Radical Prostatectomy News and Research

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Radical prostatectomy is surgery to remove all of the prostate gland and some of the tissue around it, to treat prostate cancer.

Radical prostatectomy QoL outcomes can be obtained in single-surgeon practices

Most often urologists cite radical prostatectomy (RP) outcomes from large studies and high volume centers. However, these may not accurately reflect the outcomes of individual surgeons.

30 Mar 2006

Salvage radiation therapy for PSA recurrence following radical prostatectomy

Salvage radiation therapy to the prostatic fossa is often employed in patients with rising PSA after radical prostatectomy (RP). Interestingly, only 25% of men with rising PSA after RP have a positive prostatic fossa biopsy, yet 70% of men with a negative biopsy will have their PSA decline to undetectable levels following salvage external beam radiotherapy.

23 Mar 2006

Delayed prostate cancer intervention in low risk patients may not decrease ultimate chance for cure

A contemporary discussion exists whether patients with low-risk prostate cancer (CaP) are being overtreated with local treatment modalities. This is due to a combination of the older population affected and the slow doubling time of CaP.

23 Mar 2006

Prostate cancer detected on repeat biopsies have more favorable tumor characteristics but similar recurrence rates

Prostate cancer (CaP) detected on repeat biopsy may reflect smaller volume tumors and less aggressive biological and clinical disease.

17 Mar 2006

Study shows survival advantage for men treated with radical prostatectomy or radiation therapy compared to observation

A new study shows older men with early stage prostate cancer survive longer if they are treated versus not being treated in favor of the "watchful waiting" approach advocated by many physicians for older men with other health problems.

27 Feb 2006

Speed of PSA increase matters more than PSA level

In the largest study of its kind to date, Mayo Clinic researchers report that prostate specific antigen (PSA) kinetics, both velocity and doubling time, can be used to predict disease progression and likelihood of death after radical prostatectomy surgery, suggesting that this could be used to guide treatment decisions.

14 Nov 2005

New therapies for prostate cancer

A Dutch study suggested treating prostate cancer patients with higher doses of radiotherapy significantly improved patient outcome and treatment over a five-year period.

3 Nov 2005

Radical prostatectomy may be a safe option for the treatment of prostate cancer

Prostate cancer is the most common non-skin cancer in American men and the third most common cause of cancer death. In patients with localized disease, radical prostatectomy is associated with lower disease-specific mortality, lower rates of local progression and metastases, and higher overall survival compared with conservative management.

18 Oct 2005

Promising new treatment options for prostate cancer

Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of death among American men. It is estimated that one in six males will develop the disease during his lifetime. However, promising new treatment options have been developed to help combat this threatening disease.

9 Oct 2005

Minimally invasive prostate removal aided by a robot has possible benefits, high cost

Although minimally invasive prostate removal aided by a robot can lead to less blood loss, shorter hospital stays and fewer complications, there is no evidence that the procedure improves cure rates, according to a new technology assessment.

29 Aug 2005

Giving prostate cancer patients radiotherapy after surgery could help prevent the progression of their disease

When cancer is confined to the prostate, removal of the organ can successfully control the disease. However, for patients with cancer extending beyond the prostate the risk of recurrence after surgery can be 10–50%.

11 Aug 2005

Clinical factors can help predict the risk of prostate cancer death for patients following a radical prostatectomy

Clinical factors including the time to biochemical recurrence following surgery can help predict the risk of prostate cancer death for patients following a radical prostatectomy, according to a study in the July 27 issue of JAMA: The Journal of the American Medical Association.

27 Jul 2005

Rate of increase in PSA value predicts risk of death following radiation therapy

Men who have a higher rate of increase in their PSA value in the year prior to their prostate cancer diagnosis have a significantly higher risk of death following radiation therapy, according to a study in the July 27 issue of JAMA: The Journal of the American Medical Association.

26 Jul 2005

Tool helps determine who is at high risk of death after prostate cancer recurrence following surgery

Researchers at Johns Hopkins and The Brady Urological Institute have identified three risk factors and developed a simple reference tool that doctors can use to determine who is at high risk of death after prostate cancer recurrence following surgery.

26 Jul 2005

Accuracy of PSA screening for detecting prostate cancer

A new study indicates there is no specific PSA value that has both high sensitivity and high specificity for monitoring healthy men for prostate cancer, but rather there is a continuum of prostate cancer risk at all values of PSA, according to a study in the July 6 issue of JAMA: The Journal of the American Medical Association.

6 Jul 2005

Finding could provide targets for diagnosis, prognosis, therapy of prostate cancer

Researchers led by Dr. Shiv Srivastava from the Center for Prostate Disease Research (CPDR), Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU), report the groundbreaking discovery of the ETS-Related Gene (ERG) as one of the frequent proto-oncogene overexpressions in prostate cancer cells.

10 Jun 2005

Obesity appears to increase the risk of prostate cancer

The obesity study examined the association between body mass index - weight to height ratio - and prostate cancer in 787 men undergoing biopsy due to an elevated tumor marker in the blood or an abnormal physical exam at a Veterans Affairs hospital in California between 1998 and 2002.

23 May 2005

New study says surgery still the best option for prostate cancer

A study by Swedish researchers has found that men who opt to have cancerous prostates surgically removed, have higher long-term survival rates than those who delay the operation, and the benefits of surgery may be greatest for men under 65.

11 May 2005

Innovative urine test for highly specific prostate cancer gene shows promise

Gen-Probe's prototype urine test for PCA3 gene expression may help improve the diagnosis of prostate cancer, according to three early-stage studies presented as posters at the American Association for Clinical Chemistry's 37th Annual Oak Ridge Conference and the Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR).

20 Apr 2005

cT3 prostate cancer is operable

New findings from Mayo Clinic indicate that cT3 prostate cancer, a disease in which the cancer has spread locally from inside the prostate to immediately outside it, is operable and has 15-year cancer survival rates of almost 80 percent.

3 Apr 2005