By: Stacey Moore
Can high-dose vitamin D, a naturally occurring hormone, improve an advanced prostate cancer patient's treatment with chemotherapy? That is what researchers in the United States, Canada and Europe are trying to determine.
For 20 years, scientists have explored the role of vitamin D in the prevention, treatment and reduction of cancer and other autoimmune diseases. However, they all encountered the same problem-they could not administer enough vitamin D to fight the disease without causing severe toxicity.
The promise of vitamin D to treat cancer was almost shelved until researchers at Oregon Health & Science University and Novacea, a biopharmaceutical company, were able to develop a highly concentrated form of calcitriol, a derivative of vitamin D, that had the potential to be administered safely to patients.
Now, a clinical study is under way investigating Asentar in the treatment of advanced prostate cancer. Patients take Asentar, which comes in a small capsule, the day before their next Taxotere® (docetaxel) chemotherapy treatment. Researchers will monitor patients to see if Asentar may help patients to live longer while reducing some of the side effects caused by chemotherapy, such as blood clots and fractures.
"This is a new and interesting approach to treat prostate cancer patients whose disease has progressed and who currently have limited treatment options," said Luke T. Nordquist, M.D. of Nebraska Methodist Hospital, Omaha, Neb. "The previous Phase 2 results showed that Asentar appeared to improve survival while reducing some of the serious side effects of chemotherapy, an important finding that surprised many researchers and called for further clinical evaluations."
All patients in the study will receive chemotherapy treatment with docetaxel. In addition to docetaxel, half of the patients will receive prednisone (part of the FDA-approved docetaxel regimen) and the other half will receive the investigational agent, Asentar.
According to the American Cancer Society:
• Prostate cancer is the third-leading cause of cancer death in men, after lung cancer and colorectal cancer, and
• This year, more than 234,460 men will be diagnosed with, and an estimated 27,350 men will die from, prostate cancer in the United States.
Prostate cancer occurs when cells within the prostate grow uncontrollably, producing multiple small tumors. At this stage, the disease is often curable with standard treatments such as surgery or radiation that aim to remove or kill all cancerous cells in the prostate. Unfortunately, at this stage, the cancer produces few or no symptoms and can be difficult to detect.
If untreated and allowed to grow, the cancerous cells from the tumors can spread in a process called metastasis. In this process, prostate cancer cells are transported through the lymphatic system and the bloodstream to other parts of the body, where they can reside and grow as secondary tumors. Once cancerous cells begin to spread beyond the prostate, the prostate cancer is considered to be recurrent.
Recurrent prostate cancer that progresses while a patient is taking hormonal therapy is called androgen-independent prostate cancer (AIPC). At this stage in the disease, the cancer has generally metastasized (spread) to a patient's bones and/or lymph nodes. For AIPC patients, a combination of docetaxel and prednisone, approved by the FDA for treatment of AIPC with a two-month survival benefit, has shown to prolong the lives of these patients. Some of the other chemotherapy drugs used to treat prostate cancer include doxorubicin, etoposide, vinblastine, paclitaxel and carboplatin.
Researchers at approximately 200 medical centers in the United States, Canada and Europe are seeking to evaluate the potential survival and safety benefits of Asentar in combination with docetaxel in a 900-patient Phase 3 clinical trial, known as ASCENT-2. Asentar is an investigational new drug currently in clinical trials and has not been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
The ASCENT-2 study is for men over the age of 18 who have been diagnosed with AIPC. Study medication will be provided to all qualified study participants at no cost. To learn more about the study, individuals are encouraged to visit www.ASCENT-2.com.
Wednesday, February 7, 2007
The Earliest Signs Of Prostate Cancer
By: Dean Iggo
www.prostatehealthadvice.com
Prostate cancer is the second most common type of cancer found in men (skin cancer is first). The incidence of prostate cancer increases with age, and some people think that all men would eventually have prostate cancer if they lived long enough. As with all types of cancer, the best outcomes happen when the cancer is detected early, so it is important to know the signs of prostate cancer.
