General Prostate Cancer News

PCRI is pleased to provide general prostate cancer news items courtesy of CancerConsultants.com Inc. whose mission is “to empower patients with current information on all aspects of the management of Prostate Cancer in order to provide support and hope, as well as to facilitate informed decisions”.

---

Prostate Cancer - Metastatic Stage IV (D) News

Provenge® for Hormone-refractory Prostate Cancer (8/11/2010)
Among men with metastatic, hormone-refractory prostate cancer, the immunotherapy agent Provenge® (sipuleucel-T) improves survival by roughly four months. The findings from this Phase III study were recently published in The New England Journal of Medicine.

Study Explores Prostate Cancer Among Men with Low PSA Levels (7/30/2010)
In a large U.S. cancer database, 14% of prostate cancer diagnoses occurred among men with a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level of 4.0 ng/mL or lower. More than half of these men had cancer that was considered “low-risk,” but roughly three-quarters were treated aggressively with radical prostatectomy or radiation therapy. These results were published in the Archives of Internal Medicine.

Denosumab More Effective Than Zometa® in Prostate Cancer Patients with Bone Metastases (6/7/2010)
Among men with bone metastases from prostate cancer, denosumab was more effective than Zometa® (zoledronic acid) at delaying or preventing bone complications such as fracture. Results from this Phase III clinical trial will be presented at the 2010 annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology.

Prostate Cancer and the Increased Risk of Blood Clots (4/23/2010)
Men with prostate cancer are at a higher risk for several types of thromboembolic diseases (blood clots), with men undergoing endocrine therapy having the highest risk, according to the results of a study published in the Lancet Oncology.

Targeted Agents plus Chemotherapy Effective for Hormone-refractory Prostate Cancer (4/7/2010)
The combination of Avastin® (bevacizumab), Thalomid® (thalidomide), and Taxotere® (docetaxel) is highly active in hormone-refractory prostate cancer, according to the results of a study published early online in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

Preliminary Results Indicate that an Investigational Vaccine May Extend Survival in Hormone-resistant Prostate Cancer (3/30/2010)
The investigational vaccine known as PROSTVAC-VF appears to significantly prolong survival in patients with metastatic hormone-resistant prostate cancer, according to the results of a Phase II study published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

Provenge® Prolongs Survival in Hormone Refractory Prostate Cancer (3/22/2010)
The immunotherapy agent Provenge® (sipuleucel-T) significantly prolongs overall survival in men with metastatic, hormone-refractory prostate cancer, according to follow-up data presented at the 2010 Genitourinary Cancers Symposium in San Francisco.

Denosumab More Effective Than Zometa in Prostate Cancer Patients with Bone Metastases (2/10/2010)
Among men with bone metastases from prostate cancer, the investigational drug denosumab was more effective than Zometa® (zoledronic acid) at delaying or preventing bone complications such as fracture. Results from this Phase III clinical trial will be submitted for presentation at an upcoming medical meeting.

Addition of Androgen Deprivation Therapy Improves Survival with Locally Advanced Prostate Cancer (10/8/2009)
In men with locally advanced prostate cancer, the addition of androgen deprivation therapy to radiation therapy improves overall and progression-free survival without substantially affecting cardiovascular mortality. These results, based on close to 10 years of follow-up, were presented at a European cancer conference.

Hormone Therapy in Prostate Cancer Increases Risk of Heart Disease (10/6/2009)
Hormone therapy used to treat men with advanced prostate cancer may lead to an increased risk of heart disease, according to the results of a study presented on September 22, 2009 at Europe’s largest cancer congress, ECCO 15-ESMO 34, in Berlin.

Clodronate Improves Survival in Metastatic Prostate Cancer (8/25/2009)
Clodronate reduces the risk of death by 23% in men with metastatic prostate cancer, according to the results of a study published in The Lancet Oncology.

