ALL ABOUT PROSTATE CANCER

Partial Salvage Cryoablation Of The Prostate For Recurrent Prostate Cancer After Radiotherapy Failure
UroToday.com - In the online edition of Urology, Drs. Michael Eisenberg and Katsuto Shinohara reported on their experience using partial (unilobar) cryotherapy for patients with a local recurrence of prostate cancer (CaP) following radiotherapy (XRT). Between 2004 and 2007, 19 patients had failed XRT by either the ASTRO or Phoenix criteria. All had 16-core prostate biopsies performed to document recurrence, and metastatic evaluations were negative.
CDC unveils new September 11 site health effort
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. health officials unveiled plans on Thursday to help people who lived or worked near New York’s World Trade Center who may have been harmed by exposure to dust and debris from the collapse in the 2001 attacks.

Prostate Cancer-Specific Survival Following Salvage Radiotherapy Vs. Observation In Men With Biochemical Recurrence After Radical Prostatectomy
UroToday.com - In the June 18, 2008 edition of JAMA, Dr. Bruce Trock and associates reported on prostate cancer (CaP) specific survival following salvage radiotherapy (XRT) vs. observation in men with biochemical recurrence after radical prostatectomy (RP). They found a benefit to salvage XRT. Between 1982 and 2004, 926 men developed CaP recurrence following RP with staging pelvic lymphadenectomy at Johns Hopkins Hospital.
Teen smokers want to quit but often fail
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Novice teenage smokers often make repeated attempts to quit smoking soon after they start, but most are unsuccessful, according to research funded by the Canadian Cancer Society.

Birth weight ’sets future health’
Blood vessel changes linked to poor health later in life can be spotted within a few years in boys born small, say scientists.

PSA Reduction (after Antibiotics) Permits To Avoid Or Postpone Prostate Biopsy In Selected Patients
UroToday.com - In Prostate Cancer and Prostatic Diseases, a group from Palermo, Italy report on the use of antibiotics in patients with an elevated PSA. The study cohort consisted of 94 Caucasian men with a PSA between 4 and 10ng/ml, no symptoms of prostatitis, a negative rectal exam for cancer and who were otherwise candidates for prostate biopsy. All patients had a negative urinalysis and at least 2 previous elevated PSA detections with no greater than a 10% increase.
Lance Armstrong, top doctors launch cancer quest
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Cyclist and testicular cancer survivor Lance Armstrong joined forces with four former U.S. surgeons general on Wednesday to urge Americans to do more to prevent cancer and get recommended screening tests.

Toxic detox
‘Don’t drink water unless you are thirsty’
Health Tip: Stay Awake Behind the Wheel (HealthDay)
HealthDay - (HealthDay News) — People who work the third shift, drive great distances each day, and those who don’t get enough sleep or take sedating medications are at greatest risk of drowsy driving.
Change Lifestyle, Change Genes
Title: Change Lifestyle, Change Genes
Category: Health News
Created: 6/17/2008
Last Editorial Review: 6/17/2008

Prostate Cancer Drug Breakthrough For Aggressive Form Of Disease
A new trial drug called abiraterone has shown a high success rate at treating men with an aggressive, drug resistant, and often fatal form of prostate cancer. 70 to 80 per cent of the men on the trial experienced dramatic reductions in PSA (a protein marker for prostate cancer) and tumour shrinkage, even in tumours that had spread to bone and other tissue.
UK watchdog urges doctors to cut antibiotics
LONDON (Reuters) - British doctors should slash the number of times they prescribe antibiotics for respiratory tract infections because the drugs rarely help, the country’s drug cost watchdog said on Wednesday.