The earliest signs of prostate cancer are:
Unfortunately, these early signs of prostate cancer can be caused by other problems, such as acute or chronic prostatitis or benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH). There is no specific warning sign or symptom\s of prostate cancer.
There are two tests doctors perform to aid in early detection of prostate cancer: a rectal exam (feeling the prostate gland through the rectum) and PSA (protein-specific antigen). Neither of these tests is specific, either.
If a man has urinary symptoms, an enlarged prostate or an elevated PSA, most physicians will refer him to a urologist for a biopsy of the prostate gland. This is the only surefire way to diagnose prostate cancer. Several biopsies are taken from different parts of the gland to make sure they don’t miss anything. Prostate biopsy can be done as an outpatient. The discomfort is usually minor, and most men are able to return to their normal activities within a day or two.
Since PSA testing has become available, prostate cancer is being detected and treated earlier. Early treatment options, such as brachytherapy, have fewer serious side effects than more aggressive treatments, and the treatment is more successful.
Prostate cancer is the second most common type of cancer found in men (skin cancer is first). The incidence of prostate cancer increases with age, and some people think that all men would eventually have prostate cancer if they lived long enough. As with all types of cancer, the best outcomes happen when the cancer is detected early, so it is important to know the signs of prostate cancer.
The earliest signs of prostate cancer are:
Difficulty urinating
Frequent urination, especially at night
Decreased flow and force of urinary stream
Unfortunately, these early signs of prostate cancer can be caused by other problems, such as acute or chronic prostatitis or benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH). There is no specific warning sign or symptom\s of prostate cancer.
There are two tests doctors perform to aid in early detection of prostate cancer: a rectal exam (feeling the prostate gland through the rectum) and PSA (protein-specific antigen). Neither of these tests is specific, either.
If a man has urinary symptoms, an enlarged prostate or an elevated PSA, most physicians will refer him to a urologist for a biopsy of the prostate gland. This is the only surefire way to diagnose prostate cancer. Several biopsies are taken from different parts of the gland to make sure they don’t miss anything. Prostate biopsy can be done as an outpatient. The discomfort is usually minor, and most men are able to return to their normal activities within a day or two.
Since PSA testing has become available, prostate cancer is being detected and treated earlier. Early treatment options, such as brachytherapy, have fewer serious side effects than more aggressive treatments, and the treatment is more successful.
Tuesday, February 6, 2007
An Inside Look at Prostate Cancer Cures In The Various Forms Of Treatments Available As Therapy
By Tim Gorman
www.onlineprostatehealthguide.com
Prostate cancer cures lay in the various forms of treatments available as therapy for the disease.
Common Treatments for Prostate Cancer
Radiation, hormone therapy, radical prostatecomy, chemotherapy, and cryotherapy, which seeks to destroy cancer cells by freezing them, are amongst the most common treatments for prostate cancer, and the closet modern medicine has come to finding prostate cancer cures.
Radiation for prostate cancer treatment involves the use of external-beam radiation therapy, and radioactive seed implants.
Prostate cancer hormone therapy implements the use of drugs to stop the biological production of male sex hormones. Androgens are male sex hormones that have been clinical linked to the development of prostate cancer when produced in excess.
Radical prostatecomy is the surgical removal of the prostate gland. There are two radical prostatecomy surgical procedures available, retropubic surgery, and perineal surgery. The retropubic surgery removes the prostate gland through an incision placed below the navel. The perineal surgery features an incision for removal placed between the anus and scrotum.
Conventional Prostate Cancer Medications
Luteinizing hormone-releasing analogs (LHRH) are designed to lower testosterone levels. Such prostate cancer medications are administered via injections and can be given monthly or every three, six, or nine months. Many metastases (with the cancer spreading outside of the prostate gland) prostate cancer patients opt for this round of prostate cancer treatments as opposed to a surgical removal of their testicles.
