Anticancer - A New Way of Life--August 16,2012
--Best selling book regarding cancer prevention and survivorship!
Diet Recommendations to Help Prevent Prostate Cancer--June 27,2012
Nutrition Recommendations from Dr. Victor Marchione
--Dr. Marchione\'s audio/visual presentationNew Research - Antibody Shrinks Tumors--April 01,2012
A single antibody caused tumors from seven different human cancers transplanted into mice to shrink or disappear, according to a new study led by Stanford University School of Medicine in the US. The researchers hope to repeat this dramatic finding with tests in humans within the next two years.
--Click Here to read the full article!Prostate Cancer and Vigorous Exercise--February 04,2012
A UCSF Study reports positive results aganist cancer cell genetic activity in prostate glands of men who perform at least 3 hours of vigorous exercise per week.
--UCSF Web Page Study SummaryUSPSTF Draft Recommends Against PSA Screening--October 20,2011
A press release by the California Prostate Cancer Coalition in response to the USPSTF draft recommending that men without prostate cancer symptoms not have PSA screening.
--Press ReleasePCF Response to USPSTF--October 12,2011
PCF response to the USPSTF preliminary recommendation that suggests PSA screening to be eliminated for the general male population.
--Prostate Cancer Foundation Web SiteUnderstanding the 24 Types of Prostate Cancer--June 29,2010
--click to read the article and access the full article.
The National Action Plan for Cancer Survivorship--June 29,2010
--Click here to learn about the action plan.
Prostate-specific antigen screening: Pro - Abstract --May 05,2010
--Click here to read the abstract.
Dr. Michael Morris, MD, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center discusses Novel Therapies for Prostate Cancer at ASCO GU Conference from San Francisco.--March 24,2010
--Click to watch video, option at the bottom at the page
Dr. Robert Dreicer, MD, FACP and Dr. Eric Klein, MD of the Cleveland Clinic are asked Screening-what are the guidelines and what do you recommend?--March 24,2010
Dr. Robert Dreicer, MD, FACP and Dr. Eric Klein, MD of the Cleveland Clinic may be of interest to newly diagnosed men and advocates who work with them--March 24,2010
Risk Factors for Prostate Cancer Detection After a Negative Biopsy: A Novel Multivariable Longitudinal Approach--March 24,2010
--Click here to read the article
Common osteoporosis drugs 'could make limbs weaker if used for too long'--March 24,2010
--Click here to read the article
Can Multimedia Lead to More Informed Decisions on Prostate Cancer Treatment?--March 24,2010
--Click here to read the article and find out how to participate
When treatment ends, patients with cancer combat challenges--March 24,2010
--Click here to read the article
American Cancer Society Guideline for the Early Detection of Prostate Cancer: Update 2010 --March 24,2010
--Click here to read the article
Should I Be Tested for Prostate Cancer? -- 60 (2): 133 -- CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians--March 24,2010
"Prostate Cancer: New Questions About Screening and Treatment"--March 10,2010
--Click to read the written testimony from the recent House hearing.
"Prostate Cancer: New Questions About Screening and Treatment" --March 10,2010
--Click to view video of the House hearing. Part 1
"Prostate Cancer: New Questions About Screening and Treatment" --March 10,2010
--Click to view the recent House hearing. Part 2
Urine Test Predicts Biopsy Outcomes for Prostate Cancer --March 10,2010
MORE PROSTATE CANCER TREATMENT PROBLEMS IN PHILLY, NOW AT U. OF PENN.--March 10,2010
On the pros and cons of screening for prostate cancer--March 10,2010
--Click to read the blog entry.
Drinking Alcohol Raises Prostate Cancer Risk in African Americans--March 10,2010
Successes and Lessons Learned in Community-Based Clinical Trials Education--March 10,2010
Complex New Guidelines From Multiple Organizations Confuses Men About Prostate Cancer Screening--March 03,2010
--Click here to read the press release.
AUA Foundation Responds to American Cancer Society Guideline for the Early Detection of Prostate Cancer--March 03,2010
--Click here to read the press release.
America's Prostate Cancer Organizations Offer Pointers to House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform--March 03,2010
--Click here to read the press release.
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform Hearing on “Prostate Cancer: New Questions About Screening and Treatment” Testimony of Women Against Prostate Cancer--March 03,2010
Cancer Society Casts Doubt on Value of Prostate Cancer Test--March 03,2010
--Click here to read the article
American Cancer Society Updates Prostate Cancer Screening Guidelines.--March 03,2010
--Click here to read the article
The fluorescent molecule targets tumors to guide surgeons and provide pre- and post-op imaging.--March 03,2010
--Click here to read the article
How to Communicate the Prostate Cancer Message in Your Local Community--March 02,2010
--Click here to read the article
Take Action NOW to Increase Research Funding --March 02,2010
--Click here to take action by March 5th
Newsletter than will give you more information about what CDMRP does for prostate cancer.--March 02,2010
--Click here for more detail. Full report is available as a PDF clickable link.
Scared straight after a health threat? People vow to change their ways, but often not for very long--March 02,2010
--Click here to read the article
Cancer expert tells how treatment can be problem --February 24,2010
--Click here to read the article.
Genetic Mutation Linked to Prostate Cancer in Blacks--February 23,2010
--Click here to read the article
Some self-renewing stem cells may be a prime culprit in prostate cancer--February 23,2010
--Click here to read the article
Understanding Clinical Trial Design--February 19,2010
--Click here for more detail. Full report is available as a PDF clickable link.
How Research Moves into Patient Care (Bench to Bedside)--February 19,2010
--Click here for more detail. Full report is available as a PDF clickable link.
TEAMWORK The Cancer Patient’s Guide To Talking With Your Doctor--February 19,2010
--Click here for more detail. Full report is available as a PDF clickable link.
Levels of Evidence and how these concepts apply to clinical practice--February 19,2010
--Click here for more detail. Full report is available as a PDF clickable link.
Tracking the costs of prostate cancer diagnosis and management--February 17,2010
Indolent prostate cancer and active surveillance--February 17,2010
--Click here for more detail. Full report is available as a PDF clickable link.
Metastatic prostate cancer continues to decline in incidence, but the proportion of cases being diagnosed in younger men is increasing, according to a study.--February 17,2010
Results Unproven, Robotic Surgery Wins Converts --February 15,2010
--Click here to read the article.
Exercise may prevent incontinence from prostate surgery--February 14,2010
A Risk-Based Strategy Improves Prostate-Specific Antigen–Driven Detection of Prostate Cancer--February 14,2010
Active Surveillance Now Prominent in NCCN Prostate Cancer Guidelines--February 14,2010
--Click to read the article. Registration is necessary.