Zometa® Reduces Bone Loss in Men with Prostate Cancer (7/23/2009)
A single infusion of Zometa® (zoledronic acid) upon initiation of androgen deprivation therapy for prostate cancer reduces bone mineral loss and maintains bone mineral density for 12 months, according to the results of a study published in Cancer.

More Detailed Results of Provenge® in Prostate Cancer Presented (4/29/2009)
According to the results of the Phase III IMPACT trial, treatment with Provenge® (sipuleucel-T), an investigational immunotherapy, improved overall survival by 4.1 months among men with metastatic, androgen-independent prostate cancer. These results were presented at the 2009 annual meeting of the American Urological Association.

Provenge® Improves Survival Among Men with Advanced Prostate Cancer (4/14/2009)
According to the results of a Phase III clinical trial, treatment with Provenge® (sipuleucel-T), an investigational immunotherapy, improved overall survival among men with metastatic, androgen-independent prostate cancer. This information was provided in a press release from Dendreon. More detailed results will be presented later this month at the annual meeting of the American Urological Association.

Body Weight and C-Peptide Levels Associated with Risk of Dying from Prostate Cancer (10/20/2008)
Excess body weight coupled with a high C-peptide level among men with prostate cancer is associated with an increased risk of death from the disease. These results were recently published in an early online version of the Lancet Oncology.

Preventive Dental Care Reduces Osteonecrosis of the Jaw Associated with Bisphosphonates (8/20/2008)
Patients who undergo preventive dental care prior to receiving therapy with bisphosphonates have a significantly reduced risk of developing osteonecrosis of the jaw. These results were published in an early online publication in the Annals of Oncology.

Radiofrequency Ablation Effective for Primary Lung Tumors and Lung Metastases from Prostate Cancer (8/1/2008)
The use of radiofrequency ablation for the treatment of lung cancer and lung metastases from breast, colon, and prostate cancers and melanoma is effective and safe for some patients. These results were recently published in the Lancet Oncology.

Bone Marker Associated with Survival in Breast, Prostate, and Lung Cancers (6/23/2008)
The bone marker N-telopeptide of type I collagen (NTX) is associated with skeletal-related events and survival among patients with cancer that has spread to the bone (bone metastases).  Improved outcomes may be achieved by reducing these markers through treatment with agents such as Zometa® (zoledronic acid). These results were recently published in the journal Cancer.

Fareston® Decreases Spinal Fractures in Men with Prostate Cancer (6/10/2008)
Among prostate cancer patients receiving androgen deprivation therapy (ADT), treatment with Fareston® (toremifene citrate) reduces the risk of new spinal fractures. These results were presented at the 2008 annual meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research.

Changes in Lifestyle May Improve Quality of Life for Prostate Cancer Survivors (5/5/2008)
A recent study conducted by the American Cancer Society reports that although few cancer survivors follow recommendations for lifestyle changes aimed to improve health and well-being, adhering to these guidelines may improve quality of life among prostate cancer survivors. Full details of the study were recently published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

Family Intervention Helps Spouses of Prostate Cancer Patients (11/15/2007)
According to the results of a study published in the journal Cancer, a family intervention that offered support and information to prostate cancer patients and their spouses provided important benefits, particularly to the spouses.

Exercise Reverses Bone Loss Caused by Androgen Deprivation for Prostate Cancer Patients (11/7/2007)
According to results presented at the 2007 annual meeting of the American Society of Therapeutic Radiation and Oncology (ASTRO), walking can reverse the effects of androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) on bone loss among men with prostate cancer.

Diagnosis and Management of Prostate Cancer: Highlights from the 2007 AUA Annual Meeting (10/15/2007)
At the 2007 Annual Meeting of the American Urological Association (AUA), presenters addressed many aspects of the disease from early detection to management of advanced stage. This review attempts to summarize a selection of interesting abstracts presented at the meeting and discuss the possible impact on current management of the disease. 