Plenaxis is the newest LHRH antagonists. The drug works to lower testosterone but does not cause a sharp rise in testosterone levels before taking affect, as LHRH analogs do. LHRH antagonists can only be used in men who are not able to use other forms of hormonal treatment. Abarelix, Lupron, Zoladex, Eulexin, and Casodex are other common types of LHRH antagonists.
Finding Prostate Cancer Cures Through Clinical Trials
Clinical trials serves as one way of finding prostate cancer cures. All prostate cancer medications must take pass the three phases required to gain approval from the Food and Drug Administration.
Phase I of the clinical trials test the safety of a new drug. The second clinical phase is designed to determine how the proposed new prostate cancer treatment works. Patients are given the drug in high doses during this phase. The patients are watched to see what effect the test drug has on their prostate cancer. The final phase of clinical trial testing pits test medications against standard treatments. A control group is given dosages of the test drug while a second group uses standard methods of medicine-with the effects documented.
Prostate cancer cures lay in the various forms of treatments available as therapy for the disease.
Common Treatments for Prostate Cancer
Radiation, hormone therapy, radical prostatecomy, chemotherapy, and cryotherapy, which seeks to destroy cancer cells by freezing them, are amongst the most common treatments for prostate cancer, and the closet modern medicine has come to finding prostate cancer cures.
Radiation for prostate cancer treatment involves the use of external-beam radiation therapy, and radioactive seed implants.
Prostate cancer hormone therapy implements the use of drugs to stop the biological production of male sex hormones. Androgens are male sex hormones that have been clinical linked to the development of prostate cancer when produced in excess.
Radical prostatecomy is the surgical removal of the prostate gland. There are two radical prostatecomy surgical procedures available, retropubic surgery, and perineal surgery. The retropubic surgery removes the prostate gland through an incision placed below the navel. The perineal surgery features an incision for removal placed between the anus and scrotum.
Conventional Prostate Cancer Medications
Luteinizing hormone-releasing analogs (LHRH) are designed to lower testosterone levels. Such prostate cancer medications are administered via injections and can be given monthly or every three, six, or nine months. Many metastases (with the cancer spreading outside of the prostate gland) prostate cancer patients opt for this round of prostate cancer treatments as opposed to a surgical removal of their testicles.
Plenaxis is the newest LHRH antagonists. The drug works to lower testosterone but does not cause a sharp rise in testosterone levels before taking affect, as LHRH analogs do. LHRH antagonists can only be used in men who are not able to use other forms of hormonal treatment. Abarelix, Lupron, Zoladex, Eulexin, and Casodex are other common types of LHRH antagonists.
Finding Prostate Cancer Cures Through Clinical Trials
Clinical trials serves as one way of finding prostate cancer cures. All prostate cancer medications must take pass the three phases required to gain approval from the Food and Drug Administration.
Phase I of the clinical trials test the safety of a new drug. The second clinical phase is designed to determine how the proposed new prostate cancer treatment works. Patients are given the drug in high doses during this phase. The patients are watched to see what effect the test drug has on their prostate cancer. The final phase of clinical trial testing pits test medications against standard treatments. A control group is given dosages of the test drug while a second group uses standard methods of medicine-with the effects documented.
Monday, February 5, 2007
Prostate Cancer Treatment With Radiation Therapy
By Khim Lyn Lim
www.prostate-cancer-treatment-hub.com
There are several prostate cancer treatment options that are available. Radiation therapy, more commonly known as radiotherapy, is the most often prescribed prostate cancer treatment. Radiation therapy kills off your cancerous cells with high energy radiation beams. Although the technology now is already far more advanced as compared to many years ago; still, some normal body cells are inevitably get killed during the treatment process. A loss in your normal cells result in some of the side effects that you experience.
Radiation therapy for prostate cancer treatment can be used for all stages of the disease. If you are diagnosed as having early stage prostate cancer then radiation therapy can be used on its own. In this case, there is no need for surgery. Advanced stage cancers may require surgery followed by a course of radiation therapy for relief of pain associated with the disease.