Finasteride Reduces Prostate Cancer Risk, but Which Men Should Receive It?--February 12,2010
--Click here to read the article. Free registration necessary.
Widespread use of PSA test may have reduced suicides after prostate cancer diagnosis--February 12,2010
--Click here to read the article
New “science advisory” on ADT and cardiovascular risk--February 12,2010
Exercise may prevent incontinence from prostate surgery--January 08,2010
--Click here to read the article
The NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology™ new update--January 08,2010
--Click here to access the guidelines.
Early Breast and Prostate Cancer and Clinical Outcomes (Fracture) --January 08,2010
--Click here to read the article.
Beyond the Abstract - Prostate cancer mortality in screen and clinically detected prostate cancer: Estimating the screening benefit, by Pim J. van Leeuwen, MD--January 05,2010
Cell cycle regulation and aggressive forms of prostate cancer--January 05,2010
In wake of mammography guidelines, U.S. health task force faces new scrutiny--January 05,2010
ICER Report Suggests Similar Levels of Effectiveness among Management and Treatment Options for Low-Risk Prostate Cancer--January 05,2010
--Click here for more detail. Full report is available as a PDF clickable link.
Sexual function does not continuously decline after radiation therapy treatments for prostate cancer--January 05,2010
--Click here to read the press release.
Peter Scardino MD - What is a Pelvic Lymph Node Dissection--December 19,2009
Click to hear presentation and see slides.
--Is surgery best reserved for first-line treatment of higher-risk prostate cancers?--December 17,2009
Recovery Act Funding: Advancing Cancer Research, Improving Health in Communities --December 17,2009
Click here to access information.
--Prostate Cancer: Recovery Act Investment Report--December 17,2009
Click here to access information.
--FDA Panel Urges Randomized Trials For New Prostate Cancer Treatments - OncologySTAT--December 17,2009
Whether a clinical advantage is derived from screening men for prostate cancer remains a controversial topic. Despite conflicting reports on the risk vs benefit of routine prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening, such screening has been widely adopted i--December 17,2009
What are the outcomes of radical prostatectomy for high-risk prostate cancer? - Abstract --December 17,2009
The Peter Michael Foundation funds innovative, breakthrough research in prostate cancer.--December 15,2009
UIJ - Patient Response to Total Intravenous Sedation (TIVS) for Outpatient Ultrasound-Guided Prostate Biopsy --December 15,2009
CT scans increasing lifetime cancer risk Higher frequency of scans, variation in radiation doses may be endangering patients.--December 15,2009
Click here to read the article.
--Nanosensors Used to Measure Cancer Biomarkers in Blood for First Time--December 13,2009
Click to read the article.
--Editorial - Should prostate specific antigen be adjusted for body mass index? Data from the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging--December 13,2009
Click here to read the abstract.
--Several experts discussed current issues related to prostate cancer prevention at the annual winter meeting of the Society for Urologic Oncology in Bethesda, MD, this week.--December 09,2009
Click here to read the blog entry.
--The Prostate Testing for Cancer and Treatment (ProtecT) trial is being implemented in the UK to evaluate outcomes of three different types of treatment: surgery, radiation, and “active monitoring” in the management of localized prostate cancer.--December 09,2009
http://prostatecancerinfolink.net/2009/12/08/what-the-protect-study-has-taught-us-to-date/
--Suicide risk in men with prostate-specific antigen-detected early prostate cancer: A nationwide population-based cohort study from PCBaSe Sweden - Abstract--December 09,2009
Click here to read the abstract.
--Report to the Nation on the Status of Cancer: Q&A - National Cancer Institute--December 08,2009
Click to read questions and answers.
--Can prostate specific antigen velocity thresholds decrease insignificant prostate cancer detection? - Abstract --December 08,2009
AUA's Controversial PSA Best Practice Statement Is Published--December 04,2009
Click here to read the article.
--Growth inhibitory effect of low fat diet on prostate cancer cells: Results of a prospective, randomized dietary intervention trial in men with prostate cancer - Abstract--December 04,2009
Overdetection, overtreatment and costs in prostate-specific antigen screening for prostate cancer - Abstract --December 04,2009
Utility and health-related quality of life in prostate cancer patients 12 months after radical prostatectomy or radiation therapy - Abstract--December 04,2009
Caring for the uninsured with prostate cancer: A comparison of four policy alternatives in California - Abstract --December 04,2009
A Seat at the Table: A Research Advocate's Journey--November 23,2009
Click here to read the article.
-- Patients Turn To Online Community For Help Healing--November 18,2009
Click here to read the article.
--Tulane Cancer Center to begin novel clinical trial for late-stage prostate cancer drug--November 17,2009
Sheila Rosko of Blairstown creates a provocative calendar featuring the New Jersey wives of men who are battling prostate cancer. --November 17,2009
CISNET will use modeling to assess some of the discrepant results between the recently published large U.S. and European clinical trials of PSA screening for prostate cancer.--November 17,2009
Just how many RPs HAS your urologist done this year?--November 15,2009
Click to read and comment on blog.
--Beyond the Abstract - Anxiety and distress during active surveillance for early prostate cancer, by Roderick C.N. van den Bergh, MD, et al.--November 15,2009
Watchful Waiting Works for Older Men With Prostate Cancer But experts stress the same does not hold true for patients under 60--November 15,2009
Click here to read the article.
--Former Clifton Councilman Stefan Tatarenko dies at 62 --November 14,2009
Click here to read the article
--Prostate Cancer Treatment Questions and Answers--November 13,2009
Click to ask Dr. Espinosa, Dr. Myers, Dr. Petrylak
--Routine Evaluation Of Prostate Size Not As Effective In Cancer Screening, Study Finds--November 12,2009
Click here to read the article.
--Operator is an independent predictor of detecting prostate cancer at transrectal ultrasound guided prostate biopsy - Abstract--November 12,2009
A Survivor’s Compass Empower yourself with an advocate’s attitude as you navigate your own cancer journey.--November 11,2009
Click here to read the article.
--Patient Decision Aids for Prostate Cancer Treatment: A Systematic Review of the Literature --November 11,2009
Adult Cancer Survivorship: Evolution, Research, and Planning Care --November 11,2009
Click here to read the article.
--Top scientists to meet at Cleveland Clinic on trail of XMRV, a suspect in prostate cancer--November 10,2009
Confronting the prostate cancer dilemma Amid a turf battle locally, patients are left confused--November 09,2009
Click here to read the article.
