Archive for June, 2008

Jun 27 2008

Seven elevated biomarkers predict prostate cancer risk with 86.6 percent reliability

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Men’s Health News
A simple blood test screening for a panel of biomarkers can accurately predict whether a patient who has had prostate cancer surgery will have a recurrence or spread of the disease.
Kaufen generishe levitra Calling their findings a major step forward in prostate cancer care, Texas researchers report in the June 15 issue of Clinical Cancer Research, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research, that the presence of seven of these biomarkers can predict prostate cancer risk with 86.6 percent reliability. This is at least 15 percentage points higher than standard clinical measures currently in use, the researchers say.
"We have been looking at these biomarkers for the past 10 to 15 years in the laboratory, but now we can translate these findings into progress for the individual patient," said Shahrokh F. Shariat, M.D., chief resident in urology at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center.
Clinicians need this information to decide whether to take a "watchful waiting" approach with their prostate cancer patients or to move to more aggressive additional therapy such as hormone therapy, chemotherapy or radiation, Shariat says. Urologists currently use a risk predictor that includes variables like stage, Gleason score and serum levels of prostate-specific antigen. "However, this method is only accurate about 70 percent of the time, which is not optimal," Shariat said.
Shariat and colleagues enrolled 423 patients who were surgically treated for prostate cancer with either radical prostatectomy or bilateral lymphadenectomy.
Using commonly available blood tests, they measured levels of the following seven biomarkers: transforming growth factor-â1, interleukin-6, interleukin-6 soluble receptor, vascular endothelial growth factor, vascular cell adhesion molecule-1, endoglin, urokinase plasminogen activator.
"We reviewed background literature over 60 separate biomarkers and determined that these were the optimal seven that would have predictive value," Shariat said.
Patients were followed for approximately four years, and researchers noted cancer recurrence in 17.7 percent of patients. Elevated levels of the seven biomarkers were associated with increased risk of relapse. For example, the presence of urokinase plasminogen inhibitor-1 increased risk by 37 percent, while the presence of vascular endothelial growth factor increased risk by 47 percent.
The combination of all seven biomarker variables accurately predicted risk 86.6 percent of the time in this study.
"This is a large and unique improvement for patient care. Neither preoperative MRI nor any of the clinical features we have used before even comes close to this level of accuracy," Shariat said.

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Jun 26 2008

Adult Stem Cell Therapy For Erectile Dysfunction

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ORLANDO, FL (UroToday.com) - Dr. Tom Lue discussed autologous stem cell use for ED. He discussed that ability for the planarian species to regenerate any part of its body, but the salamander can only regenerate a limb. In man there are also stem cells, which are undifferentiated cells that have potential to also regenerate.
In adipose tissue there are stem cells as demonstrated by immunohistochemistry, RT-PCR and Western blotting experiments. Kaufen generishe levitra The adipose derived stem cells (ADSCs) reside near small blood vessels. CD34 staining identifies 60% of peri-vascular areas as harboring ADSCs. It occurs in new blood vessels, and is a sign of regeneration. ADSCs can be harvested by liposuction or fat excision. Adipose cells are digested and ADSCs are cultured for further induction, labeling or gene transfection. ADSCs can also be used for in vivo tissue engineering.
In vitro induction can result in hepatocytes, beta cells to produce insulin or endothelial cells. In vivo, ADSCs placed in muscle can differentiate into skeletal muscle, placed near blood vessels become smooth muscle and in fat can become fat cells. The differentiate into component cell types and integrate into the tissue. Four weeks after injection of ADSCs following cavernous nerve crush injury in a rat model, there is return of function. In older men, he proposed using autologous ADSCs to regenerate erectile function. In rats there is suggestion of differentiation. In a type 2 diabetic rat model of ED, use of ADSCs resulted in improved intracavernosal pressures. He showed neurite cell growth in vitro, that is stimulated by the addition of ADSCs. Experiments using ADSCs to stimulate endothelial cell growth also suggested that this is possible.
A study showed injection of umbilical cord blood stem cells into men having failed PDE5 inhibitors resulted in improved erectile function. This is only a pilot experiment, but shows great promise.
Presented by Tom F. Lue, MD, at the Annual Meeting of the American Urological Association (AUA) - May 17 - 22, 2008. Orange County Convention Center - Orlando, Florida, USA.
Reported by UroToday.com Contributing Editor Christopher P. Evans, MD, FACS
UroToday - the only urology website with original content written by global urology key opinion leaders actively engaged in clinical practice.
To access the latest urology news releases from UroToday, go to:
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Jun 25 2008