There are two main ways in which radiation can be used as a prostate cancer treatment; internally and externally. The type of radiotherapy that will be recommended to you will be based on your circumstances and the extent of your cancer. You should get more information about the treatments and how they work from your oncologist.
The prostate cancer treatment known as brachytherapy, or internal radiation, works by implanting microbeads of radioactive material directly into your cancerous tissue. These microbeads kill the cancerous cells in the immediate vicinity. A very small number of normal body cells also become damaged in the process. You may also suffer from minor side effects such as urinary leakage and/or penile dysfunction.
Having internal radiotherapy as a prostate cancer treatment will mean you have to undergo keyhole surgery. This is a one-time procedure and involves a short stay in hospital. It is relatively expensive, however. Thus, your doctor will usually recommend this option where cure is still highly possible; in the instance where the cancerous cells have not spread to other parts of your body.
External radiation is the more commonly prescribed prostate cancer treatment. You may need to go to the hospital as often as five times per week. In this case the radiation beam penetrates through the skin, muscle and fat before it reaches the cancerous tissue of the prostate. Many normal body cells can be damaged. Thus with this form of treatment you tend to experience more severe and varied side effects than with the previous option.
In the course of this prostate cancer treatment, you may lose some of your pubic hair permanently. You may feel sore and dry in the area being treated. You may also suffer from incontinence, urinary and bowel discomfort. There is also a chance of impotence as the tissues around the prostate gland are affected. Hopefully, medical advancements can be made one day so that fewer normal body cells get damaged in the process.
Radiation therapy can be an exhausting process to go through. During this period, you are advised to take plenty of rest and to set all your worries aside.
There are several prostate cancer treatment options that are available. Radiation therapy, more commonly known as radiotherapy, is the most often prescribed prostate cancer treatment. Radiation therapy kills off your cancerous cells with high energy radiation beams. Although the technology now is already far more advanced as compared to many years ago; still, some normal body cells are inevitably get killed during the treatment process. A loss in your normal cells result in some of the side effects that you experience.
Radiation therapy for prostate cancer treatment can be used for all stages of the disease. If you are diagnosed as having early stage prostate cancer then radiation therapy can be used on its own. In this case, there is no need for surgery. Advanced stage cancers may require surgery followed by a course of radiation therapy for relief of pain associated with the disease.
There are two main ways in which radiation can be used as a prostate cancer treatment; internally and externally. The type of radiotherapy that will be recommended to you will be based on your circumstances and the extent of your cancer. You should get more information about the treatments and how they work from your oncologist.
The prostate cancer treatment known as brachytherapy, or internal radiation, works by implanting microbeads of radioactive material directly into your cancerous tissue. These microbeads kill the cancerous cells in the immediate vicinity. A very small number of normal body cells also become damaged in the process. You may also suffer from minor side effects such as urinary leakage and/or penile dysfunction.
Having internal radiotherapy as a prostate cancer treatment will mean you have to undergo keyhole surgery. This is a one-time procedure and involves a short stay in hospital. It is relatively expensive, however. Thus, your doctor will usually recommend this option where cure is still highly possible; in the instance where the cancerous cells have not spread to other parts of your body.
External radiation is the more commonly prescribed prostate cancer treatment. You may need to go to the hospital as often as five times per week. In this case the radiation beam penetrates through the skin, muscle and fat before it reaches the cancerous tissue of the prostate. Many normal body cells can be damaged. Thus with this form of treatment you tend to experience more severe and varied side effects than with the previous option.
In the course of this prostate cancer treatment, you may lose some of your pubic hair permanently. You may feel sore and dry in the area being treated. You may also suffer from incontinence, urinary and bowel discomfort. There is also a chance of impotence as the tissues around the prostate gland are affected. Hopefully, medical advancements can be made one day so that fewer normal body cells get damaged in the process.
Radiation therapy can be an exhausting process to go through. During this period, you are advised to take plenty of rest and to set all your worries aside.