--Managing uncertainty about treatment decision making in early stage prostate cancer: A randomized clinical trial - Abstract--November 07,2009
Public Survey and Survival Data Do Not Support Recommendations to Discontinue Prostate-specific Antigen Screening in Men at Age 75--November 07,2009
Click here to read the abstract.
--Patients receiving radiation as first-line treatment for localized prostate cancer and who have a rising PSA within 18 months are at a significantly increased risk of death from prostate cancer compared to those whose PSA starts to rise after > 18 months.--November 07,2009
Researchers link hormone to creation of gene fusion in prostate cancer--November 04,2009
Click to read the press release.
--Low Cholesterol May Help Prevent Cancer Two studies dispel longstanding fears about possible connection--November 04,2009
Shorter Radiation Course as Effective as Standard Therapy For Prostate Cancer Recurrence--November 04,2009
AUA Releases Statement Clarifying Prostate Cancer Testing Recommendations--November 03,2009
Click here to read news release.
--Pints for prostates: One man's beer battle against cancer --October 30,2009
Click here to read the article.
--Comparative effectiveness and personalized medicine--October 28,2009
Click here to read the blog entry.
--Prostate cancer early detection program recruitment methods and show rates in men at high risk - Abstract --October 25,2009
Click here to read the abstract.
--The National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) created the Talking Glossary of Genetic Terms to help everyone understand the terms and concepts used in genetic research--October 25,2009
Comparative effectiveness of minimally invasive vs open radical prostatectomy - Abstract --October 25,2009
Click here to read the abstract.
--Studies concluding that screenings are overused and their importance is overstated fail to account for that one life saved, especially if it happens to be your own.--October 25,2009
Click here to read the article.
--The American Cancer Society, which has long been a staunch defender of most cancer screening, is now saying that the benefits of detecting many cancers, especially breast and prostate, have been overstated.--October 21,2009
Questions Related to Prostate Cancer and Intimacy?--October 21,2009
Click here to read Fact Sheet from Women Against Prostate Cancer.
--What You Don’t Know Might Kill You The right doctors can make all the difference when it comes to treating cancer. So why don't we know who they are?--October 19,2009
Click here to read the article.
--WCE 2009 - Final outcome of patients with prostate cancer suitable for active surveillance but treated surgically - Session Highlights--October 19,2009
Detecting The Undetectable In Prostate Cancer Screening--October 19,2009
Click here to read the article.
--Unusual Forms of Prostate Cancer Charles E. Myers, Jr., MD--October 17,2009
Click here to read the newsletter.
--Martin Keisch, MD, a radiation oncologist, provides an overview of the strategies used to treat prostate cancer with radiation.--October 17,2009
Click here to view video.
--New Sensor Detects Amounts of Radiation Delivered to Breast/Prostate Cancer Patients--October 16,2009
Serum testosterone is associated with aggressive prostate cancer in older men: results from the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging - Abstract--October 16,2009
Prostate cancer survivors who would be eligible for active surveillance but were either treated with radiotherapy or managed expectantly: comparisons on long-term quality of life and symptom burden - Abstract--October 16,2009
Click here to read the abstract.
--"Psychosocial Issues of Prostate Cancer" with Rhonda Fine, PhD ARNP and Tony Crispino--October 16,2009
Xenotropic Murine Leukemia Virus-related Virus May Not Be Associated With Human Prostate Cancer--October 15,2009
Click here to read the article.
--AUA MA 2009 - Evaluation of the prostate cancer prevention trial risk calculator in a high-risk screening population - Session Highlights--October 13,2009
Click here to read the abstract.
--United States military contributions to the National Cancer Institute - Abstract --October 13,2009
AUA MA 2009 - Pelvic lymph node dissection is associated with venous thrombo-embolism risk during laparoscopic radical prostatectomy - Session Highlights--October 13,2009
How The Modern Patient Drives Up Health Costs--October 12,2009
Click here to listen or read the transcipt.
-- Are U.S. cancer screening test patterns consistent with guideline recommendations with respect to the age of screening initiation?--October 12,2009
Click here to read press release.
--Clinical Remissions in Three Otherwise Intractable Cancers Signal the Progress of Targeted Genetic Medicine--October 12,2009
Click here to read the press release.
--Us TOO International is pleased to announce the launch of our new online community, the Us TOO Prostate Cancer Support Community, in partnership with Inspire--October 07,2009
Click here to learn about the Inspire community.
--The chronology of distress, anxiety, and depression in older prostate cancer patients - Abstract --October 07,2009
Current status of thalidomide and CC-5013 in the treatment of metastatic prostate cancer - Abstract --October 07,2009
Complimentary Medicine Powerpoint and lecture by Franklin C Lowe MD.--October 06,2009
Click to listen to lecture. Be sure to turn on your speakers.
--William Catalona MD - Limitations of Active Surveillance in Young Men with Prostate Cancer--October 06,2009
Click here to view PowerPoint and listen to lecture.
--AUA NY 2009 - Overdetection is a small issue in the context of decreasing prostate cancer mortality rates and with appropriate, effective, and high-quality treatment - Multimedia Presentation--October 06,2009
Click here to read PowerPoint and listen to lecture.
--FDA Grants Additional Fast Track Designation for OGX-011 in Combination with First Line Chemotherapy--October 06,2009
Click hee to read press release.
--New Drug Aims To 'Seek And Destroy' Many Types Of Cancer--October 06,2009
Click here to read the article.
--Making informed and sensible choices about PSA testing--October 05,2009
Click here to read and comment on the blog.
-- Testy reply to prostate plan: prostate cancer Australia--October 05,2009
Click here to read the article.
--Prostate cancer detection: The value of performing an MRI before a biopsy - Abstract --October 02,2009
Prostate cancer diagnosis and treatment after the introduction of prostate-specific antigen screening: 1986-2005 - Abstract--October 02,2009
Evaluation of the Prostate Cancer Prevention Trial Risk calculator in a high-risk screening population - Abstract --October 02,2009
Click here to read the abstract.
--Race and the likelihood of localized prostate cancer at diagnosis among men in 4 southeastern states - Abstract --October 02,2009
OPINION: Let’s not forget September is Prostate Cancer Awareness Month--October 01,2009
Click here to read the article.
--C2R 2009 - Town Hall Discussion: The prostate screening controversy - Session Highlights --September 30,2009
Click here to read highlights.
-- Epidemiology, Public Health, and Public Policy--September 30,2009
Think of prostate cancer while reading these articles that you can find by clicking here.
