On The Horizon – Sunitinib Malate for Metastatic Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer Following Docetaxel Chemotherapy

Dr. Guru Sonpavde, MD (Clinical Assistant Professor, Baylor College of Medicine) reported about an open label, phase II trial of sunitinib (Sunitinib, marketed as Sutent, and previously known as SU11248 is an oral, small-molecule, multi-targeted receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) inhibitor that was approved by the FDA for the treatment of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) and [...]

Reduced Testosterone Levels (ADT) in Men with Bony Metastatic Prostate Cancer Increases Survival Time

A study from Milan Italy look at the controversy, does the testosterone level achieved with androgen-deprivation therapy (ADT) increase the survival in men with metastatic prostate cancer? ADT comes with significant morbidity issues, so is there an adequate benefit from ADT (does it provide survival benefits) to balance out the negative side effects? This [...]

On the Horizon – Estrogen Receptor Modulator Reduces Bone Complications from Androgen Deprivation Therapy for Prostate Cancer

A multi-center Phase III study discussed at the 2009 meeting of the American Urological Association,[1] has demonstrated that the risk for bone fractures in men on androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) can be reduced by using toremifene (Acapodene). Men, fighting advanced prostate cancer, often receive long-term ADT, which along with other side effects will increase their [...]

Confirming Hormone Therapy Increases The Risk for Heart Diseases

Confirming a belief of many of us, new research has found that hormone therapy (endocrine therapy or ADT) is associated with a very large increased risk of developing various major heart problems. This research also tells us that some therapy options have a higher risk profile than others. At Europe's biggest cancer congress, ECCO 15 [...]

PET/CT Scans May Help Detect Recurring Prostate Cancer Earlier

The September issue of The Journal of Nuclear Medicine published a study that shows that positron emission tomography (PET)/computer tomography (CT) scans using the imaging agent choline could detect recurring prostate cancer sooner than conventional imaging technologies in some men who have had prostatectomy. Men who elect to have a radical prostatectomy to treat prostate [...]

Patient Care Costs in Clinical Trials – A Problem

Clinical trials are the lifeblood of new drug and treatment development. Trials allow us to learn what developing drugs and treatment are both safe and effective. Many drug developers complain about their inability to attract enough volunteers to reach a sample size that will allow them to draw statistically valid conclusions. Everyday there are trials [...]

Factors Pointing to the Development of Metastatic Prostate Cancer

It is inevitable; most men with prostate cancer, who require treatment with androgen deprivation therapy (ADT), will eventually become resistance to treatment leading to the development of metastatic disease. Men who develop metastatic castrate-resistant disease have a very poor prognosis. Historically, their overall survival is estimated only to be 24 to 36 months. A study [...]

Stromal Biomarker Appears to Predict Advanced Prostate Cancer

The absence of a stromal protein called caveolin-1 appears to be a marker for advanced prostate cancer and for metastasis, researchers from the Kimmel Cancer Center at Jefferson and Harvard Medical School reported in "Cell Cycle." Caveolin-1 has already been shown to be a good biomarker serving as a prognostic factor for breast cancer. The [...]

Extending Survival of Prostate Cancer Survivors by Using Sodium Clodronate

In a small trial using oral sodium clodronate, a bisphosphonate like Zometa and Fosamax, it was shown to extended prostate cancer survival by 23 percent (23%). The survival benefit was seen only when the drug was used in combination with hormone therapy in men with metastatic disease. Many doctors have believed that bisphosphonates could have [...]

C – Reactive Protein an Adverse Prognostic Marker for Men with Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer

Many doctors believe that increased levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) is associated with adverse outcomes in men with castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) treated with docetaxel. C-reactive protein is a protein found in the blood, the levels of which rise in response to inflammation in any part of the body. Traditionally measuring levels of c-reactive protein [...]

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