Prostate Cancer: Updates from the 2007 ASCO Prostate Cancer Symposium (10/15/2007)
The 2007 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Prostate Cancer Symposium covered topics including risk factors, screening, prevention, prostate-specific antigen (PSA) as a marker, risk assessment, local treatments, biochemical failure, complications of therapy, and developmental therapeutics. 

Androgen Deprivation Therapy Increases Cardiovascular Risks (7/31/2007)
According to an early online publication of Cancer, androgen deprivation therapy increases cardiovascular risks and may impact survival in men with low-risk prostate cancer.

Radium-223 Shows Promise Against Bone Metastases in Hormone Refractory Prostate Cancer (7/13/2007)
According to the results of a study published in Lancet Oncology, injection of the radioactive substance radium-223 produced relatively few side effects and improved a measure of bone turnover in men with hormone refractory prostate cancer and bone metastases.

Obesity at Diagnosis Results in Poorer Survival Among Prostate Cancer Patients (3/15/2007)
According to an article recently published in the journal Cancer, middle-aged men who are obese at the time of prostate cancer diagnosis have a significantly worse overall survival than those who are not overweight.

Repeated Administration of Quadramet® Safely and Effectively Relieves Bone Pain (1/30/2007)
According to the results of a study published in the journal Cancer, repeated administration of Quadramet® (samarium sm-153 lexidronam) safely and effectively relieves pain from bone metastases in patients whose bone pain recurs after an initial response to Quadramet.

Addition of Provenge® to Taxotere® Improves Outcomes for Advanced Prostate Cancer (11/22/2006)
 According to results recently presented at the 2006 annual Chemotherapy Foundation Symposium, Provenge® plus Taxotere® (docetaxel) improves outcomes compared to Taxotere alone in patients with hormone-refractory prostate cancer. 

Low PSA After Androgen Deprivation Therapy Linked with Improved Survival (8/29/2006)
Among men undergoing androgen deprivation therapy for metastatic prostate cancer, those who achieve a low PSA level by seven months after the start of treatment experience significantly better survival. These results were published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

Hemoglobin Decline Linked with Worse Outcomes in Men with Metastatic Prostate Cancer (8/1/2006)
Among men receiving androgen-deprivation therapy for newly diagnosed, metastatic prostate cancer, a decline in hemoglobin levels during the first months of treatment is linked with worse survival. These results were published in the journal Cancer.

Urologists Play Large Role in Determining Which Patients Receive Androgen Deprivation Therapy (6/23/2006)
The decision about whether a patient will receive androgen deprivation therapy for prostate cancer is driven more by the particular urologist a patient sees than by characteristics of the tumor or the patient. These results were published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

Zometa® Reduces Bone Pain in Prostate Cancer (6/1/2006)
According to an article recently published in the Annals of Oncology, the bisphosphonate Zometa® (zoledronic acid) appears to reduce bone pain associated with cancer spread to the bone in patients with advanced prostate cancer.

Further Evidence that Zometa® Reduces Bone Loss in Prostate Cancer Patients (12/6/2005)
According to a recent article published in Urology, further evidence indicates that treatment with Zometa (zoledronic acid) for one year prevents bone loss in patients with advanced prostate cancer who are undergoing hormone therapy.

Zometa® Reduces Bone Loss from Androgen Deprivation Therapy for Prostate Cancer (11/8/2005)
Zometa® (zoledronic acid) reduces bone loss and promotes bone recovery among prostate cancer patients treated with androgen deprivation therapy, according to results presented at the 2005 annual Chemotherapy Foundation Symposium in New York.

PSA Testing May Reduce Risk of Metastatic Prostate Cancer (9/2/2005)
According to a study published in The Journal of Urology, screening men for levels of prostate specific antigen (PSA) appears to reduce the probability of metastatic prostate cancer (cancer that has spread beyond the prostate).

New Targeted Therapy Shows Promise for the Treatment of Prostate Cancer (7/20/2005)
The Journal of Clinical Oncology has recently published an article indicating that a new prostate cancer therapy has shown promise in early clinical trials.