--Persistent erectile dysfunction following radical prostatectomy: The association between nerve-sparing status and the prevalence and chronology of venous leak - Abstract--September 30,2009
Survey: Men may not be adequately involved in decisions about prostate cancer screening --September 30,2009
C2R 2009 - Prostate cancer screening recommendations of the US Preventive Services Task Force - Session Highlights --September 30,2009
Click here to read report of the session.
--C2R 2009 - Town Hall Discussion: Androgen replacement versus 5-ARIs - Who should get what? - Session Highlights --September 30,2009
Click here to read the report.
--Fact Sheets: Support/Coping/Resources--September 30,2009
Click here to access the Fact Sheets for survivors.
--PCRP Perspectives: Keep Informed on Breakthroughs in Prostate Cancer Research--September 30,2009
Click here to read CDMRP newsletter.
--What Does Shared Decision Making Mean for Prostate Screening?--September 29,2009
Click here to read and give your opinion.
--After Cancer, Ambushed by Depression-Dana Jennings--September 29,2009
Click here to read the article.
-- Swiss study finds income affects prostate cancer patients' survival--September 28,2009
Click here to read the abstract.
--BUSM researchers propose a relationship between androgen deficiency and cardiovascular disease--September 28,2009
Seeking information about state laws addressing specific cancer control topics --September 28,2009
Click here to access search engine.
--UAB Research Shows Religion Impacts Decision on Prostate Cancer Screening in African-American Men--September 28,2009
Click here to read the article.
--Prostate cancer survivors seek to educate Kenai Peninsula men on disease, attend 3-day retreat--September 27,2009
Five US universities to provide central funding for open access publication fees--September 26,2009
Click here to read blog entry.
--Association of female partner characteristics with male partner ED treatment seeking and phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitor utilization--September 25,2009
Click here to read the abstract.
--Why are pretreatment prostate-specific antigen levels and biochemical recurrence poor predictors of prostate cancer survival? - Abstract--September 25,2009
Click here to read the abstract.
--Prostate-specific antigen test use and digital rectal examinations among African-American men, 2002-2006 - Abstract --September 25,2009
Pain Beyond Words, and an Impulse Just to Endure By DANA JENNINGS--September 22,2009
Click here to read the article.
--Prostate cancer treatment could spark heart problems--September 22,2009
Click here to read the article.
--Rutgers to Collaborate in $3.4 Million Research Effort to Improve Prostate Cancer Identification Using MRI--September 22,2009
Click here to read the article.
--Doctors Don't Agree On Letting Patients See Notes--September 21,2009
Click here to read transcipt or listen to the story.
--Men's Health Network on Facebook--September 21,2009
To view photos of the Think Blue/Washington Redskins awareness program on Facebook, click here.
--Treatment of men over 65 with locally confined tumors provides little survival benefit, a study finds.--September 21,2009
Triple hormonal therapy for prostate cancer: How successful is the Leibowitz-regimen when used by German patients? - Session Highlights--September 21,2009
Compilation of important epidemiologic concepts and common biostatistical terms used in medical research--September 20,2009
You can use it as a reference guide when reading articles.
--Know Your Stats AUAF awareness program--September 20,2009
Click here to access resources to use about prostate cancer awareness.
--Mayo Clinic CEO Says Lawmakers Need To Do More On Health Reform--September 19,2009
Click here to access the video.
--Controversies in the Management of Localized Prostate Cancer: After the Rhetoric --September 18,2009
Localized Prostate Cancer: The Battle of Treatment Options Enters the Larger Arena --September 18,2009
Older Prostate Patients: The Case for Doing Nothing--September 18,2009
Click here to read the article.
--Evidence based survivorship programs. Some are prostate specific.--September 18,2009
Click here for more information.
--Prostate Cancer Mortality Reduction by Prostate-Specific Antigen-Based Screening--September 15,2009
Prostate Cancer Mortality Reduction by Prostate-Specific Antigen-Based Screening Adjusted for Nonattendance and Contamination in the European Randomised Study of Screening for Prostate Cancer (ERSPC)
To read the abstract click here.
--Doctors on Coverage — Physicians’ Views on a New Public Insurance Option and Medicare Expansion--September 15,2009
Prostate cancer: Quality of life after radiation and androgen deprivation--September 15,2009
Click here to read the article.
--Experts debate if the cost of end-of-life cancer care is too high--September 15,2009
Click here to read the article.
--"Lagging Indicators:" Does Europe Approve Drugs Faster Than The US? --September 08,2009
This is an industry response to the earlier Health Affairs report posted here on 9/5/09.
Click here to read the article.
-- NATIONAL PROSTATE CANCER AWARENESS MONTH, SEPTEMBER 2009--September 08,2009
Click here to read the proclamatiion.
--Emerging drugs for prostate cancer - Abstract --September 05,2009
Click here to read the abstract.
--The \'Watchful Wait\' Approach To Prostate Cancer--September 05,2009
Click here to read the transcript or listen to the audio.
--Pitt, Johns Hopkins scientist sued over prostate cancer research--September 05,2009
About Early Prostate Cancer Antigen or EPCA-2
Click here to read the article
--Prostate Cancer Screening's Toll--September 05,2009
The new study, H. Gilbert Welch of the VA Outcomes Group in White River Junction, Vt., and an editorial accompanying the study, Otis Brawley, the American Cancer Society\'s chief medical officer.
Click here for article and links to editorial and study.
--Evidence-Based Medicine, Conscience-Based Medicine, and the Management of Low-Risk Prostate Cancer--September 02,2009
Racial disparities in cancer survival among randomized clinical trials patients of the Southwest Oncology Group - Abstract--September 02,2009
African American patients with sex-specific cancers had worse survival than white patients, despite enrollment on phase III SWOG trials with uniform stage, treatment, and follow-up.
--Study: Prostate Cancer May Be Overtreated--September 02,2009
Click here to read the article or hear the radio clip.
--Barbers as lay health advocates--developing a prostate cancer curriculum - Abstract --September 02,2009
To read the abstract click here.
--A modified virus makes cancer cells fluoresce to better identify tumors.--September 02,2009
Click here to read the article.
--Walking Away From Cancer--September 02,2009
More from Dana Jennings, a NJ resident about his journey with prostate cancer.
--September is prostate cancer awareness month--September 02,2009
Click here to view the suppliment in the Washington Times.
--Jim Williams Prostate Cancer Story--September 02,2009
Click here to viiew Jim\'s YouTube video of his story.