What to Do for Enlarged Prostate or for Prostate Cancer
By Rudy Silva
www.enlargeprostateinformation.com
By age of 50, most men will already have an enlarged prostate and three of these men will have cancer cells forming in their prostate. Prostate cancer is the main cancer found in men and by age 75 three out of four men will have prostate cancer.
The facts are pretty clear, if you are a male you will have to deal with BPH, enlarged prostate, or prostate cancer.
So how do you know if you have BPH or prostate cancer? Well, here are a few of the symptoms:
Medical test that you can get for enlarged prostate or prostate cancer.
PSA, prostate specific antigen, which gives a good indication of your prostate health
PAP, prostate acid phosphatase, a test that is more accurate than PSA, but many doctors don't use it or are unfamiliar with it.
Sonogram is a safe and accurate way to check your prostate
MRI, magnetic resonance imaging, is also accurate but is the most expensive test. There is other tests that doctors like to make and that is,
Biopsy of the prostate - Don't have it done. It's very harmful to the prostate and should never be done.
The ideal way to take care of prostate health issues is to change or improve you diet and lifestyle. Here are some area that you need to look at to make changes.
The first thing you need to do is start using a supplement that will start to heal your prostate condition. Then you need to change your diet. Here I will tell which supplement to buy immediately and in another article I will outline a good diet to follow.
Go out and immediately but a supplement that contains Beta-sitosterol. You will find beta-sitosterol in saw palmetto and pygeum africanum, but these herbal plants have very little beta-sitosterol. This make them useless for prostate health. You need 325 to 610 mg per day and these herbal products 30 mg or less.
A good beta-sitosterol to buy is the NSI Phytosterol Complex with Beta-sitosterol -- 240 Tablets. This is only $20.00 plus shipping.
You will find this product contains the following ingredients:
All of these chemicals are called Phytosterol, which are consider the fat inside a plant. These sterols have an anti-inflammatory property and help to buildup your immune system. They have been found effective in reducing the inflammation of the prostate, BPH, lowering cholesterol, and aiding in many other illnesses.
Take the first step in keeping a health prostate and avoid having to deal with enlarged prostate or prostate cancer. Look for more of my articles on prostate health.
By age of 50, most men will already have an enlarged prostate and three of these men will have cancer cells forming in their prostate. Prostate cancer is the main cancer found in men and by age 75 three out of four men will have prostate cancer.
The facts are pretty clear, if you are a male you will have to deal with BPH, enlarged prostate, or prostate cancer.
So how do you know if you have BPH or prostate cancer? Well, here are a few of the symptoms:
- getting up at night to urinate
- having difficulty urinating
- not completely emptying your bladder
- having pain during sex
- having pain when urinating
Medical test that you can get for enlarged prostate or prostate cancer.
PSA, prostate specific antigen, which gives a good indication of your prostate health
PAP, prostate acid phosphatase, a test that is more accurate than PSA, but many doctors don't use it or are unfamiliar with it.
Sonogram is a safe and accurate way to check your prostate
MRI, magnetic resonance imaging, is also accurate but is the most expensive test. There is other tests that doctors like to make and that is,
Biopsy of the prostate - Don't have it done. It's very harmful to the prostate and should never be done.
The ideal way to take care of prostate health issues is to change or improve you diet and lifestyle. Here are some area that you need to look at to make changes.
- diet
- supplement
- fasting
- hormone balancing
- eliminate addictive substances - smoking, alcohol, coffee, non-herbal tea)
- exercise
- stress, anxiety, and emotional issues
The first thing you need to do is start using a supplement that will start to heal your prostate condition. Then you need to change your diet. Here I will tell which supplement to buy immediately and in another article I will outline a good diet to follow.
Go out and immediately but a supplement that contains Beta-sitosterol. You will find beta-sitosterol in saw palmetto and pygeum africanum, but these herbal plants have very little beta-sitosterol. This make them useless for prostate health. You need 325 to 610 mg per day and these herbal products 30 mg or less.
A good beta-sitosterol to buy is the NSI Phytosterol Complex with Beta-sitosterol -- 240 Tablets. This is only $20.00 plus shipping.