Prostate cancer deaths double in men with BRCA2

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Men’s Health News
Men with prostate cancer caused by a faulty BRCA2 gene are more than twice as likely to die from the disease than those carrying the faulty BRCA1 gene - reveals a study published in the British Journal of Cancer today (Tuesday).
These findings could help tailor treatment and target chemotherapy more effectively to men with prostate cancer that is caused by a BRCA gene fault.
Carriers of the BRCA2 gene were found to live for an average of four years following a diagnosis of the disease, compared to an average of eight years in men carrying the BRCA1 gene.
Lead researcher, Dr Steven Narod, based at the University of Toronto in Canada, said: "We know that carrying a faulty BRCA2 gene increases a man’s risk of getting prostate cancer, and our study shows that it also affects how long he will survive a diagnosis of the disease.
"This information is important because it shows that men with BRCA2 are not responding as well to current therapies, so we hope these findings could help doctors more effectively tailor treatment to this group."
Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men in the UK. Around 35,000 new cases of the disease are diagnosed in the UK and around 10,000 men die from the disease each year. Around one in every 500 men carry the BRCA2 gene.
Generic soma pills no prescription The lifetime risk for developing prostate cancer is one in 14 for men in the UK. Previous studies have shown that men with a faulty BRCA2 gene can be up to five times more likely to develop prostate cancer than the general population.
Dr Narod continued: "The results of our study are very exciting - if this link is confirmed in further clinical trials, it could help doctors develop new treatment methods for prostate cancer patients with a faulty BRCA2 gene."
A greater understanding of who is most at risk and most likely to die from prostate cancer could also lead to targeted screening for men with a family history.
Dr Lesley Walker, director of cancer information at Cancer Research UK, said: "Although only a very small percentage of men with prostate cancer will carry a faulty BRCA2 gene, they’re much more likely to die from the disease. It’s important that more research is done in this area to ensure that this group is targeted effectively so cancer is picked up at an early stage and, more importantly, that they are given the most appropriate treatment.
"Men with a strong family history of prostate or breast cancer can visit their GP for advice."

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Jun 24 2008

40Over40: A New Campaign To Tackle Low Awareness Of Erectile Dysfunction And Its Health Implications In Younger Men

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A new survey of 1,000 men aged over 40, commissioned by Eli Lilly and Company Limited (Lilly UK) as part of a new erectile dysfunction awareness campaign, 40over40, reveals that just over 10% of men in their early 40s are aware that ED strikes regularly in the fourth decade even though evidence suggests that 40% of men aged 40 or over have some form of ED.
Additionally, most men were unaware that erection problems could be a warning sign that they may have a more serious condition; less than a fifth of all the men surveyed knew that ED could be a sign of underlying, organic heart disease or other potentially serious conditions, despite evidence of such a link in 80% of cases (in men of 70). In fact, three times as many survey respondents in their 40s rated hair loss ahead of losing their erections as a major health concern.1
Further, the survey shows that less than one fifth of men have visited their GP in the last 12 months, and that men in their 40s are likely to put off visits to their GP until they consider their symptoms to be long-term or worsening. But these men can be optimistic about finding a solution; 95% of ED cases can now be treated by the healthcare professional once reported.
The survey was commissioned as part of the new ED disease awareness campaign 40over40, from Lilly UK, which has been designed to educate men on the causes of ED and who it affects, and encourage them to seek help. The campaign will launch nationwide on 30 June 2008, when a new website will go live, accompanied by the roll-out of a national TV advertising campaign.
The strapline from the campaign is Talk, Test, Treat, Today (4T), and visitors to the website will be able to download information and advice about ED.
Dr Mark Porter believes GPs should get behind the campaign. "The survey results are interesting because they show us that a significant number of younger men are compromising their sex lives unnecessarily - and may even be endangering their long term health. Sexual fulfilment aside, too few men are aware that their erectile difficulties could be a sign of underlying health problems like smoking related damage, high blood pressure and raised cholesterol levels. I’m hopeful that the 40over40 campaign will really start to tackle some of the misconceptions surrounding ED encouraging more patients to come through the door sooner. As GPs we need to throw our weight behind the campaign and look for ways to proactively ask about ED in our male, 40 plus patients."
Campaign resources include educational literature for patients and HCPs which will be available on website and via Lilly UK as sponsors of the campaign.
- The 40over40 campaign is sponsored by Lilly and was conducted by Opinion Health, and involved interviews with 1013 men aged 40+ and currently living in the UK.
- 71.7% claimed their sex life was sporadic, while 17.4% said their sex life was spontaneous.
- 45.2% stated that an active sex life was important to them, and 28.3% stated that it was very important to them.
- 11.3% aged 40-44 thought ED might affect them in the next 10 years compared to 32.0% aged 40-44 who thought hair loss might affect them in the next 10 years.1
- 16.4% believed underlying disease may be one of the main causes of ED while 26.2% said they didn’t know the causes of ED.
- 15.3% of men in the survey have not visited their GP in the last 12 months5 and 45.8% of men in the survey said they are usually prompted to visit the GP when they experience prolonged or worsening symptoms.6
- 24.5% of men use the internet as their main source of information on health.
References
1. generique cialis en ligne acheter Lilly UK: 4T Survey of 1,000 men aged over 40 Q3 - What health issues do you think will concern you in the next 10 years?
2. Feldman HA et al, J Urol. 1994 Jan;151(1):54-61
3 Lilly UK: 4T Survey of 1,000 men aged over 40 Q14 - What do you understand is the main cause of ED?
4. Diabetes UK viewed 02 June 2008
5. Lilly UK: 4T Survey of 1,000 men aged over 40 Q6 - How often did you consult your doctor in the last 12 months?
6. Lilly UK: 4T Survey of 1,000 men aged over 40 Q7 - What usually prompts you to consult a doctor?
7. WGBH Educational Foundation 2006, Impotence: Causes and Treatments, viewed 02 June 2008
8. Lilly UK: 4T Survey of 1,000 men aged over 40 Q11 - How would you describe your current sex life?
9. Lilly UK: 4T Survey of 1,000 men aged over 40 Q16 - How important is an active sex life to you?
10. Lilly UK: 4T Survey of 1,000 men aged over 40 Q14 - What do you understand is the main cause of ED?
11. Lilly UK: 4T Survey of 1,000 men aged over 40 Q5 - What is your main source of information on health?

