MoNews 6/28/11

PCA3 May Help Predict Insignificant Prostate Cancer

http://www.renalandurologynews.com/pca3-may-help-predict-insignificant-prostate-cancer/article/206308/

- Prostate cancer gene 3 (PCA3) may be a valuable predictor of pathologically confirmed low volume disease and insignificant prostate cancer (PCa)

- PCA3 urine test may be a good predictor of low-volume disease and may have a future role in managing patients on active surveillance protocols.

- “When you shed PCA3 cells in the urine you can get a PCA3 score and that means if you have a cancer in your prostate you will have a higher quantity of PCA3”

- “If what is sloughed off in the urine is reflective of what is happening in the prostate it would have tremendous application in not just in detecting cancer but also in monitoring patients who are now subjected to serial biopsies”

- The PCA3 test is approved in Europe and its approval is being considered by the FDA.

 

MoNews 6/24/11

Prostate Cancer Treatment Study: Immunotherapy Drug Treatments for Prostate Cancer - Progress and Setbacks - SMART Surgery

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/prostate-cancer-treatment-study--immunotherapy-drug-treatments-for-prostate-cancer---progress-and-setbacks-124443533.html

- researchers have dreamed of curing prostate cancer with targeted drugs

- Recent approvals of immuno-modulatory drugs Provenge and Yervoy represent considerable progress in this domain, as they have already been shown to improve survival rates in certain types of metastatic prostate cancer

- "There is no doubt that these drugs represent a great scientific accomplishment. However, they do not eradicate all of the cancer cells in the body. They do delay prostate cancer recurrence but, eventually, the disease can become resistant to their effects."

- In contrast to these new drugs, robotic prostatectomy has been shown to provide one of the highest prostate cure rates of any primary treatment.

- Using SMART Surgery (Samadi Modified Advanced Robotic Technique), Dr. Samadi is able to preserve the delicate nerve bundles responsible for urinary control and sexual function. This technique not only cures cancer in 97% of his patients, but also preserves sexual and urinary function among 85% and 96% of his patients, respectively.

- "While the new drugs can put up a good fight against prostate cancer, there's only one way to win the war against this disease, and that's surgery"

 

MoNews 6/22/11

Men can recover from side effects of prostate treatment, experts say

http://www.privatemdlabs.com/blood-testing-news/Prostate/Men-can-recover-from-side-effects-of-prostate-treatment--experts-say---$800535475.php

This is EXACTLY what happened to my father-in-law.  He ignored his elevated PSA score because he was getting re-married, and he didn't want to face the possibility of having any problems with his sex-life.  As a result, he never went back to the doctor to follow up, until he was doubled-over in pain one day, about 2 years later.  Then it was too late, and he was told that he had inoperable prostate cancer and that he probably had 3 years to live.

- Following a positive PSA test for prostate cancer, men have many concerns. Chief among these is often the worry that they won’t be able to enjoy a satisfying sex life after they have surgery or radiation therapy to treat the condition. However, experts say that this is frequently not the case.

- men often confuse psychological conditions with physical hindrances following surgery. However, talking through these issues may help them regain a normal sex life.

- "On average, 8 out of 10 men I see who have had prostate surgery continue having sex lives afterwards”

- fear of sexual and other side effects is one of the main reasons men give for not seeking prostate treatment early, but experts say this is no excuse for not seeking PSA testing.

 

MoNews 6/21/11

 

Prostate cancer cured in mice: Are humans next?

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504763_162-20072689-10391704.html

This is an excellent follow up article from yesterday's news.

There is still a lot of work to do, but this is clearly exciting news!

- (CBS) There's still no cure for prostate cancer, but scientists may be closing in on one. They say they've developed a vaccine that destroys even advanced prostate tumors without any side effects.

- By using DNA from healthy prostate cells, the researchers created a vaccine that tricks the immune system to think existing tumors are antigens - like an invading flu virus, for example - thus triggering its antibodies to destroy the tumors.

- In mice, 80 percent of prostate cancer cells were destroyed without harming healthy tissue, the Daily Mail reported.