New Hope For Bone Pain Caused by Metastatic Prostate Cancer (6/15/2005)
A recent article in the Journal of Pain and Symptom Management reports that the combination of chemotherapy and the drug Strontium-89 significantly reduces the pain associated with bone metastasis of prostate cancer.

FDA Agrees to File NDA for Xinlay™ in the Treatment of Metastatic Hormone-Refractory Prostate Cancer (2/25/2005)
Abbott Laboratories announced on Friday, February 11, 2005 that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has agreed to file the New Drug Application (NDA) for its Selective Endothelin A Receptor Antagonist (SERA™), Xinlay™ (atrasentan) for the treatment of metastatic hormone-refractory prostate cancer.

Modified Taxotere® Regimen Effective for Advanced Prostate Cancer (2/25/2005)
Researchers from Greece have reported that the treatment combination consisting of Taxotere® (docetaxel), estramustine (Emcyt®) and Zometa® (zoledronic acid) is an effective and safe therapeutic regimen  for men with advanced hormone-refractory prostate cancer. The details of this report appeared in the January 2005 issue of Urology.

New Drug Irofulven is Active against Metastatic Hormone-Refractory Prostate Cancer (2/14/2005)
According to the results of a recent phase 2 study published in the American Journal of Clinical Oncology, the new compound Irofulven produces responses in men with hormone-refractory prostate cancer.

Men with Prostate Cancer on Androgen Deprivation Therapy Not Being Adequately Screened for Bone Loss (1/28/2005)
According to a recent article published in the journal Cancer, men with prostate cancer who are receiving androgen deprivation therapy are not being adequately evaluated or treated for bone loss.

Androgen Deprivation Therapy Increases Risk of Bone Fracture in Prostate Cancer Patients (1/26/2005)
According to results recently published in the New England Journal of Medicine, treatment with androgen deprivation therapy increases the risk of bone fractures in men diagnosed with prostate cancer.

New Biological Therapy (Atrasentan) Delays Disease Progression in Patients with Metastatic Prostate Cancer (1/10/2005)
Researchers from the U.S., Canada, Belgium, and the UK have reported that atrasentan (Xinlay™), a novel biological therapy, slowed progression of prostate cancer, including progression to the bones, and produced a small improvement in quality of life.

Chemotherapy Plus Hormonal Therapy Together Does Not Improve Survival in Advanced Prostate Cancer (5/27/2004)
According to results presented at the 99th annual meeting of the American Urological Association, treatment consisting of chemotherapy plus hormone therapy together does not improve survival compared to hormone therapy followed by chemotherapy in advanced prostate cancer.

Bisphosphonates Reduce Skeletal Fractures in Patients with Bone Metastasis (10/1/2003)
According to a recent article published in BMJ, the use of bisphosphonates reduces the incidence of skeletal fractures in patients with bone metastasis.

Early Hormone Therapy Improves Survival in Prostate Cancer (6/9/2003)
According to results presented at the 39th annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, hormone therapy delivered directly following radiation therapy improves survival compared to later delivery of hormone therapy.

Prostate Cancer Patients Appear Not to Experience Genetic Damage from Soy Isoflavones (4/3/2003)
According to an article recently published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, soy isoflavones appear not to damage DNA of cancer patients or healthy volunteers.

Green Tea Appears Ineffective Against Hormone-Resistant Prostate Cancer (3/21/2003)
According to a study recently published in the journal Cancer, green tea failed to reduce prostate specific antigen levels in patients with advanced prostate cancer.

Calcitriol and Docetaxel May be a Promising Treatment for Androgen-Independent Prostate Cancer (3/20/2003)
Results from a phase II trial published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology suggests that weekly calcitriol and Taxotere® (docetaxel) may be a promising treatment for patients with androgen-independent prostate cancer (AIPC).

FDA Approves Long-Acting Eligard® for Prostate Cancer: Dosing Once Every Four Months (2/20/2003)
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently approved the use of long-acting Eligard® (leuprolide) once every 4 months for the use of hormone therapy in patients with prostate cancer.