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Jun 24 2008

Seven biomarkers that may help pinpoint prostate cancer recurrence found

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Men’s Health News
A
simple blood test may help doctors better predict whether prostate cancer will recur or spread in patients who have undergone surgery for the disease, UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers have found.
In a study published in the June 15 issue of Clinical Cancer Research, UT Southwestern scientists identified a panel of seven biomarkers that can predict with 86 percent accuracy which prostate cancer patients will experience a recurrence and progression of the disease. Biomarkers are proteins circulating in a patient’s blood that are specific to a disease.
Current risk assessment methods, which include stage and grade of cancer and the level of prostate-specific antigen, can predict prostate cancer recurrence with about 70 percent accuracy.
"There are several unresolved issues in the clinical and surgical management of prostate cancer, one of them being the identification of men who have insignificant cancers and can be followed, and another being the identification of men most likely to have spread of disease and early or late recurrence," said Dr. Claus Roehrborn, chairman of urology at UT Southwestern and one of the study’s authors. "In the future, once we can reliably identify those patients, we may be able to offer additional treatment to counteract that risk and give those men a better chance for a permanent cure. The panel of biomarkers is an important step in this direction."
For nine years, Dr. Shahrokh Shariat, who is now a resident in urology at UT Southwestern and the study’s lead author, has been collaborating with basic-science researchers and clinicians to find a comprehensive group of biomarkers associated with prostate cancer that could more accurately predict the biological behavior of the disease.
Using commonly available blood testing methods, Dr. Shariat and his team measured the levels of seven biomarkers in 423 patients who were subsequently surgically treated with a radical prostatectomy and bilateral lymphadenectomy.
Of the study participants, 75 had a recurrence of their cancer. All 75 had elevated levels of at least several of the seven biomarkers. Dr. Shariat’s seven-biomarker model was able to accurately predict the risk for recurrence 86.6 percent of the time.
"We found that a combination of independent yet complementary markers may provide a more accurate prediction outcome compared to single markers," Dr. Shariat said. "This could help physicians provide individualized care and targeted therapy for patients. It will also allow us to design clinical trials to target these individual biomarkers."
Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer and the second leading cause of cancer death in men in the United States. Although prostate-removal surgery and radiation therapy have been successful in controlling the disease, up to 40 percent of patients experience a relapse.
"A prediction tool based on the biomarkers we tested could improve the accuracy of standard models and help doctors counsel patients better about their risk for prostate cancer recurrence and help to determine the course of treatment," Dr. Shariat said. "There is no doubt that we are approaching a time when use of proper biomarkers will help detect, monitor and manage the progression of this disease, as well as assist with therapeutic decisions."
acheter generic viagra soft The next step is to explore the role of these biomarkers in patients treated with other therapies, such as radiation, and patients with a different range of disease severity.
Currently, the seven-biomarker panel is being externally validated in a clinical trial at two medical institutions, one in the United States and the other in Europe.
Dr. Jose Karam, a resident in urology at UT Southwestern, was also involved in the study.
An international team of researchers from the University of Montreal; Vita-Salute University in Milan, Italy; and Baylor College of Medicine contributed to the research.

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