-- Advancing Cancer Pain Control as a Health Care Priority--September 02,2009
Taking Action to Ease Suffering
--Active Surveillance or Active Treatment in Localized Prostate Cancer?--August 27,2009
PDF from pubmed that evaluates the current situation based on the available published material.
From abstract:
The guideline recommendations reflect a changed attitude toward the treatment of prostate cancer in the light of the early detection of these tumors and the data now available regarding active surveillance. A corresponding change in actual medical practice would be desirable. The treatment of prostate cancer should always be adapted to the individual needs of the patient, and risky treatments should only be used when absolutely necessary.
Click here for access to the PDF.
--
Hormone Therapy For Prostate Cancer Patients With Heart Conditions Linked To Increased Death Risk--August 26,2009
Men with coronary artery disease-induced congestive heart failure or heart attack who receive hormone therapy before or along with radiation therapy for treatment of prostate cancer have an associated increased risk of death, according to a study in the August 26 issue of JAMA.
To read the entiire article click here.
--Prostate Cancer Screening: New Evidence, Same Conclusion?--August 26,2009
The prevalence of prostate cancer has increased dramatically with the advent of routine screening among older men, but the true balance of benefit vs cost of this practice remains a subject of debate. Two new major trials highlight the effects of prostate cancer screening on cancer-related mortality, but do they provide concrete results for or against routine testing? Informed decision-making between patient and physician remains critical in deciding whether to screen men for prostate cancer.
Click here to read the article. Registration is necessary but free.
--Debate surrounds new prostate-cancer treatment--August 26,2009
CyberKnife radiosurgery - which uses narrow beams of radiation to kill several types of cancer - is marketed as a less invasive, more convenient way to treat prostate cancer, a pitch that has proved convincing for about 3,000 men over the last six years.
But some prostate-cancer experts have reservations. Because prostate cancer grows slowly and because radiation side effects can emerge after many years, they say it is too soon to call the treatment a success.
And those concerns have unleashed a battle over insurance payments that may soon leave thousands of men unable to afford this increasingly popular option.
Highmark Medicare Services Inc., which administers payments for 4.2 million Medicare subscribers in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, and Washington, D.C., is considering dropping most coverage for the treatment. It plans to make a decision later this month.
Click here to read the entire story.
--URS 2009 - The significance of CD151 expression in prostate cancer - Abstract --August 26,2009
CONCLUSIONS
This work suggests CD151 over expression is related to grade and prognosis in prostate cancer. The up regulation of CD151 in metastatic prostate cancer cell populations may explain our observations as cell motility is one critical component in the metastatic cascade. Further studies are underway to determine the role of CD151 in the metastatic progression of prostate cancer.
Click here to read the abstract.
--A prospective study of symptom distress and return to baseline function after open versus laparoscopic radical prostatectomy - Abstract--August 25,2009
Of the patients 102 who underwent open prostatectomy and 104 treated with laparoscopic prostatectomy were enrolled in the study. At 1 year 90% in the open and 91% in the laparoscopic group returned the questionnaire. Symptom distress between the 2 groups did not differ at any time during followup. There was no significant difference in return to baseline at 1 year for continence, erectile function or physical function. Of the patients 95% had a return to baseline physical function, approximately 90% do not wear a pad and approximately 50% returned to baseline erectile function with or without phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors at 1 year. Although complications were few there was a significant difference in the number for laparoscopic vs open prostatectomy with a slightly higher rate of hematuria and lymphocele formation in the laparoscopic group. Cancer control at 1 year was excellent in both groups.
Click here to access the abstract.
--Cyberknife coverage approved for treatment of some prostate cancer patients --August 25,2009
Prostate cancer patients in Florida won’t see treatment options limited after the state’s Medicare provider decided to continue coverage of Cyberknife technology with caveats.
First Coast Services Options, the Jacksonville-based company that is Florida’s Medicare administrator, issued a decision late last week that Medicare will continue covering Cyberknife for treating prostate cancer on a case-by-case basis.
To read the entire article click here.
This is an approach that Medicare has taken in relation to a prostate cancer treatment. It will be interesting to see if they take a similar approach to other treatments in the future and whether there will be a similar approach to Cyberknife in other states/regions.
--Is Two Too Few? Denosumab Advisory Committee. Lacked Permanent Members .--August 25,2009
For thise who are interested in the FDA and prostate cancer,
The Reproductive Health Drugs Advisory Committee reviewing Amgen\'s Prolia (densoumab) had the fewest permanent members on the panel it has had in the last five years.
snip
If FDA convenes another advisory committee to review Prolia in preventing skeletal-related events in patients with advanced cancer, the Oncologic Drugs Advisory Committee will take the lead, according to FDA.
To read the entire article from RPM Report.
--
Searching For A Better Way To Diagnose--August 25,2009
Dr. Sanda and his colleagues are evaluating whether a checklist of risk factors can be paired with PSA results to decide which men should undergo a biopsy. These include:
- The patient’s age and expected lifespan
- The patient’s weight. “Obesity is a huge risk factor for bad prostate cancer,” Sanda says.
- Family history: Is there cancer in the family?
- Size of the prostate: Men with larger prostates actually have a lower chance of having prostate cancer because their PSA can be high due to non-cancerous, “benign” enlargement of the prostate.
Dr. Sanda at BIDMC and researchers at the University of Michigan and Cornell are investigating whether a test to detect prostate cancer genes in urine (that could be used in conjunction with the PSA blood test) would help identify men who are at risk for more aggressive forms of prostate cancer, for whom biopsy and treatment would be appropriate. This urine test was developed by Dr. Arul Chinnaiyan at the University of Michigan whose group in 2006 discovered an intertwined gene mutation called TMPRSS2-ERG gene “fusion” that is the most common genetic abnormality in prostate cancer. When he and Dr. Mark Rubin evaluated this gene “fusion” in a group of Swedish men with prostate cancer who had not undergone treatment, they found that men having the TMPRSS2-ERG gene “fusion” had a worse prognosis than those without the fused genes. Dr. Sanda then studied American men with abnormal prostate screening, and detected the gene fusion in nearly half of cancer-containing prostate biopsies.
Click here to read the entire article.
--Prostate Net Announces: Major Medical Education Initiative for Patients, Caregivers and Healthcare Professionals--August 25,2009
A day-long, dual-track educational symposium targeting patients, caregivers and medical professionals will take place on Tuesday, October 6, 2009 at New York University, Kimmel Center for University Life in New York City. Joined by Keynote Speaker, Donald Coffey, PhD, from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, a world-class faculty of prostate cancer specialists will present and discuss contemporary information and issues confronting the disease. \"We believe a specific awareness and educational effort, targeted to both patients and professionals, within an unique dual-track environment can provide symposium participants access to those world-class health professionals, whose work form disease management policy and best standard of care,\" said Simons. \"This initiative will provide access to information for both patients and professionals, not normally readily available, as to the best standards of care based on leading edge research and clinical practice.\"
To read the press release click here.
