Prostatectomy News and Research

RSS

Study suggests routine evaluation does not predict prostate cancer

On the heels of the American Cancer Society's recent controversial response to breast and prostate cancer screenings guidelines, a new study from the Mayo Clinic has emerged analyzing the correlation between prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels and prostate size. The study discovered that routine annual evaluation of prostate growth does not predict the development of prostate cancer.

24 Dec 2009

Cancer screening methods are not perfect: Experts

In a recent New York Times article, the American Cancer Society (ACS) ignited a major controversy over the benefits of cancer screening, specifically with regards to their breast and prostate cancer guidelines. In the article, Dr. Otis Brawley, chief medical officer of the ACS, responded to a study in the current issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

11 Nov 2009

Combination therapy before prostate removal may prevent recurrence of cancer

Researchers in the Oregon Health & Science University Knight Cancer Institute and the Portland Veterans Affairs Medical Center have found a combination of radiation therapy and chemotherapy given before prostate removal is safe and may have the potential to reduce cancer recurrence and improve patient survival.

4 Nov 2009

Blood vessels good indicators of prostate cancer behavior

A diagnosis of prostate cancer raises the question for patients and their physicians as to how the tumor will behave. Will it grow quickly and aggressively and require continuous treatment, or slowly, allowing therapy and its risks to be safely delayed?

4 Nov 2009

First nationwide Prostate Cancer registry for identifying effective treatment options

RemedyMD (www.RemedyMD.com), the leading provider of Patient registry software, today announced the first nationwide Prostate Cancer registry to help clinicians and researchers identify which interventions are most appropriate for specific patient populations.

28 Oct 2009

Bcl-2 inhibitor may enhance chemotherapy treatment in patients with prostate cancer

In trying to better predict a patient's response to chemotherapy for cancer treatment, a team of investigators at The Cancer Institute of New Jersey (CINJ) and Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, has identified a way to better manipulate a gene product to cause cancer cells to die.

28 Oct 2009

Tru-flo urinary catheter valve from ProtekMed

ProtekMed has launched the Tru-flo(TM) urinary catheter valve, an innovative and economical alternative to the standard tube and bag system prescribed by most urologists today.

26 Oct 2009

MIRP surgery carries higher risk of impotence and incontinence than traditional surgery

A new study debating the effectiveness of minimally invasive prostate surgery is not telling the whole story, warns Dr. David B. Samadi, Chief of the Division of Robotics and Minimally Invasive Surgery in the Department of Urology at The Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York.

21 Oct 2009

Use of minimally invasive procedures for radical prostatectomy has advantages as well as complications

New research indicates that the use of minimally invasive procedures (including the use of robotic assistance) for radical prostatectomy, which have increased significantly in recent years, may shorten hospital stays and decrease respiratory and surgical complications, but may also result in an increased rate of certain complications, including incontinence and erectile dysfunction, according to a study in the October 14 issue of JAMA, a theme issue on surgical care.

14 Oct 2009

Patient outcomes better in highly rated hospitals than others

The largest annual study of patient outcomes at each of the nation's 5,000 nonfederal hospitals found a wide gap in quality between the nation's best hospitals and all others. According to the study, issued today by HealthGrades, the leading independent healthcare ratings organization, patients at highly rated hospitals have a 52 percent lower chance of dying compared with the U.S. hospital average, a quality chasm that has persisted for the last decade even as mortality rates, in general, have declined.

13 Oct 2009

LA BioMed granted $1.3M for investigating ESAI's KRONOS IV in correcting erectile dysfunction

Las Vegas-based Endogenous Stem Cells Activators Inc. (ESAI) announced today that it will award a $1.3 million grant to Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center (LABioMed) for pre-clinical studies aimed at activating penile endogenous (adult) stem cells with the company's drug, KRONOS IV.

5 Oct 2009

PSA test vital for assessing prostate cancer

When it comes to the prostate cancer, the disease known as the "silent killer" because it often exhibits no symptoms, to be forewarned is to be forearmed. It is the second leading cancer killer in men, just behind lung cancer. Every year, more than 218,000 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer in the United States, claiming about 28,000 lives.

1 Oct 2009

Radiation treatment after prostate cancer surgery eradicates recurrent cancer

The largest single-institution study of its kind has found few complications in prostate cancer patients treated with radiotherapy after surgery to remove the prostate. Men in this study received radiotherapy after a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test following surgery indicated their cancer had recurred.

29 Sep 2009

Study compares benefits of laparoscopic and traditional open surgery for prostate cancer

The more things change, the more they stay the same, as the proverb goes. A study appearing in an upcoming edition of The Journal of Oncology appears to prove just that. The study compares the benefits of laparoscopic surgery versus traditional open surgery in the treatment of prostate cancer. With traditional surgery, surgeons remove the prostate gland via an incision below the belly button.

24 Sep 2009

Chief of Robotics and Minimally Invasive Surgery shares views on medical tourism

In light of the economy and rising unemployment, people are looking to cut costs wherever they can. As the costs of many surgeries and procedures continue to rise in the US, many are looking for cheaper alternatives abroad. This big business is known as "medical tourism," and often promises healthcare options at a fraction of the cost as in the United States. However, this is one area where bargain shopping is not recommended, counsels Dr. David B. Samadi, Chief of Robotics and Minimally Invasive Surgery at The Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City.

15 Sep 2009

Lack of awareness in aged men reagarding prostate cancer treatment options

Prostate cancer remains one of the most commonly diagnosed cancers in the United States. In fact, one in six men will develop prostate cancer. It is also the second-leading cause of cancer death in the United States. But a recent survey suggests that many men at risk for the cancer still aren't aware of all available treatment options.

10 Sep 2009

Prostate cancer treatment options discussed in a study

A new study in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) appears to support the theory outlined in earlier studies that men with more advanced forms of prostate cancer don't benefit from a combination of hormone and radiation therapy.

9 Sep 2009

Two new da Vinci Si HD Surgical System robots added to Swedish Medical Center

As one of the first medical centers in the Northwest to perform robot-assisted surgery, Swedish Medical Center is home to the fastest-growing and most experienced robot-assisted surgical program in the region. Swedish established the multidisciplinary robot-assisted surgical program in 2005 and has since performed more than 2,000 robot-assisted surgeries, more than any other program in the region.

4 Sep 2009

Periurethral suspension technique results in greater continence rates after RALIP

The September issue of European Urology, the official journal of the European Association of Urology, features an article and a video in the Surgery in Motion section by Vipul R. Patel et al, showing that the periurethral suspension technique results in significantly greater continence rates at 3 months after robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (RALP).