Prostate Cancer

Results of a 2-year clinical trial support switching to a less frequent administration schedule when using zoledronic acid (Zometa) to prevent skeletal-related events in men with prostate cancer.

Findings from two new studies provide insight on the impact of changing recommendations for prostate cancer screening and management.

Other pipeline developments discussed include an implantable device for OAB treatment, a subcutaneous hypogonadism treatment, efficacy results for an HPV drug, and the status of a device-based BPH treatment.

These are Urology Times' most-read prostate cancer articles of 2016.

Researchers at UCLA have discovered a previously unrecognized type of progenitor cell in inflamed areas of the prostate that have the ability to initiate cancer in response to genetic changes.

Other products discussed include a stent system for treating ureteral obstructions, a male infertility test, and more.

The novel tool could result in earlier prostate cancer diagnoses and less invasive testing, although a prostate cancer expert cautioned that the model makes multiple assumptions and has not been validated.

Use of the nomogram, along with factors such as PSA level and family history, is a reliable, useful tool for helping urologists and their patients make better treatment decisions, says the author of a recent study.

Fewer than 20% of patients with biochemical recurrence after radical prostatectomy develop metastasis, and a smaller proportion die as a result of prostate cancer.

Other pipeline developments discussed include a bladder cancer test, a male infertility assay, and the first oral dosage treatment for hypogonadism.

A new approach to prostate cancer screening has been proposed by investigators who claim the idea of informed decision-making by primary care physicians is not working when it comes to PSA testing.

Other new products discussed in this article include a surgical training model, devices designed to improve prostate biopsy accuracy, an updated label and more.

An examination of data involving more than 63,000 PSA tests ordered by primary care physicians reveals some surprising findings.

A recent study shows children born to high-status parents have a higher incidence rate of developing prostate and other cancers in later life.

Other pipeline developments discussed in this article include the initiation of an intravesical bladder cancer study, a gel treatment for ED that has met its primary endpoint, a patent awarded for the first rechargeable implantable SNM along with some other advancements.

The risk of prostate cancer relapse after radical prostatectomy increases with lengthening delay between diagnosis and surgery. The impact, however, is significant only in high-risk patients, and even in those men, there may be a window of up to 12 months during which it may be relatively safe to postpone surgery, reported researchers from Milan, Italy.

Urologist Henry Rosevear, MD, discusses actor Ben Stiller's recent blog post that credits PSA tests for saving his life after he was diagnosed with prostate cancer and the urologic community's surprising reaction to the article.

A new study revealing 91% of very low-risk and 74% of low-risk prostate cancer patients in Sweden choose active surveillance should be a benchmark for the use of the management strategy in the U.S. and elsewhere in the world, the study’s authors say.

Nearly 100% of patients with clinically localized prostate cancer, detected by PSA testing, survive at an average 10 years’ follow-up, regardless of whether they had active monitoring, radical prostatectomy, or radiotherapy, according to new study results.

Results from a multicenter study show progression-free survival in 97% of low- and intermediate-risk prostate cancer patients.

Findings from a recent study indicate that CTCs detected in blood have the potential to reveal important genetic information that could guide treatment selection.

Another study suggests that hemiablation with high-intensity focused ultrasound is a promising treatment for unilateral localized prostate cancer.

New research suggests that urologists can use the Decipher genetic test (GenomeDx Biosciences) to improve predictions of death risk from prostate cancer at10 years after prostatectomy.