--Hope On The Horizon For Metastatic Prostate Cancer--August 25,2009
30,000 American men die of the disease each year. These are the unfortunate ones who are diagnosed after the cancer has already spread or whose cancer returns after surgery or radiation treatment. These men currently have few good options.
The best they can do is to take drugs that inhibit the production of or block the effects of androgens, including testosterone and dihydrotestosterone, which fuel prostate cancer, for a while. The drugs may be combined with radiation or chemotherapy, but there is no cure. These testosterone-inhibiting drugs, which are also called anti-androgens or LHRH analogs, eventually lose their ability to prevent prostate cancer development, although it is not yet known why. These drugs also carry with them a host of troublesome side effects.
Researchers, however, are hopeful that new drugs now in development may work better than the testosterone-inhibiting drugs currently in use. Or they may be able to be used in combination with the current crop of drugs to provide a more effective treatment regimen. In either case, the idea is to gain these patients more time.
Beyond these drugs, the goal is to find so-called “smart” drugs that can actually cure the disease, and without the side effects of the current crop of drugs. There is significant progress being made on this front, researchers say.
To read the entire article click here.
--Mythbusting at the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center--August 25,2009
This email is currently circulating.
STATEMENT: EMAIL HOAX REGARDING CANCER
Information falsely attributed to Johns Hopkins called, \"CANCER UPDATE FROM JOHN HOPKINS\" describes properties of cancer cells and suggests ways of preventing cancer. Johns Hopkins did not publish the information, which often is an email attachment, nor do we endorse its contents. The email also contains an incorrect spelling of our institution as \"John\" Hopkins; whereas, the correct spelling is \"Johns\" Hopkins. For more information about cancer, please read the information on our web site or visit the National Cancer Institute\'s web site at www.cancer.gov. Please help combat the spread of this hoax by letting others know of this statement.
Another hoax email that has been circulating since 2004 regarding plastic containers, bottles, wrap claiming that heat releases dioxins which cause cancer also was not published by Johns Hopkins. More information from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
For additional information click here.
--Prostate Cancer Risk Increased With Elevated Insulin--August 24,2009
Fasting levels of insulin that were elevated but still within the normal range were associated with a higher risk of prostate cancer, a nested case-cohort study found.
To read the article click here.
--Talking About Medicare: Your Guide to Understanding the Program, 2009--August 23,2009
- Medicare Eligibility
- What Medicare Covers
- Other Upcoming Changes
- What Medicare Does Not Cover
- Plan for Medicare Enrollment
Answers to your questions from the Kaiser Family Foundation
Click here to go to the website.
--
Health Affairs Discussion on Key Issues in Health Reform--August 23,2009
Health Affairs hosted a series of panels to discuss \"Fact vs. Fiction: Key Issues in Health Reform\" in Washington. The discussions focused on the government\'s role in health care, implications of slowing the rate of growth in Medicare spending, and end of life issues.
Washington, DC : 3 hr. 33 min.
To watch the video click here.
--NCI Prostate Cancer Screening (PDQ®)--August 21,2009
This PDQ cancer information summary for health professionals provides comprehensive, peer-reviewed, evidence-based information about prostate cancer screening. This summary is reviewed regularly and updated as necessary by the PDQ Screening and Prevention Editorial Board.
This link will take you to one of several resources that can be useful when discussing early detection of prostate cancer or making a decision about whether to be screened or not. In addition to
Information about the following is included in this summary:
- Prostate cancer incidence and mortality statistics and information about prostate cancer risk factors.
- Prostate cancer screening modalities.
- Benefits and harms of prostate cancer screening.
This summary is intended as a resource to inform clinicians and other health professionals about currently available prostate cancer screening modalities. The PDQ Screening and Prevention Editorial Board uses a formal evidence ranking system in reporting the evidence of benefit and potential harms associated with each screening modality. It does not provide formal guidelines or recommendations for making health care decisions. Information in this summary should not be used as a basis for reimbursement determinations.
--
Public Knowledge of Benefits of Prostate Cancer Screening in Europe--August 21,2009
Detailed study in 9 European countries in an attempt to obtain accurate, country-specific information on public knowledge of the benefits of screeningfor breast and prostate cancers. Their study was based on face-to-face, computer-assisted, personal interviews with 10,228 persons in Austria, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Russia, Spain, and the United Kingdom. Their goal was to assess perceptions of cancer-specific mortality reduction associated with mammography and PSA screening. Participants were also queried on the extent to which they consulted 14 different sources of health information.
Are we communicating good evidenced based information when we communicate to men about early detection of clinically significant prostate cancer? This is the issue discussed in this blog. Be sure to read the discussion in the comments section.
Click here for complete entry.
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Disparities in cancer care reflect hospital resources, U-M study finds--August 21,2009
If you are a cancer patient, whatever your race — whether you are African American, Hispanic or white — in the USA you would be well advised to seek treatment at a hospital that treats mostly white patients.
So finds a newly published study by researchers at University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center. At hospitals that treat more black patients than white, all cancer patients are liable to receive less than optimum care.
While this study looks at breast and colon cancer regardless of race possibly a simailar result would be found for prostate cancer if it were evaluated. If you are talking to a prostate cancer researcher or clinician you may want to ask.
Click here to go to the complete entry.
--In Health Reform, Prostate Cancer offers an acid test.--July 16,2009
WASHINGTON — It’s become popular to pick your own personal litmus test for health care reform.
For some liberals, reform will be a success only if it includes a new government-run insurance plan to compete with private insurers. For many conservatives, a bill must exclude such a public plan. For others, the crucial issue is how much money Congress spends covering the uninsured.
My litmus test is different. It’s the prostate cancer test.
The prostate cancer test will determine whether President Obama and Congress put together a bill that begins to fix the fundamental problem with our medical system: the combination of soaring costs and mediocre results. If they don’t, the medical system will remain deeply troubled, no matter what other improvements they make.
--To see the entire article, click HERE.Predicting the Return of Prostate Cancer--July 12,2009
ScienceDaily (July 3, 2009) — Cancer experts at Johns Hopkins say a study tracking 774 prostate cancer patients for a median of eight years has shown that a three-way combination of measurements has the best chance yet of predicting disease metastasis.
