Prostate Cancer Blog for Wives and Partners

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The Prostate Cancer Blog for Wives and Partners lets you know when new information has been added to our site. Anytime a new page is created—or we feel there is something worth noting—it will be posted here.

Archive of older posts

Mar 4, 2010, American Cancer Society Issues New Prostate Cancer Screening Guideline

Highlights of the new American Cancer Society (ACS) Guideline for the Early Detection of Prostate Cancer (Update 2010), which appears in the online edition of CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians, include:

Asymptomatic men (men who do not have any symptoms of prostate cancer) who have at least a 10-year life expectancy "should have an opportunity to make an informed decision with their health care provider about whether to be screened for prostate cancer, after receiving information about the uncertainties, risks, and potential benefits associated with prostate cancer screening." The guideline also states that prostate cancer screening should not occur without an informed decision-making process.

Men at average risk should receive this information starting at age 50.

Men at higher risk should receive this information beginning at age 45. This includes African American men and men who have a first-degree relative (father or brother) diagnosed with prostate cancer before age 65.

Men at appreciably higher risk should receive this information beginning at age 40. This includes men who have had multiple family members diagnosed with prostate cancer before age 65.

Asymptomatic men who have less than a 10-year life expectancy based on age and health status should not be offered prostate cancer screening.

The ACS guideline also states that "men should either receive this information directly from their health care providers or be referred to reliable and culturally appropriate sources."

Mar 1, 2010, Another Study Suggests Success of Statins

Studies have shown that inflammation is associated with advanced prostate cancer. A recent study by Banez et al, which was published in the February 16 online edition of Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, suggests that statins (which are commonly prescribed for reducing high cholesterol) may have a potential role in the inhibition of inflammation within prostate cancer tumors. In this study of 236 men undergoing radical prostatectomy from 1996 to 2004, the men who took 20 mg of simvastatin daily for a year prior to their surgery had a significantly lower risk for inflammation within their tumors. There have been a number of studies about statins and their potential role in preventing progression of prostate cancer. This does not mean, however, that men should rush to ask their doctors for a prescription for a statin. More studies are needed before such a recommendation can be made. But if your man is already taking a statin, it may be an added plus. Read the study abstract.

Feb 18, 2010, Nitroglycerin for Prostate Cancer

Medical News Today is reporting on results of a very small clinical study that suggests that a very low dose of nitroglycerin may slow and even halt the progression of prostate cancer.

Twenty-nine men with rising PSA levels following prostate surgery or radiation were treated with a low-dose, slow-release nitroglycerin skin patch in the study, which was conducted by Queen's University researchers. Of the 17 patients who completed the study, all but one showed a stabilization or decrease in the rate of cancer progression, as measured by their PSA doubling time.

While much larger studies are needed to confirm the efficacy of nitroglycerin, this is an interesting development in the treatment of prostate cancer.

Feb 9, 2010, Sexual Bother is Big for Men Following Prostate Cancer Surgery

"Sexual bother" increases after radical prostatectomy, even in men who can have "good" erections after their surgery, according to a recent study by Nelson et al, which was published in the January issue (Part 1) of the Journal of Sexual Medicine. This sexual bother includes shame, embarrassment, and a reduction in general life happiness. In the study, 183 men who had surgery for prostate cancer completed inventories (like a questionnaire) 12 and 24 months following their treatment. The inventories included information about erectile function and sexual bother. The mean scores for erectile function decreased from the beginning of the study to the 24-month time point. The mean sexual bother scores increased from the baseline to the 12-month time point, but stayed stable from the 12-month time point to the 24-month time point (whether a man had erectile dysfunction [ED] or not). The average age of the men studied was 58 (plus or minus 7 years). Only 7% of men with ED moved from being "bothered" at 12 months to "no bother" at 24 months. The study authors suggest that men do not seem to "adjust" to ED following surgery for prostate cancer.

Feb 4, 2010, Soy Bread for Prostate Cancer

Health News Digest reports that Ohio State cancer researchers and food scientists have baked a new soy bread that they hope will help fight prostate cancer. Dozens of men have been enrolled in a study, which is being conducted at Ohio State's James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute. The men will get a daily dose of soy-packed bread, which was inspired by the Asian diet, which is rich in soy. The rate of prostate cancer in men living in Asia is very low. The bread that is being used in the study is equal to the amount of soy Asian men consume in a typical day. Read more about the benefits of soy.