You will find this product contains the following ingredients:
- Betasitosterol
- Stigmasterol
- Campesterol
- Brassicasterol
All of these chemicals are called Phytosterol, which are consider the fat inside a plant. These sterols have an anti-inflammatory property and help to buildup your immune system. They have been found effective in reducing the inflammation of the prostate, BPH, lowering cholesterol, and aiding in many other illnesses.
Take the first step in keeping a health prostate and avoid having to deal with enlarged prostate or prostate cancer. Look for more of my articles on prostate health.
Prostate Cancer Treatment
By Richard Romando
www.e-prostate.com
Prostate cancer is a complex heterogeneous disease that acts differently in different men. Therefore, treatment varies amongst individuals. A wide array of treatments exists for prostate cancer, which includes surgery, radiation, hormone deprivation therapy, chemotherapy, dietary changes and the use of various herbal supplements.
A patient may undergo hormonal therapy to reduce the level of testosterone in the body. Drugs that reduce testosterone production by the testicles like Luteinizing Hormone-Releasing Hormone (LH-RH) agonists are administered. The effect is not immediate and occurs 2-4 weeks after initiation of the therapy. Orchiectomy or castration is a surgical procedure that completely removes the testicles. It produces an immediate and permanent reduction in testosterone. Another alternative hormonal treatment is the use of hormone-blocking drugs, called antiandrogens. Antiandrogens like flutamide and nilutamide block the body’s ability to use androgens, such as testosterone.
Surgeons may use different techniques to remove the prostate. Surgical removal of the entire prostate gland is called radical prostatectomy. Radical prostatectomy is usually performed to remove early-stage prostate cancer that has not yet spread to other parts of the body. Side effects after radical prostatectomy for prostate cancer include incontinence and impotence. Cryosurgery, in which liquid nitrogen is used to freeze and kill prostate cancer cells is a common procedure. During cryosurgery, a warming catheter is inserted through the penis and this protects the urethra.
Radiation therapy involves the use of high-energy x-rays or subatomic particles to kill cancer cells. The rays may either be beamed from a machine or emitted by radioactive seeds implanted in the prostate.
Chemotherapy is also used to destroy cancer cells. Drugs are introduced into the body via the blood stream. The drugs work by destroying those cells that divide or grow rapidly. The most common side effects of chemotherapy are tiredness, nausea and hair loss.
Watchful waiting also known as “observation” is an option that physicians may use. The patients receive no active treatment unless symptoms appear. They may be asked to schedule regular medical checkups and report any new symptoms to the doctor immediately.
According to the American Cancer Society, the five-year relative survival rate for patients where cancer is detected while still in the local and regional stage is almost 100%.
Prostate cancer is a complex heterogeneous disease that acts differently in different men. Therefore, treatment varies amongst individuals. A wide array of treatments exists for prostate cancer, which includes surgery, radiation, hormone deprivation therapy, chemotherapy, dietary changes and the use of various herbal supplements.
A patient may undergo hormonal therapy to reduce the level of testosterone in the body. Drugs that reduce testosterone production by the testicles like Luteinizing Hormone-Releasing Hormone (LH-RH) agonists are administered. The effect is not immediate and occurs 2-4 weeks after initiation of the therapy. Orchiectomy or castration is a surgical procedure that completely removes the testicles. It produces an immediate and permanent reduction in testosterone. Another alternative hormonal treatment is the use of hormone-blocking drugs, called antiandrogens. Antiandrogens like flutamide and nilutamide block the body’s ability to use androgens, such as testosterone.
Surgeons may use different techniques to remove the prostate. Surgical removal of the entire prostate gland is called radical prostatectomy. Radical prostatectomy is usually performed to remove early-stage prostate cancer that has not yet spread to other parts of the body. Side effects after radical prostatectomy for prostate cancer include incontinence and impotence. Cryosurgery, in which liquid nitrogen is used to freeze and kill prostate cancer cells is a common procedure. During cryosurgery, a warming catheter is inserted through the penis and this protects the urethra.
