Drug Therapy

Sunitinib malate (Sutent) appears to be a promising treatment for metastatic renal cell carcinoma, according to a preliminary study published last week in JAMA (2006; 295:2516-24).

Brisbane, Australia-Decisions about when and how to perform prostate biopsy have become more complex in recent years, said Michael Jewett, MD, professor of surgery (urology), University of Toronto, in an address at the Urological Society of Australasia annual meeting here. The objective of biopsy should be to detect prostate cancer in men who will benefit from the information they yield.

Paris-Once-daily administration of a newer alpha-blocker appears to have a positive effect in the treatment of patients suffering from lower urinary tract symptoms and BPH compared with placebo, but comes up short in preventing acute urinary retention occurrence, according to Claus G. Roehrborn, MD, professor and chairman of the department of urology at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas. Dr. Roehrborn presented the results of a 2-year study at the European Association of Urology annual congress here.

Atlanta-Intravesical administration of an agent that is chemically related to cannabis produces a positive response in laboratory rats and may be useful in patients with painful bladder syndrome/interstitial cystitis, investigators from the University of Pittsburgh reported at the AUA annual meeting.

New blister packaging offered for once-daily UTI drug

Paris-Significant statistical correlations are seen between body mass index (BMI) and BPH symptoms, according to Claus G. Roehrborn, MD, who led a global 4-year treatment study evaluating the relationships of BMI and both measures of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS)/BPH severity and metabolic syndrome. Results of the study were presented at the European Association of Urology annual congress here.

Paris-Trial without catheter (TWOC) after a median of 3 days' catheterization has become standard practice in France for patients with acute urinary retention associated with BPH, according to results of a prospective, cross-sectional survey assessing current AUR practice patterns. In addition, TWOC was significantly more successful in patients who received treatment with an alpha-blocker prior to a TWOC than it was in patients who did not receive an alpha-blocker, according to Francois Desgrandchamps, MD, who presented the study results at the European Association of Urology annual congress here.

Atlanta-Men who are being treated with androgen deprivation therapy for progressive prostate cancer face a second, less-recognized risk: osteoporosis and bone fracture. An initial report from a 2-year trial shows that weekly treatment with the oral bisphosphonate alendronate (Fosamax) can halt and even reverse the bone loss associated with androgen deprivation therapy.

Paris-A combination regimen of tadalafil (Cialis) and slow-release fluoxetine (Prozac) can significantly prolong intravaginal ejaculation latency time (IELT) in patients suffering from premature ejaculation (PE), according to Brazilian researchers.

Atlanta-The first gene therapy treatment for erectile dysfunction could be available as early as 2011.

Atlanta-Results of an analysis based on approximately 52,000 patient-years of observation demonstrate that the incidence of nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION) among men receiving sildenafil citrate (Viagra) is no higher than that occurring among men in the general population, Rachel E. Sobel, MPH, reported at the AUA annual meeting here.

Paris-Administration of corticosteroid therapy does not significantly increase the expulsion rate of distal ureteral stones. However, the synergistic effect of steroid therapy with concomitant administration of the alpha-blocker tamsulosin (Flomax) increases the effectiveness of tamsulosin, Italian researchers reported at the recent European Association of Urology annual congress here.

Atlanta-When life gives you lemons-or in this case, hypocitraturic nephrolithiasis-make lemonade.

How can neuromodulation be so efficacious? The answer lies in its mechanism of action.

The FDA recently approved a new delivery system for the antibioticcefoxitin, which is indicated for the treatment of urinary tractinfections, gynecologic infections (eg, pelvic inflammatorydisease), and a number of other common infections.

Spectrum Laboratory Products, Inc., is initiating a voluntarynationwide recall of the active pharmaceutical ingredienttacrolimus after learning some lots are sub-potent.

The investigational drug NX-1207 has shown significant symptomaticimprovement in men with BPH 29 to 34 months after initial treatmentin a long-term, open-label, phase I/II study.

Once-a-day tadalafil (Cialis) at dosages ranging from 5 mg to 20 mgproduces measurable benefits in men with BPH and lower urinarytract symptoms, according to a multicenter study presented hereyesterday.

Combining the alpha-blocker alfuzosin SR (Uroxatral) with thephosphodiesterase type-5 inhibitor sildenafil citrate (Viagra)appears to produce a greater therapeutic benefit in men with lowerurinary tract symptoms than either drug alone, researchers saidyesterday.

Mildly hypocitraturic patients unable to tolerate potassium citratetherapy experience significant increases in urinary citrate levelsand decreases in stone formation rate when they regularly ingest amixture of water and reconstituted lemon juice, researchers fromthe Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, reported hereyesterday.

The first gene therapy treatment for erectile dysfunction could beavailable by 2011.

Results of an analysis based on approximately 52,000 patient-yearsof observation demonstrate that the incidence of nonarteriticanterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION) among men receivingsildenafil citrate (Viagra) is no higher than that occurring amongmen in the general population, Rachel E. Sobel, MPH, of Pfizer,reported yesterday.

Alendronate (Fosamax), a bisphosphonate commonly used to treatosteoporosis in postmenopausal women, has been shown to halt andreverse bone loss associated with androgen deprivation therapy inmen with prostate cancer.

Intravesical administration of liposomal ajulemic acid (IP-751)produces a positive response in laboratory animals and may beuseful in patients with painful bladder syndrome or interstitialcystitis, say investigators from the University of Pittsburgh.IP-751 is an analog of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)-11-oic acid,which in turn is a metabolite of THC, the main psychotropic elementof cannabis.

Paris-Botulinum toxin A (Botox) proves to be a safe,effective treatment modality in combating overactive bladdersymptoms in patients with idiopathic detrusor overactivity, Britishresearchers reported at the European Association of Urology annualcongress here.