- How far off is a human version of the vaccine cure? Study author Dr. Richard Vile, professor of immunology at the Mayo Clinic, told HealthDay it might take "three to five years." He said more research was needed to clear some FDA hurdles.

 

Smokers face higher prostate cancer risk

http://www.khaleejtimes.com/Displayarticle09.asp?section=health&xfile=data/health/2011/June/health_June48.xml

- Smokers who are diagnosed with prostate cancer are more likely to have aggressive tumors and face a higher death risk from the disease than non-smokers.

- Men who smoked at the time of diagnosis faced 61 percent higher risk of dying from prostate cancer and a 61 percent higher chance that the cancer would come back compared to men who never smoked, said researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health and University of California, San Francisco.

- “For smokers, quitting can impact their risk of dying from prostate cancer. This is another reason to not smoke.”

 

 

MoBlog 6/20/11

Human Vaccine Cures Prostate Cancer in Mice

http://www.popsci.com/science/article/2011-06/human-vaccine-cures-prostate-cancer-mice

- Amazing potential... Reported by Popular Science magazine...

- By injecting snippets of complementary DNA from a healthy prostate into viruses, and in turn injecting the viruses into mice with prostate cancer, Mayo Clinic researchers have coaxed the mice's immune systems into eradicating the cancer. CDC

- Mayo Clinic researchers and collaborators from the UK have apparently cured mice with well-established prostate tumors with no visible side effects via a new kind of tumor vaccine

- The findings are preliminary but promising. Geneticists basically assembled a complementary DNA library from healthy prostate tissue and inserted snippets of that genetic code into a swarm of viruses that were introduced to the mice intravenously. This cDNA causes the viruses to produce prostate antigens, basically sending the immune system a distress signal with the prostate’s unique signature on it.

- That’s big news for men, and could be big news for anyone affected by a variety of cancers, including lung, pancreatic, and even brain cancers

 

Virus-Expressed Normal Human cDNA Library Cures Prostate Cancer in Mice

http://www.genengnews.com/gen-news-highlights/virus-expressed-normal-human-cdna-library-cures-prostate-cancer-in-mice/81245318/

- Same news but reported in Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News.

- Researchers have developed a virus-based vaccine expressing a broad spectrum of undefined antigens from normal human prostate tissue that they claim completely eradicates established mouse prostate tumors in experimental animals.

- This is a much more technical and detailed report of the findings as reported in Nature Medicine.

 

House to cut prostate drug research

http://www.upi.com/Health_News/2011/06/18/House-to-cut-prostate-drug-research/UPI-35501308423759/?spt=hs&or=hn

- ZERO, The Project to End Prostate Cancer, says the House Appropriations Committee approved a bill that would reduce by 20 percent the Prostate Cancer Research Program, part of the Department of Defense's Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program for fiscal year 2012.

- Since 2006, funding for the program had been $80 million a year to develop new drugs, but for next year the funding would drop to $64 million, Lockwood says.

 

MoNews 6/17/11

New hope with prostate cancer treatment - Provenge

http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/story?section=news/health&id=8192832

- This is a very good 3-minute video about Provenge, a new immuno therapy treatment.

- Provenge is a custom made vaccine made from the patient's blood.

- White blood cells are pulled from the patient's bloodand then sent to the makers of the vaccine, where prostate specific proteins are added to cells in order to train them to fight the cancer cells.

- Three days later that vaccine is slowly infused back into the patient.

- This process is repeated every two weeks for a total of three treaments.

- Initial studies found that provenge increased survival by about 4 months.

- There are studies underway to see if it can one day be a method of prevention / a vaccine against prostate cancer.

- At $93,000 the treatment is expensive.

MoNews 6/15/11

Prostate cancer more lethal than previously thought

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/8571069/Prostate-cancer-more-lethal-than-previously-thought.html

- Half of men with prostate cancer die from the disease itself, according to a new study published today, exploding the myth that it is usually not fatal.

- the old notion that 'most men die with it, not of it' is simply not true for men with advanced prostate cancer.

