Prostate Cancer

A recent study suggests that a man’s race/ethnicity might influence decisions about undergoing treatment and re-biopsies.

Although various calculators are available for predicting biopsy results in men with prostate cancer being managed by active surveillance, a novel model developed by researchers at Johns Hopkins University is unique for its ability to predict a patient’s “true cancer state”; ie, the Gleason score that would be assigned on whole-gland analysis after radical prostatectomy.

As interest in using multiparametric MRI as a diagnostic tool for prostate cancer increases, urologists should know that a negative mpMRI does not rule out significant prostate cancer, researchers advised at the AUA annual meeting in San Diego.

A slow breathing technique guided by an iOS application was able to reduce the occurrence of vasomotor symptoms in a small study of prostate cancer survivors treated with androgen deprivation therapy.

Clinical outcomes of men with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer treated with enzalutamide (XTANDI) after chemotherapy correlate with health-related quality of life both at treatment initiation and its change longitudinally, researchers reported at the American Society of Clinical Oncology annual meeting in Chicago.

A bladder cancer drug-device combination, a localized prostate cancer agent, and a new surgical robot are among other treatments in the pipeline discussed in this round-up.

A study reporting an increase in the number of men initially presenting with metastatic prostate cancer has been the source of controversy since its July publication.

We spoke to Gerald L. Andriole, MD, Michael Koch, MD, Herbert Lepor, MD, Mani Menon, MD, and Joel Nelson, MD, about the highly anticipated study findings.

For men with high-risk pathology at radical prostatectomy, exposure to results of a genomic test that classifies 5-year risk of metastasis reduces decisional conflict, according to findings of a prospective study presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology annual meeting in Chicago.

In this interview, Mark A. Moyad, MD, MPH, discusses non-drug interventions for urologic conditions, the difference between prescription drugs and nutraceuticals, and why a heart-healthy diet is a prostate-healthy diet.

"Avoiding unnecessary biopsies should be a high-priority goal for us all," writes J. Brantley Thrasher, MD.

An ongoing phase II trial investigating abiraterone acetate (ZYTIGA) and enzalutamide (XTANDI) as treatment for men with chemotherapy-naïve metastatic castrate-resistant prostate cancer is aiming to characterize the effects of these targeted hormonal therapies on cognition and mood.

Multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI) identifies a significant percentage of men who present with an elevated serum PSA level who may safely avoid prostate biopsy, British researchers report.

This review focuses on primary prevention of BPH and prostate cancer.

Sexual function/dysfunction topics discussed at the 2016 AUA included the findings of multiple studies on the effects of collagenase clostridium histolyticum (Xiaflex) treatment for Peyronie's disease, causes and treatments for ED, along with a study on patient satisfaction with implantable penile prostheses.

Other products discussed in this roundup include a plasma vaporization device, a laser fiber safety device, and more.

“It appears that baseline PSA is a lot more predictive than either family history or race alone and should be used to risk stratify screening,” the co-lead author of a recent study tells Urology Times.

A recent study comparing 8 weeks of conventional radiation therapy with hypofractionated RT over 4 weeks appears to have practice-changing implications for men with intermediate-risk prostate cancer.

Other basic science research pearls include preliminary evidence from a porcine model suggesting botulinum toxin type A facilitates ureteral stone passage and the identification of two different microdeletions in the NELL1 gene on chromosome 11 in men with Peyronie's disease.

Studies about ProPublica's Surgeon Scorecard, urology participation in accountable care organizations, and Twitter were among the take-home messages in outcomes analysis at the 2016 AUA annual meeting. The take-homes were presented by Christopher Saigal, MD, MPH, of the University of California, Los Angeles.

There is no excess risk of death, prostate cancer diagnosis, or cardiovascular events with long-term testosterone replacement therapy, Canadian researchers have found in a population-based matched cohort study.

Concordance with National Cancer Comprehensive Network recommendations about follow-up during active surveillance for low-risk prostate cancer is generally low across urology practices in Michigan, reported researchers from the Michigan Urological Surgery Improvement Collaborative at the AUA annual meeting in San Diego.

A Veterans Administration Cooperative Study investigating chemotherapy after prostatectomy for high-risk prostate cancer was underpowered to show a statistically significant benefit of early adjuvant chemotherapy versus observation as the standard of care in the primary endpoint analysis of progression-free survival.

Fusion biopsy, salvage versus adjuvant radiation therapy, and superextended versus extended pelvic lymph node dissection are also covered in the take home messages on prostate cancer from the 2016 AUA annual meeting.

The authors of a recent NEJM letter question the validity of the controversial Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian (PLCO) Cancer Screening Trial.