INTERPRETATION: 6 months of neoadjuvant androgen deprivation combined radiotherapy is an effective treatment option for locally advanced prostate cancer, particularly in men without nodal metastases or pre-existing metabolic comorbidities that could be exacerbated by prolonged androgen deprivation.
This study shows that men that are undergoing radiation therapy for prostate cancer had a benefit by adding 6 months of hormonal therapy compared to no hormonal therapy.
Statins Make Radiation More Effective at Curing Prostate Cancer, Study Suggests
ScienceDaily (Mar. 25, 2011) — Men with high-risk prostate cancer who take statin drugs commonly used to lower cholesterol while receiving radiation therapy are less likely to have their cancer return than patients who do not take these medications, according to a study published in the March issue of the International Journal of Radiation Oncology•Biology•Physics, an official journal of the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO).
via Statins make radiation more effective at curing prostate cancer, study suggests.
Statins are a class of cholesterol lowering medicines that have been shown to prevent many diseases including heart disease.
There have been studies that show a benefit in prostate cancer prevention and recurrence rates.
A friend of mine, and in my opinion the world’s leading authority on clinical applications of supplements and medicines for prostate cancer prevention, Dr. Mark Moyad, is in the process at looking at statins in patients on active surveillance for prostate cancer to see if it will slow the progression of disease in these patients.
Acting on anecdotal evidence, Dr. Nelson and his co-authors, Peter Scardino, MD, and John P. Mulhall, MD, assessed the erectile function of 250 men average age, 59±8 years pre- and post-radical prostatectomy. Of the men with baseline erectile function scores ≥24 mild to no dysfunction, about one-third 32% regained function; however, well over half 60% required medication to do so. Only 13% of men reporting mild to no dysfunction prior to prostatectomy reported returning to full baseline function at 24 months without medication.
via Better patient counseling needed on post-RP erectile function – - UrologyTimes.
This study from Memorial Sloan Kettering points out that it is important to explain to patients that the ability to achieve an erection is less after surgery. Many factors account for a patients ability to recover erectile function including, age, preoperative function, sexual activity, the type of nerve sparing that can be performed (based on the amount of cancer), skill of the surgeon, type of surgery (open vs. robotic), and other factors.
I try to give an estimate of the probability of the ability to get erections after surgery with and without PDE5 medicines (viagra, levitra, cialis) for each patient.
Men with locally advanced prostate cancer (PCa) have a better chance of survival when they add radiation therapy (RT) to their hormone therapy, according to research presented at the 52nd annual meeting of the American Society for Radiation Oncology.
via Added Radiation to ADT May Improve Survival – Renal and Urology News.
This is another study that finds a survival advantage in adding radiation therapy to hormonal therapy in advanced prostate cancer. Traditionally, urologists treated these patients with hormonal therapy only since radiation was not curative.
Newer studies are showing that external beam radiation added to hormonal therapy helps people live longer. I think this is because radiation therapy is safer than it was in the past and treating the primary tumor may help prevent future metastases.
ORLANDO—Dutasteride, a drug widely prescribed for treating benign prostatic enlargement, lowers the risk of prostate cancer PCa progression in men undergoing active surveillance for the disease, researchers concluded.
via Dutasteride Slows Prostate Cancer Progression – Renal and Urology News.
Dutasteride has been used for BPH and is thought to help reduce the risk of developing prostate cancer. This study also supports its use for men on active surveillance. The medicine is mostly used for the treatment of benign enlargement of the prostate and can have sexual side effects in a small percentage of men.
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