Plenaxis™ Improves Quality of Life for Patients with Advanced Prostate Cancer (2/20/2003)
According to recent proceedings at the 7th International Symposium on GnRH Analogues in Cancer and Human Reproduction, the hormonal agent Plenaxis™ (abarelix) appears to improve quality of life in patients with metastatic prostate cancer.

Zometa™ Delays Skeletal Events in Metastatic Prostate Cancer (10/3/2002)
According to recent results published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, treatment with the bisphosphonate Zometa™ (zoledronic acid) may reduce skeletal events and bone pain in patients with metastatic prostate cancer.

Hormonal Therapy During and After Radiation Improves Survival in Patients with Localized Prostate Cancer (7/22/2002)
According to a recent article published in The Lancet, hormonal therapy during and after radiation appears to reduce cancer recurrences and improve survival in patients with prostate cancer that has not spread to distant sites in the body.

Green Tea Does Not Appear Effective for Metastatic Prostate Cancer (5/10/2002)
According to results presented at the 2002 meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research, green tea does not appear to be an effective treatment option for patients with metastatic, androgen-independent prostate cancer.

Some Side Effects of Radical Prostatectomy Reduced if Surgeon Performs Many Procedures (4/18/2002)
According to a recent article published in The New England Journal of Medicine, the risk of some side effects caused by a radical prostatectomy appear to be reduced if a patient is treated at a high-volume hospital and by a surgeon who performs a high volume of procedures annually.

PC-SPES and SPES Herbal Supplements Recalled (3/7/2002)
According to recall notices issued by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the California Department of Health Services (DHS) and BotanicLab, consumers should immediately stop using PC-SPES and SPES herbal supplements. Laboratory testing conducted by DHS identified undeclared prescription medications in these formulas that could cause serious side effects, particularly if combined with other prescribed medications.

Herbal Supplement, PC-SPES, May Provide Symptom Relief for Persons with Metastatic Prostate Cancer (2/22/2002)
For men with metastatic prostate cancer, effective therapies to alleviate pain and other symptoms of disease are often needed. Now, several studies indicate that an herbal supplement, called PC-SPES, may significantly reduce pain and decrease prostate-specific antigen levels in men who have metastatic prostate cancer that is resistant to hormone therapy.

Predictors of Recurrence Identified Following Radical Prostatectomy (2/22/2002)
For patients with prostate cancer, the Gleason score combined with pathological category (extent of disease) following a radical prostatectomy are factors which appear to most accurately predict the risk for recurrence following surgery, according to a recent article published in the journal Cancer. Patients at a high risk of experiencing a recurrence according to these factors may benefit from novel adjuvant therapies, while patients considered to have a low risk may be spared from unnecessary treatment.

Sexual and Urinary Function Evaluated in Men Treated for Prostate Cancer (2/22/2002)
The treatment options for prostate cancer may include surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and/or hormone therapy, depending on the stage (extent) of disease. For many persons with prostate cancer, the choice of treatment relies not only on which therapy will most effectively fight the disease, but also on which therapy will offer the best quality of life. Now, researchers from Missouri say that 6 years after diagnosis, most men are no longer bothered by problems with urinary function, but do experience some difficulty with sexual function, regardless of the type of treatment they received.

New Drug, Exisulind, Has Activity Against Prostate Cancer (2/22/2002)
A novel agent called exisulind has been shown to inhibit the rise in prostate-specific antigen (PSA) in men with recurrent prostate cancer, according to a recent article published in the Journal of Urology.

Preliminary Studies Suggest ABT-627 has Anti-Cancer Activity in Patients with Hormone-Refractory Prostate Cancer (2/22/2002)
A novel agent, ABT-627, appears to delay the progression of cancer in patients with hormone-refractory prostate cancer and produces few side effects, according to results from preliminary clinical trials.