Jan 30, 2010, Study: Sexual Decline Following Radiation Therapy

A man's sexual function following external beam radiation therapy for prostate cancer declines in the first two years, but then stabilizes, according to a small study by Siglin, et al, which was published in the January issue of the International Journal of Radiation Oncology Biology Physics. The study followed 143 men following radiation treatment (mean follow-up time was four years) and used questionnaires to assess their sexual function. The mean age of the men studied was 69 and their mean Gleason score was 6. The questionnaires included questions about sex drive, erectile function, ejaculatory function, and overall satisfaction. Learn more

Jan 26, 2010, Vaccine Shows Promise for Metastatic Prostate Cancer

According to the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, a newly published National Cancer Institute-sponsored clinical trial has demonstrated that men with metastatic prostate cancer who received the PROSTVAC-VF vaccine (a harmless combination of two weakened poxviruses that was engineered to cause an immune system attack on prostate tumor cells), lived "substantially longer" than men who did not receive the vaccine (called placebo vaccine). The trial findings will be published online and in the print edition of the Journal of Clinical Oncology. The double-blinded trial (which means that the men did not know whether they were receiving the vaccine or the placebo vaccine, and the study investigators did not know what they were giving the men) included 125 men with metastatic prostate cancer who did not respond to standard hormone therapy. Eighty-two men received PROSTVAC-VF and 40 men received a placebo vaccine. After three years, 30 percent of the men who received PROSTVAC-VF were alive, versus 17 percent of the men who got the placebo vaccine. The median survival (which is the middle value of given numbers, and should not be confused by mean or average, which is the sum of all given numbers divided by the total number of men in the group) of the men who received the vaccine was 24.5 months, compared to 16 months for the group of men that received placebo vaccine.

Jan 20, 2010, Study: Regular Exercise and External Beam Radiation

A small, randomized, controlled single-center study (Kapur et al) of 66 men in the United Kingdom reports that men receiving external beam radiation who exercised regularly had significantly less severe acute rectal toxicity. One study group of 33 men walked aerobically for 30 minutes at least three times a week during a 4-week course of radiation. The other group (called the control group) did not. There was no significant difference in bladder toxicity scores between the two groups. The study authors concluded that keeping active, and being asked to adhere to a well-defined exercise schedule, appears to reduce the severity of rectal toxicity during radiotherapy to the prostate. The study appeared in the December 17, 2009 online edition of the European Journal of Cancer Care. Read the study abstract

Jan 15, 2010, Study: Couple’s Perspective on Sexual Side Effects after Prostate Cancer Treatment

Researchers are finally realizing that prostate cancer is often a "couple's disease." A recent study by Tsivian et al, which was published in International Brazilian Journal of Urology, reports that men and their female partners may view sexual side effects following prostate cancer surgery differently. Twenty-eight couples completed a Retrospective Sexual Survey that contained questions about physiological changes in libido, foreplay, erection and arousal, orgasm and ejaculation in addition to perceived psychological impact. Only about 40% of men and women were happy with their levels of sexual interest with 82% concordance (which means the level of agreement between the couples surveyed). While greater than 70% of couples stated they utilized more or the same foreplay after prostate cancer treatment, the concordance was only 48%. Out of all men and women, less than 40% declared being happy with their partner's level of desire (concordance 86%). Urine loss during orgasm was reported by 43% of men and the majority of study participants were bothered by it. Ejaculation changes were observed by 96% of men (concordance 96%) with most reporting anejaculation (which means they were unable to ejaculate). A change in orgasm experience was noted by 86% of men (and 36% of their female partners). Despite the change, the majority of men and women reported being satisfied with their ability to climax. Read the study

Jan 15, 2010, Study: Robotic Surgery vs. Open Radical Prostatectomy

In October of 2009, we wrote about a study that reported that while men who undergo minimally invasive approaches (like robotic-assisted surgery) may experience shorter hospital stays and fewer respiratory problems, surgical complications, and strictures, they experience more genitourinary complications, erectile dysfunction, and incontinence. Now a study by Carlsson et al, which was published in the December issue of Urology (online edition), reports that men who undergo robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP) have less risk of surgical complications, such as bladder neck contractures, blood transfusions, and postoperative wound infections than men who undergo open retropubic radical prostatectomy (RRP). The study looked at a total of 1,738 men. Of that number, 1,253 had RARP and 485 had RRP for clinically localized prostate cancer. Surgery-related complications were assessed using a hospital-based complication registry. In the RRP group, 112 men (23%) needed blood transfusions, compared with 58 men (4.8%) in the RARP group. Complications caused by infections occurred in 44 men (9%) in the RRP group, compared with 18 men (1%) in the RARP group. Bladder neck contracture was treated in 22 (4.5%) men who had RRP compared with 3 men (0.2%) in the RARP group. As with any surgery for prostate cancer, the skill and experience of the surgeon is paramount. It has been reported that it takes longer for a surgeon to become proficient in performing robotic surgery than traditional radical prostatectomy. It is important to ask how many of these surgeries a surgeon has performed, and what the success rate of those surgeries were (i.e., number of men who had positive surgical margins, incontinence and impotence rates, prostate cancer recurrence rate). If a doctor throws statistics at you, ask where those statistics come from. Are the numbers based on the surgeon's personal practice, or is the surgeon quoting from a clinical study that involved highly skilled surgeons (like this one)?

