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EDAP TMS S.A. (Vaulx-en-Velin, France) announced the continuation of its U.S. phase II/III clinical trial of treatment using high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) in men with prostate cancer. An additional two patients have been treated at Virginia Urology Center, Richmond, where Anthony Sliwinski, MD, and David Miller, MD, are leading the study.

Spouses of prostate cancer patients report similar physical and emotional quality of life as the patient, suggests a study from researchers at the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center in Ann Arbor. The factors having the greatest impact on emotional distress in both patients and spouses were a new diagnosis, facing a recurrence, or living with advanced disease, the researchers reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology (2007; 25:4171-7).

The investigational compound ZD4054, an endothelin-A receptor antagonist, appears to positively impact overall survival in patients with hormone-resistant prostate cancer, according to the results of a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase II study presented at the European Congress of Clinical Oncology in Barcelona.

FDA has approved the use of the 5-day, once-daily regimen of levofloxacin (Levaquin), 750 mg IV and oral, for the treatment of complicated urinary tract infections and acute pyelonephritis.

Recent investigations of medications, diet, and the molecular understanding of prostate cancer are defining potential prevention strategies for the disease and herald a new stage in its management, according to a review to be published in Cancer.

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Lymphadenectomy in conjunction with radical cystectomy (RC) is the standard approach for surgical management of high-grade, invasive bladder cancer. Approximately 25% of patients undergoing RC will be found to have lymph node-positive disease.

A staging system that accounts for interactions among tumor stage and grade and patient performance status offers a reliable and reproducible means for predicting mortality after surgery for renal cell carcinoma.

Adjuvant immunotherapy with interleukin-2 (IL-2) plus interferon-alpha offers no survival advantage to the overall population of patients with resected renal cell carcinoma, but may benefit selected subgroups of patients.

Survival advantages in metastatic renal cell carcinoma have emerged from clinical trials of two different vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) inhibitors.

Intermittent androgen ablation for advanced prostate cancer results in progression-free survival that is comparable to that of continuous therapy, but with better quality of life.

A 6-month course of post-irradiation androgen deprivation therapy failed to demonstrate non-inferior survival compared to 3 years of adjuvant androgen deprivation in patients with locally advanced prostate cancer.

The intuitive conclusion that larger kidney stones make for more difficult percutaneous nephrolithotomy is correct.

Researchers reported that shock wave lithotripsy delivered at 60 shocks per minute was significantly more effective at destroying upper ureteral stones than was the same treatment delivered at the more familiar rate of 120 shocks per minute.

A 2-year study from India has found that tubeless percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) provides marginally better stone clearance than does traditional PCNL, with fewer complications.

Recent studies in Egypt and the United States have found that percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) is safe and effective in selected high-risk patient populations.

A recent retrospective study suggests that PCNL outcome is independent of body mass index, at least in terms of successful stone removal, operative blood loss, length of hospital stay, and postoperative pyrexia.

Outcomes for percutaneous stone removal have been shown to be less dependent on stone size, complexity, and other factors than SWL, with most patients achieving stone-free status with a single procedure.

Just over half of SWL patients can expect at least one recurrence of stone disease and that recurrent stone disease is associated with new-onset diabetes mellitus.

Urologists' ability to perform imaging in the office has come under attack, thanks to the efforts of legislators, insurers, and competing specialists.

Among men with unfavorable prostate cancer being treated with radiotherapy and adjuvant androgen suppression, there appear to be significant outcomes advantages for a prolonged duration of hormonal therapy.

Over the long term, stone recurrence is less frequent with percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) than with shock wave lithotripsy (SWL).

New urology products and services.

Indevus Pharmaceuticals, Inc. has received an approvable letter from the FDA for valrubicin (Valstar), indicated for intravesical therapy of bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG)-refractory carcinoma in situ of the bladder in patients for whom immediate cystectomy would be associated with unacceptable morbidity or mortality.

Tadalafil (Cialis) appears to improve erectile function in men with spinal cord injuries, according to a French study published in the online edition of Archives of Neurology.

In conjunction with September as prostate cancer awareness month, Us TOO International is launching its nationwide “SEA Blue” campaign on behalf of prostate cancer patients and their families.

Although previous studies suggest that high plasma concentrations of carotenoids, retinol, or tocopherols may reduce the risk of prostate cancer, recent research from Europe showed no associations between these micronutrients and overall prostate cancer risk. However, when study subjects were stratified by disease stage, both plasma lycopene and the sum of all measured plasma carotenoids were associated with reduced risk of advanced disease only.