Time-related loss of erectile function after low-dose-rate brachytherapy

Posted on August 8, 2011 by Sitemaster

It has long been understood that erectile function after first-line treatment for localized prostate cancer is affected by (a) erectile function before treatment and (b) elapsed time after treatment. However, the available data offering a careful analysis of the chronology of erectile function after first-line treatment of localized prostate cancer has been limited.

Filed under: Living with Prostate Cancer, Management, Treatment | Tagged: , , , | Leave a Comment »

5α-Reductase-III and its potential in prevention/treatment of prostate cancer

Posted on August 7, 2011 by Sitemaster

There are in fact three so-called “isozymes” (slightly different versions) of the human enzyme 5α-steroid reductase. The activity of 5α-reductase-II can be affected by the 5α-reductase inhibitor (5-ARI) finasteride (Proscar); the activity of 5α-reductase-I and -II can be affected by the 5-ARI dutasteride (Avodart), but

Filed under: Drugs in development, Prevention | Tagged: , , | 1 Comment »

Incidence of climacturia “surprising” to one leading surgeon

Posted on August 5, 2011 by Sitemaster

It is sometimes amazing how little some physicians appear to understand about the side effects of the treatments that they give to their patients! If these were really rare side effects it might be understandable, but the one we shall discuss below is far from rare …

Filed under: Management, Treatment | Tagged: , , , , | 7 Comments »

“New” urine test combines data from PCA3 and gene fusion to predict prostate cancer risk

Posted on August 4, 2011 by Sitemaster

There is a lot of media coverage from late yesterday about a “new” urine test for diagnosis of prostate cancer that is being developed by the University of Michigan in combination with San Diego-based Gen-Probe. Whether the actual value of the test can live up to the media coverage is going to take a while [...]

Filed under: Diagnosis, Risk | Tagged: , , , , | 1 Comment »

Do cancer and non-cancer patients make equal sacrifices to pay for their meds?

Posted on August 3, 2011 by Sitemaster

Sometimes it is difficult to know what to make of data  from even the most reputable institutions. This appears to be the case for a recent study from a Harvard research team.

Filed under: Living with Prostate Cancer | Tagged: , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Heat shock protein inhibitors in CRPC: an update

Posted on August 3, 2011 by Sitemaster

There has been considerable interest in the ability of so-called “heat shock protein” (HSP) inhibitors to be used alone or in combination with other agents to delay the progression of a number of types of cancer, and of advanced forms of prostate cancer in particular.

Filed under: Drugs in development | Tagged: , , , , , , | 2 Comments »

Evidence-based medicine and the value of permanent-seed brachytherapy

Posted on August 3, 2011 by Sitemaster

A few years ago, Germany started up a national organization to examine the evidence supporting different types of treatment for all sorts of diseases and disorders. This organization is known as the Institut für Qualität und Wirtschaftlichkeit im Gesunheitswesen (IQWiG)

Filed under: Uncategorized | 3 Comments »

Disagreement over prostate cancer screening guidelines in Oz

Posted on August 2, 2011 by Sitemaster

Here in the USA, the two main organizations representing the primary care community ( the American College of Physicians [ACP] and the American Academy of Family Physicians [AAFP]) have taken no specific position on early detection and screening for prostate cancer since the ACP issued a now “inactive” guideline in 1997.

Filed under: Diagnosis, Risk | Tagged: , , , | 1 Comment »

How good are good “trifecta” data after surgery?

Posted on August 2, 2011 by Sitemaster

One of the constant questions that arises in the management of prostate cancer is just how many patients actually achieve the full “trifecta” (freedom from biochemical progression, pad-free continence, and good erectile function) after surgical treatment for localized disease.

Filed under: Living with Prostate Cancer, Management, Treatment | Tagged: , , , , , | 2 Comments »

Health Canada approves abiraterone acetate (Zytiga)

Posted on August 1, 2011 by Sitemaster

According to a media release issued by Johnson & Johnson late last week, after a priority review, Health Canada has approved abiraterone acetate (Zytiga™) in combination with prednisone for the treatment of men with metastatic, castration-resistant prostate cancer who have received prior chemotherapy containing docetaxel.

Filed under: Drugs in development, Management, Treatment | Tagged: , , | Leave a Comment »

Color Doppler ultrasound in the biopsy-based diagnosis of prostate cancer

Posted on August 1, 2011 by Sitemaster

A new report from an Italian clinical research team, and based on a randomized clinical trial of 300 patients, suggests that color Doppler ultrasound offers no significant benefit over standard “gray-scale” ultrasound in the biopsy-based diagnosis of prostate cancer — which is not going to please the advocates of color Doppler ultrasonography.

Filed under: Diagnosis, Risk | Tagged: , , , , , , | 4 Comments »

“Dignity therapy” at the end of life

Posted on August 1, 2011 by Sitemaster

Most readers of this blog will never have heard of “dignity therapy.” It isn’t even listed on Wikipedia — although perhaps it will be shortly.

Filed under: Living with Prostate Cancer, Management | Tagged: , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

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