Heart disease and stroke

Bone Drug Reduces Fractures In Men Having Hormone Therapy For Prostate Cancer
Drugmaker Amgen Inc announced yesterday, Monday, that a large trial of its bone drug denosumab increased bone density and cut fractures in men with non-metastatic prostate cancer who were having hormone blocking therapy. A side effect of androgen deprivation therapy (ADT), which stops the male hormones feeding the cancer, is weaker bones and increased risk of fracture.
Lawmakers probe FDA approval of Ranbaxy drugs
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Two leading U.S. Democrats said on Tuesday they are investigating whether Food and Drug Administration knowingly allowed the sale of Ranbaxy drugs that may have been backed by fraudulent data.

Drinks industry facing tough laws
Ministers tell the drinks industry it must act more responsibly or face new laws governing the sale of alcohol.
Foreign-born TB cases need better control, US says (AP)
AP - Tuberculosis cases continue to fall in the United States, but some immigrants have disturbingly high rates of the disease, according to a study released Tuesday that called for more aggressive action.
Prostate Cancer Therapy May Not Help
Title: Prostate Cancer Therapy May Not Help
Category: Health News
Created: 7/9/2008
Last Editorial Review: 7/9/2008

Surgical Skills Training For Robot Assisted Laparoscopic Prostatectomy (RALP) For Residents And Fellows
ORLANDO, FL (UroToday.com) - (Reported from the Annual Meeting of the American Urological Association) Three studies showed that surgical skills training for robot assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy (RALP) for residents and fellows can be done effectively with no adverse impact on patient outcomes.
Sleep apnea may trigger nighttime heart attack
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - The blood pressure, nerve, and hormonal changes wrought by obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) may increase the risk of heart attack during the night, new research suggests.

Cancer: The facts
The disease tends to affect older people - but can strike at any time.
Bangladesh surgeons to separate conjoined twins (AFP)

AFP - Surgeons in Bangladesh said Tuesday they were preparing to separate three-month-old conjoined twins despite similar attempts here in the past leading to the deaths of one or both children.

Change Lifestyle, Change Genes
Title: Change Lifestyle, Change Genes
Category: Health News
Created: 6/17/2008
Last Editorial Review: 6/17/2008

PSA Reduction (after Antibiotics) Permits To Avoid Or Postpone Prostate Biopsy In Selected Patients
UroToday.com - In Prostate Cancer and Prostatic Diseases, a group from Palermo, Italy report on the use of antibiotics in patients with an elevated PSA. The study cohort consisted of 94 Caucasian men with a PSA between 4 and 10ng/ml, no symptoms of prostatitis, a negative rectal exam for cancer and who were otherwise candidates for prostate biopsy. All patients had a negative urinalysis and at least 2 previous elevated PSA detections with no greater than a 10% increase.
Livers from older donors work well in transplants
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Liver transplant patients who receive an organ from a donor age 60 or older do just as well as patients getting a liver from a younger donor, U.S. researchers said on Monday.

PSA Reduction (after Antibiotics) Permits To Avoid Or Postpone Prostate Biopsy In Selected Patients
UroToday.com - In Prostate Cancer and Prostatic Diseases, a group from Palermo, Italy report on the use of antibiotics in patients with an elevated PSA. The study cohort consisted of 94 Caucasian men with a PSA between 4 and 10ng/ml, no symptoms of prostatitis, a negative rectal exam for cancer and who were otherwise candidates for prostate biopsy. All patients had a negative urinalysis and at least 2 previous elevated PSA detections with no greater than a 10% increase.
U.S. drops trial of one AIDS vaccine
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. AIDS researchers are dropping plans to test one experimental vaccine in people, saying the high-profile failure of a Merck and Co. vaccine last year shows the need to do quicker, more focused studies.