Radiation therapy involves the use of high-energy x-rays or subatomic particles to kill cancer cells. The rays may either be beamed from a machine or emitted by radioactive seeds implanted in the prostate.
Chemotherapy is also used to destroy cancer cells. Drugs are introduced into the body via the blood stream. The drugs work by destroying those cells that divide or grow rapidly. The most common side effects of chemotherapy are tiredness, nausea and hair loss.
Watchful waiting also known as “observation” is an option that physicians may use. The patients receive no active treatment unless symptoms appear. They may be asked to schedule regular medical checkups and report any new symptoms to the doctor immediately.
According to the American Cancer Society, the five-year relative survival rate for patients where cancer is detected while still in the local and regional stage is almost 100%.
Da Vinci Robot: Best Choice For Prostate Surgery?
By Michael Kaempf
www.allmedmd.com
Prostate cancer (PCa) is the most common non-skin cancer in men - about 30 percent of all cancers are prostate and 15 percent of men are likely to get it.
Radical prostatectomy has the highest cure rate for an organ-confined disease of all treatments although 10-20 percent have additional prostatic disease after pathologic evaluation.
Traditionally, surgery has been done “open” (retropubic or perineal), but since 1997 the laparoscopic approach has gained acceptance. Around 2001, the robotic approach started to become idealized. By 2005, about 20 percent of radical prostatectomies were performed with the da Vinci™ surgical system from Intuitive Surgical. Although the da Vinci robot was named after Leonardo da Vinci, who made the first robot, the term was coined by Capek in a Czech play in 1921. Technically, the da Vinci™ Surgical System is not technically a robot, it’s a “remote computer assisted tele-manipulator.”
Robotic prostate surgery has some advantages for the patient. During surgery, patients tend to lose less blood, require fewer transfusions (1-2 percent instead of 5-10) and have shorter catheterization times. The latter can mean less infection, less urinary extravasation and a faster return to continence for patients. Patients also suffer less post-op pain because of a shorter incision, which helps them resume normal activities more quickly (within 92 hours instead of 4 weeks) as well as a shorter hospital stays (1.2 days instead of 2.5).
Still, controversy exists about the advantages, disadvantages and cost-effectiveness of the robot. All approaches (open, laparoscopic or robotic) provide similar overall health and quality of life outcomes: positive margins (2-19 percent); Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) recurrence free survival (80-95 percent after 3 years); continence at one year (80-95 percent); potency at one year (55-85 percent); and overall complications (5-10 percent). They are also similar in cost, so doctors select one approach over another based upon the patient situation and achieve similar results.
Prostate cancer (PCa) is the most common non-skin cancer in men - about 30 percent of all cancers are prostate and 15 percent of men are likely to get it.
Radical prostatectomy has the highest cure rate for an organ-confined disease of all treatments although 10-20 percent have additional prostatic disease after pathologic evaluation.
Traditionally, surgery has been done “open” (retropubic or perineal), but since 1997 the laparoscopic approach has gained acceptance. Around 2001, the robotic approach started to become idealized. By 2005, about 20 percent of radical prostatectomies were performed with the da Vinci™ surgical system from Intuitive Surgical. Although the da Vinci robot was named after Leonardo da Vinci, who made the first robot, the term was coined by Capek in a Czech play in 1921. Technically, the da Vinci™ Surgical System is not technically a robot, it’s a “remote computer assisted tele-manipulator.”
Robotic prostate surgery has some advantages for the patient. During surgery, patients tend to lose less blood, require fewer transfusions (1-2 percent instead of 5-10) and have shorter catheterization times. The latter can mean less infection, less urinary extravasation and a faster return to continence for patients. Patients also suffer less post-op pain because of a shorter incision, which helps them resume normal activities more quickly (within 92 hours instead of 4 weeks) as well as a shorter hospital stays (1.2 days instead of 2.5).
