THE "NEW" PROSTATE CANCER INFOLINK

Today we cover reports on:

• The incidence of prostate cancer among older HIV-positive men
• ARTS and the potential of dutasteride in treatment of patients with biochemical recurrence
• PET scans and their use in detection of biochemical recurrence
• Chemotherapy in treatment of prostate cancer

Hsiao et al. have reported data suggesting the possibility that there is a higher incidence of prostate cancer among older men with a history of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. The authors are extremely careful to note that their finding could be artefactual. However, in a study  involving patients with either elevated PSA or abnormal DRE, referred to their VA urology clinic in Atlanta over a 5.5 year period from a busy Veterans Medical Center, they report a markedly higher rate of prostate cancer in HIV patients when compared to their HIV-negative or HIV-unknown population.

Schröder et al. have provided an overview of the structure of ARTS (the Avodart after Radical Therapy for prostate cancer Study), a European study investigating the use of dutasteride (a 5α-reductase inhibitor) to prevent or delay disease progression in patients with biochemical recurrence after therapy with curative intent. ARTS is enrolling patients who have been treated with either radical prostatectomy (RP) with or without salvage radiotherapy(EBRT) or primary RT. Allpatients are randomized to double-blind treatment with dutasteride 0.5 mg or placebo once daily for 2 years. Eligible patients may have a PSA doubling time (PSADT) of between 3 and 24 months. Study endpoints include time to PSA doubling, time to disease progression, treatment response (PSA decrease or a PSA increase of ≤ 15 percent from baseline), changes in PSA and PSADT, and changes in anxiety.

Rinnab et al. have published data suggesting a potential value of a specialized form of positron emission spectroscopy (PET) in the detection of a recurrence of prostate cancer following radical prostatectomy. While The “New” Prostate Cancer InfoLink understands and acknowledges the potential of such technology, we honestly do wonder whether there comes a point at which the application of such technology starts to become cost-prohibitive unless the cost of the technology can be massively reduced.

Michael et al. have provided a complete if brief review on current applications of chemotherapy as neoadjuvant, adjuvant, and metastatic disease treatment options in patients with prostate cancer

Filed under: Diagnosis, Drugs in development, Management, Risk, Treatment, Uncategorized | Tagged: ARTS, chemotherapy, dutasteride, HIV, incidence, PET scan |