In a nutshell This phase 3 clinical trial assessed the efficacy and safety of radium-223 dichloride or radium-223 (Xofigo) in patients with prostate cancer that has spread to the bone. Some background Testosterone, the main male sex hormone, promotes the growth of prostate cancer. A treatment option for prostate cancer patients is castration...
Read MoreCurrent PSA level-Between 4 to 10 Posts on Medivizor
Overview of the latest treatments for patients with castration-resistant prostate cancer.
In a nutshell In the past several years, the treatment of prostate cancer has made significant progress. In this study, researchers reviewed recent studies evaluating treatments for patients with prostate cancer. Some background Prostate cancer progression is usually measured by blood levels of a protein called prostate-specific antigen (PSA) in a...
Read MoreTreatment or observation following detection of prostate cancer by PSA screening?
In a nutshell This study used a simulation model to review the benefits and harms of either treating, or simply observing, patients diagnosed with prostate cancer by prostate specific antigen screening. Some background Prostate specific antigen (PSA) is a molecule produced by cells of the prostate gland, and is normally present at very low levels...
Read MoreWhich patient attributes predispose them to prostate cancer progression?
In a nutshell This study looked at men with prostate cancer undergoing active surveillance, and tried to show which characteristics were related with an increased risk of cancer progression. Some background Prostate cancer is the uncontrolled growth and division of prostate cells. This growth can be slow and sometimes harmless, so in the...
Read MoreAbiraterone shows increased survival in patients with metastatic prostate cancer
In a nutshell The present study evaluated the effect of Abiraterone acetate (AbAc) on survival and disease progression, when given to patients with metastatic prostate cancer (mPC) that is resistant to hormone therapy (castration-resistant). Some background Prostate cancer (PCa) growth is fueled by male hormones like...
Read MoreWell-timed Docetaxel (Taxotere) therapy offers the best results in treating hormone-refractory prostate cancer
In a nutshell This article reports the results of recent studies involving the drug Docetaxel (Taxotere). The drug did not improve overall survival when added to androgen-deprivation therapy. Smaller doses given in shorter treatment cycles were found to be easier to tolerate and more effective. Some background Prostate cancer grows in...
Read MoreRecurrence rate after surgical prostate removal in men older than 70 years of age
Due to the increase in life expectancy, there exists an increasing number of patients with prostate cancer (PCA) in many populations. However, there is no consensus on screening and treatment of PCA in the medical fraternity. This paper investigated the oncological outcomes of radical prostatectomy (RP) in older men (> 70) compared to RP outcomes in...
Read MoreDenosumab: decrease in spread of bone cancer in men with prostate cancer (not responsive to hormone therapy & surgery)
In a nutshell The present study assessed the efficiency of a drug named Denosumab in delaying the spread of prostate cancer to the bone in men with resistant prostate cancer (not responding to hormone therapy and surgery). The results show that the drug tested delayed bone involvement by few months. Some background Bone metastases are...
Read MoreNon-cancerous cells in the prostate contribute to the aquired tumor resistance to chemotherapy
Regretfully, metastatic forms of prostate cancer (spread to distant sites via the blood system) treated with chemotherapy often acquire resistance to the drug, partially due to the repetitive nature of treatment. Resistance leads to tumor progression and treatment failure. This scientific article proposes a novel therapeutic target named WNT16B that...
Read MoreFocal Ultrasound-based therapy for prostate cancer as means to reduced genito-urinary side effects
In a nutshell This study evaluated whether focal Ultrasound-based therapy of individual cancer lesions can minimize the side effects associated with radical therapy that involves the whole prostate gland. Main findings: Focused therapy directed into cancer tissues significantly reduces genitourinary side effects like urine-leakage and impotence. Some...
Read MoreGuidelines for the management of prostate cancer in older men
This paper presents specific guidelines, developed by the International Society of Geriatric Oncology (SIOG), for the treatment of localized and metastatic prostate cancer, specifically in older men. Prostate cancer is predominantly a disease of older men (> 70 years). A systematic review of the literature revealed that besides the...
Read MoreEvaluating survival rates in patients with prostate cancer treated with low-dose-rate brachytherapy
In a nutshell The present study evaluated survival rates in patients with prostate cancer (PC) treated with Low-dose-rate prostate brachytherapy (LDR-PB). The main findings were that LDR-PB alone or combined with hormone therapy offers excellent survival in PC patients. Some background Prostate cancer is the most common type of cancer in men....
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