Prostate cancer studies that compare contemporary outcomes with historic controls should be viewed with the understanding that Gleason scores quietly have been climbing for the past 10 years. This observation is more than a curiosity because clinicians and others use Gleason scores to stage cancers and establish prognoses, and epidemiologists apply them to end results when trying to determine the effect that procedures and therapies have on outcomes.
Detrusor botulism A (BTX-A) toxin injections may be an effective, safe treatment option in patients experiencing overactive bladder (OAB) refractory to other treatments, according to a Swiss study presented yesterday.
Biopsy rates, which had soared early in the 1990s with the introduction of the PSA assay, have fallen dramatically and the incidence of prostate cancer has stabilized, according to a study from the University of Southern California, Los Angeles.
Findings from a retrospective analysis of men presenting for prostate biopsy because of elevated PSA indicate that an appreciable subset of this population is hypogonadal and suggest those men undergo biopsy at a relatively lower PSA cut-off relative to eugonadal men. Thus, correcting PSA density (PSAD) based on serum testosterone level may improve specificity for cancer detection in men with elevated PSA.
Men with larger prostates seem less likely than those with smaller glands to be diagnosed with high-grade cancer at biopsy. However, that size-related difference may reflect sampling artifact, as prostate volume appears not to be a significant predictor of true histologic grade, according to a retrospective study by urologists at the University of Toronto.
Travel expert Arthur Frommer has partnered with Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corp. to develop "Where to Stop & Where to Go: A Guide to Traveling with Overactive Bladder in the United States." Available free to people across the United States, the Frommer-authored guide is part of a new educational campaign designed to help people with OAB build confidence about traveling instead of limiting travel because of their condition.
Although routine, the practice of automatically reviewing pathology slides that accompany referred bladder cancer patients nets little gain for physicians or patients. In an overwhelming majority of instances, the practice does little more than add unnecessarily to the cost of treatment, according to a study presented here yesterday.
Measurement of two cytokines in expressed prostatic secretions (EPS) might provide diagnostic guidance for patients with chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CPPS), according to a study presented at the AUA annual meeting.
Use of the daVinci robot (Intuitive Surgical, Sunnyvale, CA) for radical prostatectomy procedures is not profitable, according to research presented here yesterday by a team at the University of Rochester Medical Center. However, the researchers say that the costs associated with robotic procedures must eventually come down since the technology is here to stay.
Ongoing research on a variety of fronts has yet to make a revolutionary impact on the management of localized prostate cancer, but changes are likely on the horizon, according to Richard D. Williams, MD.
Management of kidney cancer is advancing on several fronts, and this theme of continued progress is well illustrated by research being presented at the AUA annual meeting, said Robert C. Flanigan, MD.
Management of kidney cancer is advancing on several fronts, and this theme of continued progress is well illustrated by research being presented at the AUA annual meeting, said Robert C. Flanigan, MD.
When Stephen Y. Nakada, MD, chairman of the department of urology at the University of Wisconsin, looks to the future, he sees increasing use of robotics, advances in ureteroscope technology that will bring more flexibility and greater clarity to imaging, and the use of computer-driven simulators that will allow both novice and experienced surgeons to learn new skills and hone old ones.
Ongoing research on a variety of fronts has yet to make a revolutionary impact on the management of localized prostate cancer, but changes are likely on the horizon, according to Richard D. Williams, MD.
Kingston, Ontario--An interstitial cystitis (IC) drug has shown modest benefit in men with chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CPPS). Although the study doesn't open new therapeutic doors, it does raise interesting questions about how similar IC and CPPS may be or whether some men are being misdiagnosed.
Seattle--Physician Micro Systems, Inc. (PMSI) offers the Practice Partner line of electronic health record, practice management, and computerized physician order entry software applications for ambulatory care practices. The company says Practice Partner applications are used by over 1,300 practices of all sizes and specialties.
Charleston, SC--A two-component synthetic tissue sealant may serve as a viable alternative to current standard suturing techniques used in collecting system repair, according to researchers from Duke University, Durham, NC. Their research used a swine model to compare two FDA-approved sealants and traditional suturing.
Istanbul, Turkey--The phosphodiesterase type-5 inhibitor vardenafil (Levitra) significantly improves sexual pleasure and treatment satisfaction in both men with erectile dysfunction and their partners, according to study results presented at the European Association of Urology annual congress here.
Istanbul, Turkey--For men with mild to moderate incontinence following radical prostatectomy, the minimally invasive perineal bone-anchored male sling (BAMS) may offer an interesting treatment alternative to the gold standard treatment, artificial urinary sphincter (AUS), according to a new study that compared the efficacy and functional durability of both treatment modalities.
Convincing patients to lose weight and treating them early with standard medical therapies for erectile dysfunction are two ways clinicians can help their patients return to sexual function after radical prostatectomy or radiotherapy for prostate cancer.
Urologists treating patients with advanced prostate cancer should anticipate a number of advances this year and next. They will also need to anticipate some of the challenges these advances will create, according to Paul F. Schellhammer, MD, program director of the Virginia Prostate Center and professor of urology at Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk.
It often takes years before medical advances make their way from the laboratory bench to the physician's office. Such is not the case in andrology. In many instances, the cutting edge will be of clinical relevance very soon for urologists who treat male infertility, according to Craig S. Niederberger, chief of andrology at the University of Illinois, Chicago.
Natural compounds, a novel new drug class, and the growing popularity of a minimally invasive laser are poised to make news in the treatment of benign prostate hyperplasia, Claus G. Roehrborn, MD, told Urology Times.
Clinical research in the field of trauma and reconstructive urologic surgery shows a recent focus on challenging cases, and study results are providing useful insight about their management, said Allen F. Morey, MD.
When Stephen Y. Nakada, MD, chairman of the department of urology at the University of Wisconsin, looks to the future, he sees increasing use of robotics, advances in ureteroscope technology that will bring more flexibility and greater clarity to imaging, and the use of computer-driven simulators that will allow both novice and experienced surgeons to learn new skills and hone old ones.
When Howard M. Snyder, MD, was asked to moderate a session on the latest developments in pediatric urology at the American College of Surgeons clinical congress last fall, he didn't have to think twice about the topics he wanted to cover.
More effective treatment will come as interstitial cystitis becomes better defined and research makes inroads on the epidemiology and etiology of this enigmatic and difficult-to-treat condition.
Ongoing research into the pathogenesis of recurrent urinary tract infections is fundamentally changing how scientists view this common problem and may some day alter how clinicians manage it. The research, led by Scott Hultgren, PhD, of the University of Washington in St. Louis, describes a developmental process whereby uropathogenic Escherichia coli invade the superficial epithelial cells of the bladder and contribute to recurrent UTIs.
The use of non-embryonic stem cells and the growing popularity of botulinum toxin are among key trends to watch for in the management of stress incontinence and overactive bladder, respectively, said Shlomo Raz, MD, director of female urology, urodynamics, and reconstructive surgery at UCLA Medical Center.
Linthicum, MD--Leaders of the American Foundation for Urologic Disease (AFUD) and the Executive Committee of AUA have reached an agreement that will bring AFUD under the aegis of AUA. Beginning this month, AFUD will operate under the name of the American Urological Association Foundation (AUAF).