--Click Here for the Full ArticleSelenium Supplements can be harmful to some PCa Patients--June 27,2009
BOSTON--Higher selenium levels in the blood may worsen prostate cancer in some men who already have the disease, according to a study by researchers at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute the University of California, San Francisco.
A higher risk of more-aggressive prostate cancer was seen in men with a certain genetic variant found in about 75 percent of the prostate cancer patients in the study. In those subjects, having a high level of selenium in the blood was associated with a two-fold greater risk of poorer outcomes than men with the lowest amounts of selenium. By contrast, the 25 percent of men with a different variant of the same gene and who had high selenium levels were at 40 percent lower risk of aggressive disease. The variants are slightly different forms of a gene that instructs cells to make manganese superoxide dismutase (SOD2), an enzyme that protects the body against harmful oxygen compounds.
Mayo reports dramatic outcomes in prostate cancer study--June 23,2009
Two prostate cancer patients who had been told their condition was inoperable are now cancer-free as the result of an experimental therapy, the Mayo Clinic in Rochester announced today.
--Click here to view the ArticleRisk Of Prostate Cancer May Be Reduced By Diet--June 18,2009
A new review published in the Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics assessed whether certain modifications in diet have a beneficial effect on the prevention of prostate cancer. Results suggest that a diet low in fat and red meat and high in fruits and vegetables is beneficial in preventing and treating prostate cancer.
--Click Here for Full ArticleNCI Cancer Bulletin - Efficacy of Radiation Treatment After Prostate Surgery--June 02,2009
Many cases of prostate cancer progress so slowly that it can literally take decades to learn whether a treatment works. Just ask Dr. Ian Thompson, who chairs the department of urology at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. In 1985, he was a young researcher just starting out when he proposed a study to find out whether the practice of giving radiation therapy to some men after prostate cancer surgery was actually helping and not just causing side effects.
Two decades later, they have their answer. Men in the trial who received radiation therapy within 12 weeks of surgery delayed a recurrence of the cancer, and this led to longer survival compared with men with did not receive the treatment. Results from the randomized 425-person trial, which was sponsored by the Southwest Oncology Group (SWOG), appeared in the March Journal of Urology.
--Click here for the full articleStress Management for Prostate Cancer--April 21,2009
Stress management counseling appears to benefit men who have all or part of their prostate removed (radical prostatectomy) to treat early-stage prostate cancer, says a U.S. study.
--Read More, Click HereThe Man, the Gland, the Dilemmas --April 01,2009
Prostate cancer poses some of the most vexing questions in medicine, and one out of every six men in the U.S. will confront them at some point in their lives. Today\'s Health Journal is the first of a two-part series that aims to provide some guidance. This article looks at new diagnostic techniques that may help to resolve some of these quandaries. Next week we\'ll examine the perplexing array of treatment options and weigh the pros and cons of each.
--Click Here for MoreCenters of Excellence for Prostate Cancer--March 17,2009
This is the third in Medical Economics’ monthly series: Clinical Centers of Excellence.
The purpose is to recognize those institutions that bring something extra to a specialty, whether through research, patient care, community outreach—or all of these areas.
We’ve chosen the centers based on information from key opinion leaders in various specialties and through physician surveys. To help choose the Clinical Centers of Excellence in prostate cancer, we surveyed readers of Urology Times and spoke with prostate cancer KOLs. We then asked the centers to report data and other information, which was verified whenever possible.
Geography is a factor as well: Patients, after all, are more likely to visit a center that is nearby rather than one across the country.
--Read More-Click HereScreening and Treatment Issues--March 12,2009
ABC News did a two minute story on PCa screening and \"over\" treatment, March 10, 2009, featuring Dr. Scardino (MSKCC), Dr. Soloway (U.Miami) and from Malecare, Carl Stark (though, his name is misreported as Carl Clark).
Much research is needed to identify which cancers are aggresive and which are not. Meanwhile, it is up to the patient to be involved in determining how to handle a positive diagnosis.
--View the Video - Click HereNew Cancer Killer, Artemisinin--March 11,2009
Researchers at the University of Washington have updated a traditional Chinese medicine to create a compound that reportedly is more specific in killing certain kinds of cancer cells than currently available drugs, heralding the possibility of a more effective chemotherapy drug with minimal side effects. They published their results online October 5 in Cancer Letters.
The new compound puts a novel twist on the common anti-malarial drug artemisinin, which is derived from the sweet wormwood plant, which has been used in herbal Chinese medicine for at least 2,000 years, and is eaten in salads in some Asian countries.
During this week\'s podcast, Dr. Tomikazu Sasaki, senior author of the study. explains what his team did to the plant to create a powerful cancer cell-killing compound. He provides details on modified artemisinin\'s cancer destroying abilities and discusses the benefits and potential side effects of using this therapeutic approach.
Listen to an interview with the reseacher, click on the link below
--Click here for more.Critical Bill to Fund Cancer Research - Effectiveness of Treatments--February 19,2009
WASHINGTON — The $787 billion economic stimulus bill approved by Congress will, for the first time, provide substantial amounts of money for the federal government to compare the effectiveness of different treatments for the same illness.
To read the entire article click the link below. This may eventually impact on prostate cancer treatments including ED treatments, especially if there are limited clinical trials on the treatment. Completed trials become even more important.
--Read Entire ArticleBiomarker May Indicate Increased Risk of Fatal Disease--February 15,2009
ScienceDaily (Feb. 13, 2009) — New research findings out of Wake Forest University School of Medicine and the University of Wisconsin may help provide some direction for men diagnosed with prostate cancer about whether their cancer is likely to be life-threatening.
In a study that appears in the February issue of Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research, researchers confirmed their earlier findings that men who have too much calcium in their bloodstreams subsequently have an increased risk of fatal prostate cancer. Now researchers have also identified an even more accurate biomarker of the fatal cancer: high levels of ionized serum calcium.
--Read More!Prostate Cancer Prevention--January 26,2009
From the Journal Cell Cycle - Prostate cancer (CaP) is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths among U.S. males with a similar trend in many Western countries. CaP is an ideal candidate disease for chemoprevention because it is typically diagnosed in men over 50 years of age, and thus even a modest delay in disease progression achieved through pharmacological or nutritional intervention could significantly impact the quality of life of these patients. In this regard we and others have proposed the use of dietary antioxidants as candidate CaP chemopreventive agents. The fruit pomegranate derived from the tree Punica granatum has been shown to possess strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. In a recent study, we showed that pomegranate fruit extract (PFE), through modulations in the cyclin kinase inhibitor-cyclin-dependent kinase machinery, resulted in inhibition of cell growth followed by apoptosis of highly aggressive human prostate carcinoma PC3 cells. These events were associated with alterations in the levels of Bax and Bcl-2 shifting the Bax:Bcl-2 ratio in favor of apoptosis. Further, we showed that oral administration of a human acceptable dose of PFE to athymic nude mice implanted with CWR22Rnu1 cells resulted in significant inhibition of tumor growth with concomitant reduction in secretion of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) in the serum. The outcome of this study could have a direct practical implication and translational relevance to CaP patients, because it suggests that pomegranate consumption may retard CaP progression, which may prolong the survival and quality of life of the patients.
