Quest Spring 2013 : Page 5
Frequently Asked Questions: The URF has a frequently asked question section on its website: www.drcatalona.com Please check this section to review Dr. Catalona’s responses to frequent questions from his patients. Male-pattern Baldness and Prostate Cancer Treatment Options for Older, Healthy Men Q Are there any studies on correlation between male-pattern baldness and prostate cancer? Yes. They suggest that men with male-pattern baldness have a higher risk for prostate cancer. Q When a vigorous man in his early 80’s is diagnosed with prostate cancer, what are his treatment options? Warren Buffet is a good recent example. In general the options are active surveillance or radiotherapy. I believe that external beam radiation is the preferred form. I do not think that proton beam or cyberknife are necessary. I usually recommend IMRT (intensity-modulated radiation therapy). “Seeds” (brachytherapy) are also an option, but they have to be inserted with perfect geometry and therefore are “operator dependent” and cannot be used if the prostate is too large or in men who have had a prior trans-uretheral resection of the prostate. A A Inflammation and free PSA Can inflammation of the prostate affect the free PSA level as well as the PSA level? Q A Yes, but because free PSA is a smaller molecule, it is cleared from the blood stream by the kidneys more quickly and thus its levels return to normal more quickly than PSA bound to proteins. New Drug Approved for Treatment Before Chemotherapy biraterone Acetate (Zytiga) , one of the new treatments for metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer, has been FDA approved – in combination with prednisone – to treat men prior to chemotherapy . Previously, it was only approved for men who had received prior chemotherapy (docetaxel) with the goal being to target bone metastases from prostate cancer that no longer responded to chemotherapy. The last Q UEST issue included an article on new treatments available for metastatic castrate-resistant prostate cancer (Winter 2012, page 11) and in it reported that a recent study showed abiraterone acetate is beneficial both A Mirabegron I read about FDA approval of a new drug for incontinence, mirabegron (Mybetriq). Will the drug assist in regaining continence after a radical prostatectomy? In most cases, incontinence after radical prostatectomy is due to a weak urinary sphincter muscle. This type of incontinence seldom responds to drug therapy. If incontinence is due to an overactive bladder, drug therapy sometimes is helpful. Q A in patients who have and those who have not received chemotherapy. Now, patients will have the treatment available sooner. Patients in the clinical trial who received a combination of Zytiga (abiraterone) and the steroid, prednisone, were 57% less likely to see their cancer advance. The treatment also delayed the onset of pain. Additional new treatments were described in the article as well. (See www.drcatalona.com for the complete article.) Brothers and Prostate Cancer We have a commitment to educate the public about prostate cancer. We send Q UEST free to everyone who requests it. In order to continue our mission of providing lifesaving information, we need your support. Q UEST Spring 2013 A recent Swedish study (Jansson KF) suggested a relationship between the aggressive and non-aggressive prospect for prostate cancer in brothers diagnosed with the disease. Research in prostate cancer seems to show that genetic factors are of greater importance in this disease than in other forms of cancer. This study found that brothers of men with high-grade prostate cancer are at an increased risk of high-grade prostate cancer. And brothers of men with less aggressive prostate cancers are a predictor of less aggressive prostate cancers within the family. 5
New Drug Approved For Treatment Before Chemotherapy
A biraterone Acetate (Zytiga), one of the new treatments for metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer, has been FDA approved – in combination with prednisone – to treat men prior to chemotherapy.<br /> <br /> Previously, it was only approved for men who had received prior chemotherapy (docetaxel) with the goal being to target bone metastases from prostate cancer that no longer responded to chemotherapy.<br /> <br /> The last QUEST issue included an article on new treatments available for metastatic castrate-resistant prostate cancer (Winter 2012, page 11) and in it reported that a recent study showed abiraterone acetate is beneficial both in patients who have and those who have not received chemotherapy.<br /> <br /> Now, patients will have the treatment available sooner.<br /> <br /> Patients in the clinical trial who received a combination of Zytiga (abiraterone) and the steroid, prednisone, were 57% less likely to see their cancer advance. The treatment also delayed the onset of pain.<br /> <br /> Additional new treatments were described in the article as well. (See www.drcatalona.com for the complete article.)
Brothers And Prostate Cancer
A recent Swedish study (Jansson KF) suggested a relationship between the aggressive and non-aggressive prospect for prostate cancer in brothers diagnosed with the disease.<br /> <br /> Research in prostate cancer seems to show that genetic factors are of greater importance in this disease than in other forms of cancer.<br /> <br /> This study found that brothers of men with high-grade prostate cancer are at an increased risk of highgrade prostate cancer.<br /> <br /> And brothers of men with less aggressive prostate cancers are a predictor of less aggressive prostate cancers within the family.
Publication List