Estramustine, Docetaxel and Hydrocortisone: Active Treatment in Advanced Prostate Cancer (2/22/2002)
The chemotherapy combination consisting of estramustine, docetaxel and low-dose hydrocortisone appears to produce significant anti-cancer responses in approximately 50% of men with metastatic prostate cancer that no longer respond to hormone therapy, according to a recent study published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology. This regimen may be particularly helpful in maintaining physical functioning and in relieving pain for patients with this disease.

Oral Chemotherapy Provides Safe Palliation for Some Men with Hormone-Refractory Prostate Cancer (2/22/2002)
Cancer of the prostate, a male sex gland located near the bladder and rectum, is a type of cancer that occurs commonly in older men. Treatment for prostate cancer depends on the stage of disease (extent of disease at the time of diagnosis), and may include surgery, radiation therapy, hormone therapy, chemotherapy, and/or biologic therapy to help the immune system fight the cancer.

Suramin Plus Hydrocortisone and Androgen Deprivation has Limited Effectiveness for Treatment of Newly Diagnosed Patients with Metastatic Prostate Cancer (2/22/2002)
Testosterone is a male hormone produced mainly by the testicles. Many organs in the body are composed of cells that respond to or are regulated by exposure to testosterone. Cells in the prostate gland have testosterone receptors and when exposed to testosterone are stimulated to grow. When cells that have testosterone receptors become cancerous, the growth of these cancer cells can be increased by exposure to testosterone. The basis of hormone therapy as a treatment for prostate cancer is to block or prevent the cancer cells from being exposed to testosterone. Hormone therapy is cytostatic (it prevents cancer cells from growing) not cytotoxic (kills cancer cells). There are two methods of delivering hormone therapy: 1) surgical removal of the testicles (orchiectomy) and 2) medical anti-androgen hormone therapy.

Estramustine Plus Cyclophosphamide Is Effective against Metastatic Prostate Cancer that Does Not Respond to Hormone Therapy (2/22/2002)
The chemotherapy combination of oral estramustine and cyclophosphamide is effective in reducing symptoms and improving quality of life in men who have metastatic prostate cancer that no longer responds to hormone therapy, say researchers from Italy. This regimen may be particularly helpful in maintaining physical functioning and in relieving pain.

Immediate Hormonal Therapy Prolongs Survival in Patients with Prostate Cancer Involving the Local Lymph Nodes (2/22/2002)
Testosterone is a male hormone produced mainly by the testicles. Many organs in the body are composed of cells that respond to or are regulated by exposure to testosterone. Cells in the prostate gland have testosterone receptors and when exposed to testosterone are stimulated to grow. When cells that have testosterone receptors become cancerous, the growth of these cancer cells can be increased by exposure to testosterone. The basis of hormone therapy as a treatment for prostate cancer is to block or prevent the cancer cells from being exposed to testosterone. Hormone therapy is cytostatic (it prevents cancer cells from growing) not cytotoxic (kills cancer cells). There are two methods of delivering hormone therapy: 1) surgical removal of the testicles (orchiectomy) and 2) medical anti-androgen hormone therapy.

Chemotherapy treatment of patients with hormone refractory prostate cancer reduces the severity and duration of pain and improves overall well-being and quality of life. (2/22/2002)
In this clinical study, men with prostate cancer that no longer responded to hormonal treatment received 1 of 2 treatments; 1) chemotherapy treatment with the drugs Novantrone® (mitoxantrone) and prednisone or 2) a low dose of the anti-inflammatory agent, prednisone, alone. The purpose of this direct comparison was to determine whether chemotherapy treatment could improve the overall well-being and/or survival of patients with late stage hormone refractory prostate cancer.

Copyright ©2005 CancerConsultants.com. All Rights Reserved.

General Prostate Cancer News Archives
 

Prostate Cancer Research Institute (PCRI)
 

Material provided by PCRI is intended for educational purposes for discussion with your physician and should not be considered as medical advice. Information and opinions expressed on this website are not an endorsement by PCRI for any treatment, product or service.