Plan to curb arthritis drug use
People with rheumatoid arthritis should have access to a particular class of drugs limited, NHS advisers say.
Gene Profiles Might Help Guide Lung Cancer Care (HealthDay)
HealthDay - SUNDAY, July 20 (HealthDay News) — A sweeping genetic analysis suggests that the activity of certain genes might someday allow doctors to predict which lung cancer patients need more aggressive therapies and which do not.
Researchers ID Traits of Aggressive Prostate Cancer
Title: Researchers ID Traits of Aggressive Prostate Cancer
Category: Health News
Created: 6/14/2008 2:00:00 AM
Last Editorial Review: 6/16/2008

Take Home Message - Advanced Prostate Cancer - Reported From The Annual Meeting Of The American Urological Association
ORLANDO, FL (UroToday.com) - Highlights of the advance prostate cancer session included; effectiveness of salvage radiation therapy for a rising PSA after radical prostatectomy, role of an extended lymph node dissection, dutesteride for rising PSA, use of anti-PSMA monoclonal antibodies for hormone-refractory prostate cancer, and long-term side effects of androgen deprivation. Abstract 522 evaluated men with a rising PSA after radical prostatectomy.
Clinton vows to fight “insulting” abortion plan
NEW YORK (Reuters) - A Bush administration plan to define several widely used contraception methods as abortion is a “gratuitous, unnecessary insult” to women and faces tough opposition, Sen. Hillary Clinton said on Friday.

Surgical Skills Training For Robot Assisted Laparoscopic Prostatectomy (RALP) For Residents And Fellows
ORLANDO, FL (UroToday.com) - (Reported from the Annual Meeting of the American Urological Association) Three studies showed that surgical skills training for robot assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy (RALP) for residents and fellows can be done effectively with no adverse impact on patient outcomes.
Limit sucrose as painkiller for newborns: study
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Giving newborns a small dose of a sucrose (sugar) solution seems to ease pain associated with having blood taken (venipuncture) for the standard newborn screening test but it does little to curb pain associated with intramuscular injections or heel lances, results of a study suggest.

Scan ‘detects obsessive disorder’
A brain scan could help identify those at risk of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), say scientists.
A 540-calorie Big Mac? NY chains post calorie info (AP)

AP - Customers at big fast-food chains in New York City are finally facing the facts about their meal choices. And for some, the truth may be hard to swallow like 1,130 calories for a Big Mac, medium fries and a medium soda.

Hormone Replacement for Men: Pros, Cons
Title: Hormone Replacement for Men: Pros, Cons
Category: Health News
Created: 6/19/2008
Last Editorial Review: 6/19/2008

Prostate Cancer-Specific Survival Following Salvage Radiotherapy Vs. Observation In Men With Biochemical Recurrence After Radical Prostatectomy
UroToday.com - In the June 18, 2008 edition of JAMA, Dr. Bruce Trock and associates reported on prostate cancer (CaP) specific survival following salvage radiotherapy (XRT) vs. observation in men with biochemical recurrence after radical prostatectomy (RP). They found a benefit to salvage XRT. Between 1982 and 2004, 926 men developed CaP recurrence following RP with staging pelvic lymphadenectomy at Johns Hopkins Hospital.
Clinton vows to fight “insulting” abortion plan
NEW YORK (Reuters) - A Bush administration plan to define several widely used contraception methods as abortion is a “gratuitous, unnecessary insult” to women and faces tough opposition, Sen. Hillary Clinton said on Friday.

Scan ‘detects obsessive disorder’
A brain scan could help identify those at risk of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), say scientists.
Falls Are Top Cause of Injury, Death Among Elderly (HealthDay)
HealthDay - SATURDAY, July 19 (HealthDay News) — Falls are a leading cause of serious injury and death among elderly people in the United States, and most of those falls occur in the home, says the American Geriatric Society (AGS).
Prostate Problem Warning Signs
Title: Prostate Problem Warning Signs
Category: Health Facts
Created: 10/16/2002
Last Editorial Review: 6/18/2008

Study Indicates Certain Men Benefit From Salvage Radiotherapy After Radical Prostatectomy
In the June 18, 2008 edition of JAMA, Dr. Bruce Trock and associates reported on prostate cancer (CaP) specific survival following salvage radiotherapy (XRT) vs. observation in men with biochemical recurrence after radical prostatectomy (RP). They found a benefit to salvage XRT. Between 1982 and 2004, 926 men developed CaP recurrence following RP with staging pelvic lymphadenectomy at Johns Hopkins Hospital.
Low-fat milk recommended for some toddlers
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Once weaned from breast-milk or formula, some babies as young as 12 months of age should be given reduced-fat (2 percent) milk instead of whole milk, according to newly revised guidelines issued by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) this month.