--Cell Cycle - A publication of Landes BioscienceDana Jennings Blog--December 07,2008
Dana Jennings, a prostate cancer survivor and New York Times Editor, writes a weekly blog on the New York Times web site, discussing his perspectives on prostate cancer issues. His December 2 blog addresses the side effects of hormone deprivation therapy in a frank and open discussion.
--Blog PageAnd The Winner Is...--December 04,2008
We are pleased to announce that the First Annual PCC-NJ Raffle was a big success. We sold 153 tickets for a total of $7650.00 . First prize of $1912.50 went to J Lane, second prize of $1147.50 went to A.Scala and third prize of $765.00 went to C Muraski . Congratulations to the winners and thank you to all that contributed their time and money. A special thanks to Paul Kane who put this together and ran the program while personally going through some heavy duty medical issues. He is a hero.
--In Memory of Peter Doherty - “In life we shall find many men that are great, and some men that are good, but very few men that are both great and good” - Colton--November 25,2008
It is with deep sadness that I inform you of the death of one of the most dedicated and talented volunteers that the New Jersey Commission on Cancer Research has ever known. Peter Doherty died at his home in Lancaster Pa on Sunday, November 24, 2008 after a long illness. He is survived by his wife of 47 years, Carolyn Putits Doherty.
If you have a conquer cancer license plate on your car, you have Peter to thank. He created, designed, and promoted this “first of its kind” specialty license plate dedicated to supporting cancer research in New Jersey. Since 1998, the license plate raised more $4,000,000 for more than 75 cancer research projects right here in New Jersey. Peter Doherty literally “took the fight against cancer to the streets of New Jersey.”
Peter also helped thousands of men deal with prostate cancer. He helped create and lead the Morristown Prostate Support Group, one of the largest support groups in the country. He was a founding member of the Prostate Cancer Coalition of New Jersey and worked on numerous programs and seminar aimed at helping educate men with prostate cancer. He recently was awarded the Harry Pinchot Award for extraordinary service to others in the prostate cancer community.
For me personally, Peter was mentor, sage and most importantly, a dear friend. Peter was that special person who brought the best out in all of us…we worked harder, dug deeper and strived further because of him…..he was not only a great person but a truly good man. We will miss you, Peter, but you will always be a part of us.
_____________________________________________
Ann Marie Hill
Executive Director
New Jersey Commission on Cancer Research
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Benefits of Exercise for PCa Survivors--November 14,2008
Exercise May Fight Prostate Cancer
New research shows older men who exercise regularly have a much lower risk of dying from prostate cancer.
The study showed that men over age 65 who engaged in at least three hours of vigorous physical activity, such as running, biking, or swimming, per week had a nearly 70% lower risk of being diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer or dying from the disease.
Statin Drugs--November 11,2008
Statins Lower Blood Marker for Prostate Cancer
But it\'s not clear if the cholesterol-lowering drugs protect against the disease
--Read More:Selenium/Vitamin E Trial Halts & Statin Drugs Lower PSA--November 03,2008
Prostate cancer: Selenium, vitamin E trial halted, statins lower marker, not necessarily risk.
Cholesterol-lowering statin drugs reduce levels of a blood marker for prostate cancer, but it\'s not clear they actually lower the risk of developing the disease.
The NCI cancelled a $120 million, 7-year trial of 35,000 men taking selenium and vitamin E supplements as possible safeguards against prostate cancer. The trial was cancelled four years in after scientists saw an unexpected increase in tumors among some of the men taking vitamin E, and a rise in adult-onset diabetes in some of those taking selenium.
--Read More: Scientific AmericanSurgical side effects cut with robotics--September 05,2008
As 3D images illuminate the viewfinder, a joystick delicately maneuvers a pair of robotic arms. It may sound like a video game, but Dr. Nikhil Shah is actually performing cancer surgery.
In this case, the surgeon is removing a man\'s prostate gland. Robotic surgery is a growing trend in treating prostate cancer. The number of cases have increased sevenfold in the past four years, from 10,000 in 2004 to a projected 70,000 in 2008, according to Intuitive Surgical Inc., the creators of the robotic device. The advantages of robotics -- fewer side effects and quicker recovery times in many patients -- have led to increased use for other surgeries, including hysterectomy, kidney cancer and some heart procedures.
\"At first, men think we hook up a robot and then go get some coffee, but the reality is the robot arms are a tool that I control, just like a scalpel, \" said Shah, who has performed more than 600 robotic prostatectomies at St. Joseph Hospital in Atlanta, Georgia.
One benefit Shah describes is precision that far exceeds the human hand. The robot-controlled scalpel works delicately around the nerves and blood vessels in the pelvic area, vastly reducing the risk of damage that can lead to incontinence or impotence. \"I\'m able to spare all the things that help men have their dignity and at the same time take away the cancer,\" he said.
--Click Here for More InfoWeekend prostate cancer news update--July 26,2008
Brown et al. have studied the potential value of preoperative staging with endorectal MRI (eMRI) on decisions about nerve sparing and the resulting rates of positive margins following radical prostatectomy (RP). They reviewed data from 62 patients who underwent RP (46 laparoscopic and 16 open retropubic) between March 2002 and February 2005 and who had preoperative eMRI staging to determine the impact of apparent extracapsular extension upon surgical decisions about nerve sparing and the subsequent risk for positive surgical margins.
--Read MoreThis New Drug is No Magic Bullet--July 22,2008
Like any of the 80,000 or so men in this country suffering from advanced – meaning incurable – prostate cancer, I was gripped by the headlines last week about the development of a new, allegedly wonderful, if not wonder, drug. According to early trial results, something called abiraterone can shrink prostate tumours that have ceased to respond to all other known treatments.
As things stand at present, men diagnosed with an early cancer that is “still in the capsule” – the tumour confined within the prostate gland, in other words – have a good chance of recovery. Those like me, whose cancer has spread, have a much more bleak outlook