* This is an interesting article because it could impact how to treat PC once it is discovered, even in advanced cases.

 

Next-step da Vinci: Prostate, kidneys & beyond

http://www.nbc-2.com/story/14884725/next-step-da-vinci-prostate-kidneys-beyond

- This is an excellent video and report that shows how "Da Vinci' robotic surgery is done on 90% of prostate procedures

- AND now it is being used for kidney operations and soon for kidney cancer.

- "Armed with cutting edge technology, surgeons can offer their patients less invasive options.

Putting them back on their feet in less time with less complications."

 

Toe fungus drug appears to tame prostate cancer

http://suncoastpinellas.tbo.com/content/2011/jun/14/150000/PNHEALO1-toe-fungus-drug-appears-to-tame-prostate-/news/

- 'A clinical trial at Johns Hopkins University suggests the oral antifungal medication itraconazole can slow the progress of advanced prostate cancer and delay the need for chemotherapy.'

- But... 'more research is needed because the drug has the potential to contribute to congestive heart failure and produce other side effects.'

***************************************************************************************************
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MoNews 6/13/11

Get involved ->www.Movember.com -> Grow your Mo, Save a Bro!

Thank you to our Movember Team Sponsor -> Rip Curl USAwww.RipCurl.com

 

In The MoNews Today -

 

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/deepak-chopra/prostate-cancer-screening_b_874838.html

"Prostate Cancer --- To Screen or Not To Screen?"

 

This is an excellent article from the Huffington Post that provides:

- A very good 4:26video from TheVisualMD that the article is based off of.

- An overview of what the prostate is, and some statistics that define the scope prostate cancer (PC)

- The challenges of diagnosing PC.

- Arguments FOR screening for PC.

- Arguments AGAINST screening for PC.

- Understanding your risk factors of getting PC.

- Strategies for reducing the risk of getting PC.

 

This is one of the better articles that I have read as itprovides a broad overview of the issues, and the video is a great visual that everyone interested should watch.

 

http://www.chicagotribune.com/features/tribu/ct-tribu-weigel-fathers-day-lessons-20110613,0,5398125.column

"Lessons from a full-time dad"

This is a touching and nice article from the Chicago Tribune.

- When Jim Higley was diagnosed with prostate cancer, it made him stop and savor his life.

- He used to work long hours in commercial real estate to provide money in the bank, but it gave him little connection with his kids. 

- Being diagnosed and treated for PC inspired him to quit his job in order to be a full-time dad and to write a book called "Bobblehead Dad: 25 Life Leffons I Forgot I Knew"

(Greenleaf Book Group Press, $14.95)

 

Here are the Bobblehad Dad's top 5 life lessons:

- Celebrate something every day  

- When you can't be brilliant with words, be brilliant with your arms

- Expect the unexpected

- There's only one person stopping you from who you were meant to be.

- Lessons happen every day - that's why we need to live in the moment.

 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2002884/Men-care-cars-health.html

"Men care more about cars than their health because of 'big boys don't cry' syndrome, new survey shows" ->From MailOnline

- "Nearly 70% of men find it easier to care for their cars than they do their personal health"
- Men are taught from a young age to 'tough it out' and this mindset contributes to why men are dismissive about signs of trouble.

- 'At age 40, the body begins to change and men are past the maintenance-free years.'

- The moral of the story, and this article is.... get checked regularly, and don't ignore any signs of treatable health conditions!

Welcome

Welcome to my MoMoJo blog!

I like to read the NEWS about PROSTATE cancer, because it is all MOving so fast.
Because I have been so involved with prostate cancer and men's health issues in general, I get a lot of questions from friends about the topic, so I try to keep up on the topic, and I thought it might be cool / helpful to try to capture and summarize some of the flow of news here.

I am by no means a doctor, or even a researcher, I'm just a guy who's family has been touched by prostate cancer.  This cancer that can be almost 100% avoided if detected early, so be aware, and get checked regularly.

I hope this is helpful, and I hope you will enjoy keeping informed too.

~ Sandy Goodman

Here is an excellent way to get involved -> www.Movember.com