Light Sciences Oncology Begins Clinical Trials Of Litx Therapy In Patients With Enlarged Prostate
Light Sciences Oncology, Inc. (LSO) today announced that it has begun treatment of patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), or enlargement of the prostate, using Light Infusion Therapy(TM) (Litx(TM)), an innovative light-activated drug treatment under development. LSO plans to conduct a 12-patient, Phase I/I I dose-escalation study at four sites in the United States as well as a 40-patient, Phase IIa study in Australia, expected to begin during the current quarter.
Low-fat milk recommended for some toddlers
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Once weaned from breast-milk or formula, some babies as young as 12 months of age should be given reduced-fat (2 percent) milk instead of whole milk, according to newly revised guidelines issued by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) this month.

Take Home Message - Advanced Prostate Cancer - Reported From The Annual Meeting Of The American Urological Association
ORLANDO, FL (UroToday.com) - Highlights of the advance prostate cancer session included; effectiveness of salvage radiation therapy for a rising PSA after radical prostatectomy, role of an extended lymph node dissection, dutesteride for rising PSA, use of anti-PSMA monoclonal antibodies for hormone-refractory prostate cancer, and long-term side effects of androgen deprivation. Abstract 522 evaluated men with a rising PSA after radical prostatectomy.
Nasal antibiotic doesn’t get rid of hay fever
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - In patients with hay fever, a nasal ointment containing the antibiotic mupirocin can eliminate Staphylococcus aureus bacteria in the nose, but this does not improve symptoms, Israeli researchers report.

PSA Reduction (after Antibiotics) Permits To Avoid Or Postpone Prostate Biopsy In Selected Patients
UroToday.com - In Prostate Cancer and Prostatic Diseases, a group from Palermo, Italy report on the use of antibiotics in patients with an elevated PSA. The study cohort consisted of 94 Caucasian men with a PSA between 4 and 10ng/ml, no symptoms of prostatitis, a negative rectal exam for cancer and who were otherwise candidates for prostate biopsy. All patients had a negative urinalysis and at least 2 previous elevated PSA detections with no greater than a 10% increase.
Breast-feeding triggers pulses of feel-good hormone
CHICAGO (Reuters) - When a baby breast-feeds, it triggers a flood of the hormone oxytocin that releases milk from the mammary gland and a feeling of love and trust in the mother that ensures the baby’s needs are met.

Target to cut MRSA virtually hit
The government has almost reached its target of halving MRSA rates, figures show.

Analyzing The Occurrence Of Peyronie’s Disease After Radical Prostatectomy
ORLANDO, FL (UroToday.com) - Dr. Matthias Heck, et al. examined the occurrence of Peyronie’s disease (PD) after radical prostatectomy. The incidence of PD in the general population is estimated to be between 3-9%. A retrospective review of 589 patients undergoing radical prostatectomy was performed to examine the incidence of PD in this population with a mean age of 62 years. Results showed that 102/589 developed PD post prostatectomy for an incidence of 17%.
Family planning groups object to abortion plan
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Family planning groups and at least one member of Congress objected on Tuesday to a Bush administration memo that defines several widely used contraception methods as abortion and protects the right of medical providers to refuse to offer them.

Four New Research Grants Awarded To Help Fight ‘Taboo’ Disease, Prostate Cancer, UK
The Prostate Cancer Charity is supporting four new research projects across the UK. The projects, totaling over 500,000, aim to increase scientific understanding of prostate cancer and benefit current and future generations of men affected by the disease and their partners and families.
Nasal antibiotic doesn’t get rid of hay fever
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - In patients with hay fever, a nasal ointment containing the antibiotic mupirocin can eliminate Staphylococcus aureus bacteria in the nose, but this does not improve symptoms, Israeli researchers report.