Still, controversy exists about the advantages, disadvantages and cost-effectiveness of the robot. All approaches (open, laparoscopic or robotic) provide similar overall health and quality of life outcomes: positive margins (2-19 percent); Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) recurrence free survival (80-95 percent after 3 years); continence at one year (80-95 percent); potency at one year (55-85 percent); and overall complications (5-10 percent). They are also similar in cost, so doctors select one approach over another based upon the patient situation and achieve similar results.
What Symptoms Should You Watch Out for in Detecting Prostate Cancer?
By Joseph Ducat
www.prostatehealthcare.info
How do you know if you are at risk for prostate cancer? Is there a way for you to diagnose it yourself, by noting if prostate cancer symptoms appear? The truth is, prostate cancer is a disease that is still little understood, and nobody really knows what causes it. It is also a disease that rarely presents symptoms, and what symptoms it may cause tend to be indications of other conditions as well--there is no single specific indication of the early stages of prostate cancer.
Prostate cancer usually affects men who are in their fifties or older. It is a type of cancer that only affects men, as the prostrate gland is present only in the male reproductive tract. In the United States it is one of the leading cause of death from cancer in men, second only to skin cancer. Prostate cancer often goes undiagnosed when it is in the early stages of the disease, because it does not present symptoms in most men that contract it. Many men afflicted by it end up not getting therapeutic care and eventually die of prostate cancer, due to the difficulty of detecting it.
There are a number of symptoms that may indicate prostate cancer in its early stages: the need to urinate frequently, especially at night; having difficulty starting urination or maintaining a steady flow of urine; feeling a burning sensation or pain when urinating; experiencing pain when ejaculating; having difficulty in getting an erection; discovering blood in the urine or semen. However, having one or more of these symptoms does not provide conclusive evidence that one has early-stage prostate cancer. These symptoms can also be caused by several other diseases or conditions. If you have one or more of these symptoms, seek out medical consultation to find out what exactly is the cause of them.
There are a number of symptoms that can present themselves in the later stages of prostate cancer, when the cancer tends to migrate to other areas of the body, such as the bones. The most common symptom of advanced prostate cancer is experiencing pain in one’s bones, particularly the bones of the spine, pelvis, and ribs. Prostate cancer that has spread to the spinal column may bring about the constriction of the spinal cord, causing further symptoms, like incontinence or weakness in the legs.
How do you know if you are at risk for prostate cancer? Is there a way for you to diagnose it yourself, by noting if prostate cancer symptoms appear? The truth is, prostate cancer is a disease that is still little understood, and nobody really knows what causes it. It is also a disease that rarely presents symptoms, and what symptoms it may cause tend to be indications of other conditions as well--there is no single specific indication of the early stages of prostate cancer.
Prostate cancer usually affects men who are in their fifties or older. It is a type of cancer that only affects men, as the prostrate gland is present only in the male reproductive tract. In the United States it is one of the leading cause of death from cancer in men, second only to skin cancer. Prostate cancer often goes undiagnosed when it is in the early stages of the disease, because it does not present symptoms in most men that contract it. Many men afflicted by it end up not getting therapeutic care and eventually die of prostate cancer, due to the difficulty of detecting it.
There are a number of symptoms that may indicate prostate cancer in its early stages: the need to urinate frequently, especially at night; having difficulty starting urination or maintaining a steady flow of urine; feeling a burning sensation or pain when urinating; experiencing pain when ejaculating; having difficulty in getting an erection; discovering blood in the urine or semen. However, having one or more of these symptoms does not provide conclusive evidence that one has early-stage prostate cancer. These symptoms can also be caused by several other diseases or conditions. If you have one or more of these symptoms, seek out medical consultation to find out what exactly is the cause of them.
There are a number of symptoms that can present themselves in the later stages of prostate cancer, when the cancer tends to migrate to other areas of the body, such as the bones. The most common symptom of advanced prostate cancer is experiencing pain in one’s bones, particularly the bones of the spine, pelvis, and ribs. Prostate cancer that has spread to the spinal column may bring about the constriction of the spinal cord, causing further symptoms, like incontinence or weakness in the legs.
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