org

Removing all or some Prostate Cancer cells makes sense in certain situations. Joel Nowak from Malecare Cancer Support http://malecare.org explains

When to consider having a penile implant to fix Erectile Dysfunction from Prostate cancer treatment   Joel Nowak, from Malecare Cancer Support  http://malecare.org

Wondering where to treat prostate cancer? Joel Nowak from Malecare Cancer Support http://malecare.org explains how to choose a hospital

Prostate Cancer  in advanced stage. James L. Gulley, M.D., Ph.D., F.A.C.P. is Director, Clinical Trials Group and Deputy Chief, Laboratory of Tumor Immunology and Biology as well as the Senior Investigator iin the Medical Oncology Branch of the Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute National Institutes of Health. Joel Nowak, MSW, Director of Malecare Advanced Disease and Advocacy. This teleconference presents an overview of the new treatments now available for men with castrate resistant advanced prostate cancer including a discussion of the sequencing and combining of these treatments.  They also talk about immunotherapies and their role in current treatment. For more information about prostate cancer, visit http://malecare.org and http://advancedprostatecancer.net

Dr John Wie from University of Michigan and Joel Nowak from Malecare Cancer Support discuss the PCA3 test. For more information about prostate cancer, visit http://malecare.org and http://advancedprostatecancer.net

Prostate Cancer testing using genomics.  Dr. Daniel Lieber and Dr. Steve Hershman are interviewed about the latest genomic tests for prostate cancer.  Both Dr. Lieber and Dr. Hershman are PhD graduates of Harvard University System Biology program.  They are interviewed by Joel Nowak,  MSW, Director of Malecare Advanced Disease and Advocacy. This podcast is presented by Malecare Cancer Support, the worlds leading men's cancer survivor support and advocacy nonprofit organization.  More information can be found at http://malecare.org Information about Advanced Prostate Cancer can be found at http://advancedprostatecancer.net 

Family history and genetics. Prostate cancer is often referred to as a family disease. Is it and what does this actually mean? Malecare's Advanced Prostate Cancer Program Director, Joel Nowak, interviews Dr. Lorelei A. Mucci. Dr. Mucci is an epidemiologist specializing in prostate cancer. She works at the Harvard University School of Public Health in Boston, Massachusetts.