Jan 7, 2010, Study: Suicide Risk Greater in Men with Advanced Prostate Cancer

Depression is common after a diagnosis of prostate cancer, but a Swedish study by Bill Axelson et al, showed that the risk of suicide was twice as high among men with locally advanced or metastatic disease, compared with an age-matched male population. No increased risk of committing suicide was observed among men diagnosed with early prostate cancer (nonpalpable T1c prostate tumors diagnosed after PSA testing). The study reviewed data from the Swedish National Prostate Cancer Register, including the number of reported suicides (128 among 77,439 prostate cancer cases). Risk of increase in suicide was not noted for 22,405 men with PSA-detected T1c tumors. But among the 22,929 men with locally advanced nonmetastatic tumors, and 8,350 men with distant metastases, there was a significantly higher number of suicides. To learn about the signs and symptoms of depression, click here. To read the study abstract from the online edition of European Urology, click here.

Dec 31, 2009, Antibody Shows Promise for Prostate Cancer

Researchers have identified an mAb (a monoclonal antibody called F77) that is capable of binding to a cell surface antigen specifically expressed on both androgen-dependent and androgen-independent prostate cancer cells in mice. The results of the study (by Zhang et al), were published earlier this month online in Proceedings of the National Academy of Science. While the study results are promising (if it truly has the potential to only target cancer cells, and not healthy cells, tissues, or organs), it is important to bear in mind that this research was conducted in animal studies. Until it is proven to be effective in large-scale human studies, it cannot be considered to be a viable treatment for prostate cancer. Read the study abstract.

Dec 20, 2009, Robotic-assisted Laparoscopic Radical Prostatectomy More Costly

Retropubic radical prostatectomy and laparoscopic radical prostatectomy cost less than robotic-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy, according to a new study by Bolenz et al, which was published in European Urology).

Direct and component costs were compared in this study of 643 men (262 men had robotic-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy, 220 men had laparoscopic radical prostatectomy, and 161 men had retropubic radical prostatectomy). Not surprisingly, the average length of a man's hospital stay was higher for retropubic radical prostatectomy than for laparoscopic radical prostatectomy and robotic-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy. The median direct cost of robotic-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy, however, was $6,752 (median is the number that falls in the middle of the full range of the numbers, which in this case was $6,283 to $7,369). For laparoscopic radical prostatectomy, the median direct cost was $5,687 (the range was $4,941 to $5,905). And for retropubic radical prostatectomy, the median direct cost was $4,437 (the range was from $3,989 to $5,141). Surgical supply cost was higher for robotic-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy ($2,015 vs $725 for laparoscopic radical prostatectomy and $185 for retropubic radical prostatectomy). Operating room cost was also higher for robotic-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy ($2,798 vs $2,453 for laparoscopic radical prostatectomy and $1,611 for retropubic radical prostatectomy). Read the abstract.

Dec 10, 2009, Beer for Prostate Cancer?

More news from the American Association for Cancer Research Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research Conference includes the use of the natural compound xanthohumol (a flavonoid found in hops, which is used to make beer) to block the effects of the male hormone testosterone in the hope it can aid in prostate cancer prevention. Researchers are first looking to prove that xanthohumol prevents prostate cancer in laboratory and animal tests, before moving on to human studies. Hormone-dependent prostate cancer cells were stimulated with testosterone, which resulted in a massive secretion of prostate-specific antigen (PSA). After the cells were treated with testosterone and xanthohumol, researchers noted that xanthohumol inhibited the cells from secreting PSA. Read more.

Dec 8, 2009, Coffee and Advanced Prostate Cancer

Another interesting finding presented at the American Association for Cancer Research Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research Conference is that there may be a relationship between regular coffee consumption and the risk of advanced prostate cancer.

In a prospective investigation (a research effort that follows over time groups of individuals who are similar in some respects), researchers found that those men who drank the most java had a 60 percent lower risk of aggressive prostate cancer than the men who did not drink any coffee. Coffee contains many biologically active compounds, including antioxidants and minerals, and researchers aren't sure which ingredients may be the most beneficial. More studies are needed before men rush to increase their coffee consumption. Read more.