Prostate Cancer

Most men diagnosed with prostate cancer are more than 65 years of age. Therefore, a discussion of the issues surrounding the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of prostate cancer in older men is, in many ways, a review of

Most men diagnosed with prostate cancer are more than 65 years of age. Therefore, a discussion of the issues surrounding the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of prostate cancer in older men is, in many ways, a review of

ANAHEIM, California-Abarelix, an injectable gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) antagonist, reduces serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels and testosterone levels more than standard therapy, with less hormonal "surge," according to several studies presented at the American Urological Association (AUA) annual meeting.

ST. LOUIS-Three-dimensional (3D) conformal radiation therapy is being widely used for treatment of prostate cancer and has been successful at reducing rectal toxicities. "Conformal radiotherapy has allowed dose escalation with acceptable or even reduced rates of severe morbidity," Jeff M. Michalski, MD, reported. He added, however, that "we have to start paying attention to the low-grade morbidity. Grade 1 and grade 2 toxicity may predict development of severe late complications." Dr. Michalski is assistant professor of radiology, Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology, Washington University, St. Louis.

DETROIT-Intrarectal topical application of amifostine (Ethyol), given as a "mini-enema," is extremely tolerable, produces no systemic toxicity, and may be an alternative to systemic administration for preventing rectal damage in patients undergoing radiotherapy for prostate cancer. Results of a phase I study were reported by Edgar Ben-Josef, MD. He is associate professor in the Department of Radiation Oncology at Wayne State University’s Karmanos Cancer Institute in Detroit.

The goal of identifying a set of pretreatment risk-stratifying factors for patients with localized prostate cancer is to be able to individualize treatment and optimize patient selection for clinical trials. Low-risk patients are most likely

The goal of identifying a set of pretreatment risk-stratifying factors for patients with localized prostate cancer is to be able to individualize treatment and optimize patient selection for clinical trials. Low-risk patients are most likely

The goal of identifying a set of pretreatment risk-stratifying factors for patients with localized prostate cancer is to be able to individualize treatment and optimize patient selection for clinical trials. Low-risk patients are most likely

SAN FRANCISCO-Atrasentan (ABT-627), an investigational endothelin-A receptor antagonist made by Abbott Laboratories, appears to delay clinical progression, PSA progression, and bone progression in hormone-refractory prostate cancer patients, according to phase II clinical trials presented at the 37th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO).

The goal of identifying a set of pretreatment risk-stratifying factors for patients with localized prostate cancer is to be able to individualize treatment and optimize patient selection for clinical trials. Low-risk patients are most likely

The Bayer Corporation announced recently that Viadur (leuprolide acetate implant), a once-yearly implant for the palliative

Phase II data presented at the 37th annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology showed that atrasentan

SAN FRANCISCO-Oral sodium clodronate appears to have delayed progression of bone metastasis from prostate cancer in a randomized clinical trial, although the results did not reach statistical significance. British investigator David Dearnaley, MD, presented the preliminary results on behalf of the Medical Research Council (MRC) Clinical Trials Unit at the 37th Annual Meeting of the American Society for Clinical Oncology (ASCO) in San Francisco.

Metastatic spinal disease is common in patients with prostate cancer. Spinal metastases may be asymptomatic (identified during staging) or cause pain and other neurologic signs and symptoms. In approximately 30% of prostate cancer patients,

Metastatic spinal disease is common in patients with prostate cancer. Spinal metastases may be asymptomatic (identified during staging) or cause pain and other neurologic signs and symptoms. In approximately 30% of prostate cancer patients,

Prostate cancer metastasis to the spine is an extremely difficult clinical problem to treat. However, it occurs commonly, and all clinicians-not only oncologists-should undertake to understand its pathogenesis, diagnosis,

SAN FRANCISCO-A comparison of quality-of-life measures reported by patients in the Prostate Cancer Outcomes Study (PCOS) found that men who underwent orchiectomy felt better and worried less about their health than men who received luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) agonists.

ANAHEIM, California-In a study of advanced prostate cancer patients, use of the investigational bisphosphonate zoledronic acid (Zometa) led to significantly fewer skeletal-related events associated with bone metastases (including radiation therapy for pain relief) than did placebo, according to data presented at the Society of Urologic Oncology meeting, held in conjunction with the 96th Annual Meeting of the American Urological Association.

SAN FRANCISCO-High levels of a protein that normally prevents tumor growth may actually encourage angiogenesis and the spread of prostate cancer, according to a poster presented at the 40th Annual Meeting of the American Society for Cell Biology.

BETHESDA, Md-Rapid advances in managing prostate cancer over the last decade have created dilemmas for clinicians as they attempt to determine which treatment is best for each patient, said Patrick Walsh, MD, director, Department of Urology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Such dilemmas will not be resolved fast enough through randomized trials, he said.

BETHESDA, Md-Thalidomide (Thalomid) appears to inhibit angiogenesis (the recruitment of new blood vessels by the tumor). Clinically, thalidomide has been shown to lower PSA levels in some patients with androgen-independent prostate cancer. Using an LNCaP in vitro model, thalidomide has been shown to slightly increase the amount of PSA per cell number. "Some drugs appear to upregulate the expression of PSA and some downregulate it," William Dahut, MD, of the National Cancer Institute, said at an NCI conference on urologic oncology. This is clearly the case for carboxyamidotriazole (CAI) and TNP-470, both angiogenesis inhibitors, he said. CAI has been shown to downregulate PSA, whereas TNP-740 upregulated it.

BETHESDA, Maryland-Although many prostate cancers are not visible on conventional ultrasound, new methods of improving image contrast may allow better visualization and improved ultrasound-guided biopsy results in the next 3 to 5 years, Leonard G. Gomella, MD, said at a conference on urologic oncology sponsored by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and the Society of Urologic Oncology.

BOSTON-Men who underwent three-dimensional conformal radiation therapy (3D CRT) for prostate cancer had significant loss in sexual function, but the addition of hormonal therapy did not exacerbate that loss, according to a poster presented at the 42nd Annual Meeting of the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology (ASTRO).

NEW YORK-Expression of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) in the messenger RNA (mRNA) of pelvic lymph nodes appears to be a promising marker for occult micrometastases in patients with localized prostate cancer, said Anna C. Ferrari, MD, assistant professor, Medical Oncology Associates of the Derald R. Ruttenberg Cancer Center, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York.

The report by Hanks and colleagues examines two controversial issues that are related to the treatment of prostate cancer with external-beam radiotherapy: (1) the outcome of younger vs older men, and (2) the relative risk of relapse with follow-up beyond 5 years. The findings of their study are important not only in addressing these points, but also because they shed light on another concern often raised by urologists.