Genitourinary Cancers

BOSTON-Men are far more likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer today than 2 decades ago, and they have more aggressive treatment options. Is their chance of dying of the disease dropping as a result? It is too early in the era of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) testing to tell, keynote speaker Michael J. Barry, MD, said at the 42nd Annual Meeting of the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology .

BOSTON-A combination of transurethral resection (TUR) and radiochemotherapy with cisplatin (Platinol) and fluorouracil (5-FU) produced the most promising results in a German study of bladder-sparing protocols for patients with invasive bladder cancer.

BOSTON-Investigators at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine are testing a common cold virus as a vector for gene therapy against prostate cancer, Theodore L. DeWeese, MD, reported at the 42nd annual meeting of the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology (ASTRO). The therapy was found to be safe, and the technique showed signs of antitumor activity in a phase I trial.

Prostate cancer is now the most commonly diagnosed noncutaneous neoplasm in men.[1] While there are many questions of profound clinical significance related to the management of this neoplasm, few are as critical as those regarding the limitations of current imaging modalities for clinicians involved in the management of these patients. As such, the thorough, if somewhat depressing, overview of the current status of imaging in prostate cancer by El-Gabry et al provides timely insight into both where we are and where we need to go.

Various treatment options are available for adenocarcinoma of the prostate-the most common malignant neoplasm among men in the United States. To select an optimum management strategy, we must be able to identify an organ-confined disease (in which local therapy such as surgery or radiation may be beneficial) vs prostate cancer beyond the confines of the gland (for which other treatment approaches may be more appropriate). At present, no standard imaging modality can by itself reliably diagnose and/or stage adenocarcinoma of the prostate. Standard transrectal ultrasound, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computed tomography, bone scans, and plain x-ray are not sufficiently reliable when used alone. Fortunately, advances in imaging technology have led to the development of several promising modalities. These modalities include color and power Doppler ultrasonography, ultrasound contrast agents, intermittent and harmonic ultrasound imaging, MR contrast imaging, MRI with fat suppression, MRI spectroscopy, three-dimensional MRI spectroscopy, elastography, and radioimmunoscintigraphy. These newer imaging techniques appear to improve the yield of prostate cancer detection and staging, but are limited in availability and thus require further validation. This article reviews the status of current imaging modalities for prostate cancer and identifies emerging imaging technologies that may improve the diagnosis and staging of this disease. [ONCOLOGY 15(3):325-342, 2001]

BOSTON-One year after prostate cancer treatment, men who had radiation therapy were more likely to be able to maintain an erection than those who had radical prostatectomy, according to a study presented at the 42nd Annual Meeting of the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology (ASTRO).

NEW YORK-Among prostate cancer patients with biochemical evidence of relapse after radical surgery, exisulind, a selective apoptotic antineoplastic drug, had a significant impact on rising PSA levels in a double-blind, placebo-controlled study, according to a report at the Chemotherapy Foundation Symposium XVIII.

BOSTON-Raising 3D conformal radiation therapy doses for localized prostate cancer produced far less toxicity than expected in a nine-center cooperative study reported at the annual meeting of the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology (ASTRO).

CARPINTERIA, Calif-A newly available fluorescent-based immunocytologic test to detect superficial bladder cancer, ImmunoCyt, used in conjunction with urinary cytology, will likely reduce the need for periodic cystoscopies in patients with transitional cell bladder cancer and enhance the early detection of recurrent disease.

Transurethral resection remains the standard for first-line treatment of transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder. This technique clearly defines the pathologic grade and is essential in determining the clinical stage of

Transurethral resection remains the standard for first-line treatment of transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder. This technique clearly defines the pathologic grade and is essential in determining the clinical stage of

Transurethral resection remains the standard for first-line treatment of transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder. This technique clearly defines the pathologic grade and is essential in determining the clinical stage of

Transurethral resection remains the standard for first-line treatment of transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder. This technique clearly defines the pathologic grade and is essential in determining the clinical stage of

Angiogenesis is essential to prostate cancer progression. The first study of antiangiogenic therapy in patients with locally advanced prostate cancer at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center showed that

Over the past several years, the clinical presentation of prostate cancer has evolved so that more patients than ever before are presenting with clinically localized disease. However, a significant number of men continue to

BETHESDA, Md-The National Cancer Institute has released a summary of published data derived so far from the Prostate Cancer Outcomes Study (PCOS), which seeks to determine the effect of various therapies for primary invasive prostate cancer on patients’ quality of life.

BETHESDA, Md-Grants totaling $12.7 million have been awarded to five institutions for new research initiatives in breast and prostate cancer. The National Cancer Institute under its SPORE program (Specialized Program of Research Excellence) will fund the projects. The money will pay for the first year of the 5-year projects. Awards went to:

BOSTON-Short-term hormone therapy may benefit patients with localized intermediate- and high-risk prostate cancer, according to three retrospective studies presented at the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology (ASTRO) annual meeting.

BOSTON-Combining long-term hormone therapy with radiation therapy for locally advanced prostate cancer significantly improves local progression, disease-free survival, freedom from distant metastasis, and biochemical control, according to results of a phase III clinical trial presented at the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology (ASTRO) annual meeting.

A second omnibus health-care bill-this one called the Public Health Improvement Act (H.R. 2498)-was passed quietly at the end of the 2000 session, with a prostate cancer section included. That section was originally a free-standing bill called

Over the past several years, the clinical presentation of prostate cancer has evolved so that more patients than ever before are presenting with clinically localized disease. However, a significant number of men continue to

Over the past several years, the clinical presentation of prostate cancer has evolved so that more patients than ever before are presenting with clinically localized disease. However, a significant number of men continue to

Over the past several years, the clinical presentation of prostate cancer has evolved so that more patients than ever before are presenting with clinically localized disease. However, a significant number of men continue to

NEW YORK-To help support spouses of prostate cancer patients, New York Yankees manager Joe Torre, a prostate cancer survivor, and his wife Ali are helping to launch “Two Against One: Couples Battling Prostate Cancer.” This multimedia program helps spouses become more informed about prostate cancer and empowers them to advocate for improved outcomes for their husbands.

Researchers who conducted a large, randomized clinical trial across Europe, Great Britain, and Canada found that in order to improve safety and reduce toxicity, advanced bladder cancer patients can be treated with a combination of gemcitabine (Gemzar) and cisplatin (Platinol). This combination (known as GC) did not extend survival, but it was much less toxic than the currently used combination, MVAC (methotrexate, vinblastine, doxorubicin [Adriamycin], and cisplatin).

BETHESDA, Md-In a pilot study, 10 of 19 patients with advanced renal cell cancer had a response to nonmye-loablative allogeneic peripheral blood stem cell transplantation, reported Richard Childs, MD, of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.

ATLANTA-High-intensity, focused ultrasound (HIFU) delivered through a rectal probe was highly successful at burning away localized prostate cancer, Christian Chaussy, MD, reported at the American Urological Association 2000 Annual Meeting.

PHILADELPHIA-Evidence for the role of diet in the etiology of prostate cancer is mounting and with it, the possibility that nutritional factors can help prevent the disease, Demetrius Albanes, MD, said at the annual meeting of the Society of Nutritional Oncology Adjuvant Therapy. Dr. Albanes is a senior investigator with the Cancer Prevention Studies Branch of the National Cancer Institute.

A potential new treatment under development for prostate cancer may offer clinical advantages, researchers reported at the annual meeting of the American Urological Association in Atlanta.

Recently, there has been much controversy over whether patients with prostate cancer should be treated with bisphosphonates not only to decrease pain, but to prevent metastasis.