RARP: ‘Little clear benefit’ compared to open surgery
October 20th 2014Robot-assisted radical prostatectomy is associated with a lower rate of blood transfusion and shorter length of stay compared to open surgery. However, the total first-year reimbursement is higher for RARP and there is no difference between the two procedures in the rate of postoperative complications or use of additional cancer treatment, according to an analysis of contemporary data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Medicare-linked database.
Protective patch linked to erectile function recovery
October 20th 2014The application of dehydrated human amniotic membrane as a therapeutic patch covering the neurovascular bundle may have profound effects on the early recovery of erectile function in men undergoing nerve-sparing, robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy, a retrospective study suggests.
Second mCRPC agent shows significant benefit pre-chemo
October 17th 2014Abiraterone acetate (ZYTIGA) as therapy for chemotherapy-naïve metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) improved overall survival by a statistically significant 19% compared with placebo in the final analysis of the phase III COU-AA-302 clinical trial.
Second agent shows significant benefit in mCRPC pre-chemo
October 6th 2014Abiraterone acetate (ZYTIGA) as therapy for chemotherapy-naïve metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer improved overall survival by a statistically significant 19% compared with placebo in the final analysis of the phase III COU-AA-302 clinical trial.
USPSTF PSA grade has ‘minimal’ impact on screening
September 29th 2014The effect of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force’s controversial grade “D” recommendation regarding PSA-based screening for prostate cancer “has been minimal at best,” according to a research letter that also shows a “shocking” level of statewide variance in screening, a leading prostate cancer expert said.
Medicare to cover one PCa test, PPO covers another
September 29th 2014The ConfirmMDx for Prostate Cancer test qualifies for Medicare coverage effective Nov. 3, 2014, MDxHealth SA announced, while the maker of a second test, the Decipher Prostate Cancer Classifier, has added a new preferred provider organization to expand coverage of that test.
Data suggest racial disparity in high-risk PCa treatment
September 29th 2014Results of a study analyzing data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results program add to evidence of race-related disparity in receipt of treatment for prostate cancer, but show that having health insurance reduces the difference in care.
DHEA levels may predict response to advanced PCa agent
September 29th 2014Results of a phase II study from the Prostate Cancer Clinical Trials Consortium show that abiraterone acetate (ZYTIGA) has modest clinical activity in men with progressive metastatic castrate-resistant prostate cancer previously treated with ketoconazole.
ADT overuse remains a problem among some urologists
September 24th 2014Inappropriate use of a gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist for androgen deprivation therapy of localized prostate cancer fell dramatically following implementation of reimbursement cuts mandated by the Medicare Modernization Act of 2003, but overuse remains problematic, according to research presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology annual meeting in Chicago.
Low-risk PCa: Patients can make an informed decision
September 23rd 2014In this interview, Ian Thompson, MD, answers questions about the downside of diagnosing low-risk prostate cancer, the burdens of active surveillance and how to minimize them, and how his own approach to screening and biopsy have changed.
PCa test predicts aggressiveness, influences treatment
September 22nd 2014The Decipher Prostate Cancer Classifier test predicts disease aggressiveness, influences treatment decisions, and predicts which patients may benefit from post-prostatectomy radiation therapy, according to findings from three studies presented at the American Society for Radiation Oncology annual meeting in San Francisco.
Approval of enzalutamide pre-chemo a ‘game changer’
September 16th 2014The FDA’s approval of enzalutamide (XTANDI) to treat metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) in the pre-chemotherapy setting is a potential game changer for both patients and treating physicians, especially urologists, according to leaders in the prostate cancer field.
AR splice variant predicts resistance to PCa treatments
September 8th 2014Metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer patients whose tumors contain the androgen receptor (AR)-V7 splice variant are less likely to respond to enzalutamide (XTANDI) and abiraterone acetate (ZYTIGA), recent study results indicate.
Study: Androgen inhibitor reduces death risk by 27%
August 25th 2014Presentations of phase III data at the American Society of Clinical Oncology annual meeting in Chicago further support the conclusion that the oral androgen receptor inhibitor enzalutamide (XTANDI) addresses an unmet therapeutic need for metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer in the pre-chemotherapy setting.