Prematurely aged
Stewart’s body suffers from his hard partying
Diet Plans Produce Similar Results (HealthDay)
HealthDay - WEDNESDAY, July 16 (HealthDay News) — New research shows that Mediterranean and low-carb diets are just as good and just as safe as the low-fat diet often prescribed by doctors, a revelation that should give people more choices in eating well.

Prostate Cancer-Specific Survival Following Salvage Radiotherapy Vs. Observation In Men With Biochemical Recurrence After Radical Prostatectomy
UroToday.com - In the June 18, 2008 edition of JAMA, Dr. Bruce Trock and associates reported on prostate cancer (CaP) specific survival following salvage radiotherapy (XRT) vs. observation in men with biochemical recurrence after radical prostatectomy (RP). They found a benefit to salvage XRT. Between 1982 and 2004, 926 men developed CaP recurrence following RP with staging pelvic lymphadenectomy at Johns Hopkins Hospital.
Family planning groups object to abortion plan
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Family planning groups and at least one member of Congress objected on Tuesday to a Bush administration memo that defines several widely used contraception methods as abortion and protects the right of medical providers to refuse to offer them.

Asthma risk from pregnancy nuts
Mothers-to-be who eat nuts every day may increase their child’s risk of developing asthma by 50%, claim researchers.
Obesity ups a woman’s pancreatic cancer risk: study (Reuters)
Reuters - Obese women who carry most of their extra weight around the stomach are 70 percent more likely to develop pancreatic cancer, an international team of researchers reported on Tuesday.

No Improvement In Survival With Hormone Therapy For Prostate Cancer
An article published in the July 9 issue of JAMA finds that elderly men with localized prostate cancer had no improvement in survival when treated with a therapy that deprives the prostate gland of androgen (a male hormone) compared to conservative management of the disease. Among men, prostate cancer is the most common cancer after skin cancer and is the second leading cause of cancer deaths after lung cancer.
Slightly high blood pressure related to plaques
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - New research suggests that young adults with high blood pressure, even if it is close to normal, have an increased risk of developing plaque on the lining of their blood vessels, as referred to as “atherosclerosis.” Such plaques are well-known risk factors for heart attack and stroke.

Suspension for Roche Pharma
UK-based Roche Pharma is suspended from the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry for six months.
Study: When kids become teens, they get sluggish (AP)

AP - One of the largest studies of its kind shows just how sluggish American children become once they hit the teen years: While 90 percent of 9-year-olds get a couple of hours of exercise most days, fewer than 3 percent of 15-year-olds do.

PSA Reduction (after Antibiotics) Permits To Avoid Or Postpone Prostate Biopsy In Selected Patients
UroToday.com - In Prostate Cancer and Prostatic Diseases, a group from Palermo, Italy report on the use of antibiotics in patients with an elevated PSA. The study cohort consisted of 94 Caucasian men with a PSA between 4 and 10ng/ml, no symptoms of prostatitis, a negative rectal exam for cancer and who were otherwise candidates for prostate biopsy. All patients had a negative urinalysis and at least 2 previous elevated PSA detections with no greater than a 10% increase.
Visual impairment indirectly linked to suicide
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Visual impairment alone does not significantly increase the risk of suicide, but it does seem to do so when it is associated with poor health, according to a report in the Archives of Ophthalmology.

Nicotine drug ‘may slow dementia’
Nicotine-based drugs may help delay the moment a person with dementia has to enter a care home, researchers say.
Group to demand US clear Mexican tomatoes (AP)
AP - Mexico’s health secretary says a team of health and agriculture officials has traveled to the United States to demand that Mexican tomatoes be cleared of any suspicion in a recent salmonella outbreak.
Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia
Title: Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia
Category: Diseases and Conditions
Created: 12/31/1997
Last Editorial Review: 6/23/2008