PCa Commentary #163 – DECIPHER GENOMIC CLASSIFIER: Its Risk Predictions Assist in Decision-Making.
Heterogeneity is the Achilles heel of prostate cancer staging. Intermediate-risk cancers with Gleason Score 3+4 and 4+3 (i.e., Grade Groups 2 and 3) are especially fraught with this complexity. A report, “Molecular Analysis of Low-Grade Prostate Cancer Using...
Information About COVID-19 for Prostate Cancer Patients
COVID-19, short for coronavirus disease 2019, is an infection caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). SARS-CoV-2 is a newly identified pathogen that has not previously been seen in humans and is highly contagious. Though it belongs to...
U.S. Congress Increases Funding for Prostate Cancer Research for FY 2020
To foster more research projects in prostate cancer, the U.S. Congress has increased funding for the Department of Defense’s Prostate Cancer Research Program (PCRP) by $10 million, to $110 million, for fiscal year 2020. To read the full article click here.
Celebs in Parody Video Urge Support for Movember to Raise Prostate Cancer Awareness
In a lighthearted twist on a serious goal of raising awareness and funds for prostate cancer, the Movember Foundation is again encouraging gents to join glitterati in celebrating the moustache. The annual event is called Movember, a blending of the Australian-English...
Brachytherapy Beneficial in Low Risk Prostate Cancer
Low-dose-rate (LDR) brachytherapy with or without androgen deprivation therapy may be the optimal treatment option for men with T1c to T3a prostate cancer (PCa), according to a new retrospective study published in Oncology Letters. For full article click HERE.
FDA Approves Erleada to Treat Metastatic Castration-Sensitive Prostate Cancer
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Erleada (apalutamide) for the treatment of men with metastatic castration-sensitive prostate cancer (mCSPC), or those whose cancer still responds to androgen deprivation therapy (ADT). To read the full article...
Largest-ever African American Prostate Cancer Study Seeks Participants
African American men recently diagnosed with prostate cancer are being recruited across the U.S. for the largest-ever prostate cancer study in this ethnic group. The study is a joint effort by prostate cancer researchers and experts from around the country and will...
Prostate Cancer’s Risk and Mortality Dropping or Stabilizing
Prostate cancer’s incidence and deadliness has declined or stabilized in much of the world in recent years, with the greatest decrease in risk evident in the U.S., a study reports. Read full article here.
Patient Survey on Impact of Prostate Cancer
Men who are diagnosed with prostate cancer at later stages of the disease are more likely to say that their disease has affected several aspects of their life, including their self-esteem, how they share feelings with others, and how they feel about their sexual...
Bucking Landmark U.S. Recommendation, Oncologist Urges PSA Screening
Despite a United State Preventative Service Task Force 2012 conclusion that routine tests for prostate cancer are unnecessary, a prominent oncologist believes such screenings should be encouraged. Click HERE to read the full article.
Prostate Cancer Scoring Method May Not Accurately Predict Outcomes in Black Men
Black men diagnosed with prostate cancer are 2 times more likely to actually have a more aggressive, fatal form of the disease than those of other races, suggesting that the current prostate cancer score method may be underestimating the risk of death among black...
Top Ten Steps to Fight Prostate Cancer
If you have been diagnosed with prostate cancer, these steps will help you understand what to do next.
10-Year Survival of Young Low- and Intermediate-risk Prostate Cancer Patients Better with Radiation than Surgery
Radiation Therapy approaches — including brachytherapy and external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) — lead to better 10-year survival rates than prostate surgery in young patients with low- and intermediate-risk prostate cancer, a study shows. The research,...
Prostate Cancer Free Foundation Study Update
The Prostate Cancer Free Foundation has published an updated version of the comparative analysis study. The update represents the treatment outcomes of over 119,000 men. Click here for the update:
PSA TESTING CUTS DEATHS, Shows Value of Long Term Screening
The longest screening study on prostate cancer shows blood test measuring the levels of PSA, a well-known marker of prostate cancer, cuts deaths from the disease by nearly 30%. The study followed 20,000 men in Sweden for more than two decades and was featured...
Study Shows Radiation Treatments Delay Metastasis, Recurrence in Aggressive Prostate Cancers
A recent study shows that patients with aggressive forms of prostate cancer, who undergo radiation therapy- including external beam radiation therapy and brachytherapy- experience longer periods of time before metastasis or cancer...
Support the Foundation while you shop for the holidays
Black Friday and Cyber Monday are two of the busiest shopping days of the year. Support us when you shop on Amazon on Black Friday, Cyber Monday and the holiday season. Begin your Amazon shopping on this link: smile.amazon.com/ch/27-4434212 and Amazon donates to the...
75% of men with slow-growing prostate cancer fail to get appropriate follow-up
A recent study out of Australia found that nearly 3 out of 4 men with slow-growing prostate cancer, that chose to pursue active surveillance, are not receiving the appropriate follow-up to monitor the disease. These men are not getting the follow-up they need, and in...
3 in 4 Americans are Unaware Prostate Cancer Doesn’t Have Early Symptoms
When it comes to Prostate Cancer awareness, we have a ways to go here in the US. Recent study found that nearly 3 out of 4 Americans are unaware that early-stage prostate cancer has a lack of noticeable symptoms, and less than one-third know that men could receive...
Prostate Cancer Diagnosis – Do You Really Know “All” Your Treatment Options?
A Prostate Cancer diagnosis can be devastating and understanding the available treatment options can be overwhelming and is often more perplexing and confusing than the diagnosis itself. Leading to the confusion, there are many treatment options for prostate cancer,...
Early diagnosis is key to surviving prostate cancer
Dr. Gregory Merrick says the key to surviving prostate cancer is to undergo screening for early prostate cancer detection. That combined with a healthy lifestyle is key to men's health. You can read his whole interview here: "Early Diagnosis Remains Key to Surviving...
PCa Commentary
Expert Commentary On The Latest Prostate Cancer Topics
Written by Dr. Ed Weber
PCa Commentary is a well-researched, clearly presented commentary targeted to medical providers and others interested in current prostate cancer treatment. Each PCa Commentary edition offers an analysis of new developments in the field of prostate cancer with essays discussing and evaluating treatment management options for this disease.
PCa Commentary # 177 – DECIPHER: Predicting Prognosis and Assisting Treatment Decisions
Decipher assays the RNA expression of 22 genes and estimates the rate of distant metastases at 5 years and prostate cancer-specific mortality at 10 years, thus providing risk stratification to assist in treatment decisions. Three examples: providing guidance for men...
PCa Commentary #176 – PARP Inhibition with Olaparib: — A Potential New Indication for First-line Therapy for Metastatic Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer
But First, the Biology of Inhibition of PARP (Poly (ADP-Ribose) Polymerase): Briefly. In the myriad of cell divisions random mistakes are made in the faithful transcription of DNA into daughter cells. Some errors are of no consequence (passenger mutations),...
PCa Commentary #175 – Metastatic Hormone Sensitive Prostate Cancer (mHSPC):
Treatment regimens for mHSPC have been multiply meta-analyzed, likely because of its increasing occurrence. “mHSPC” refers to metastatic cancer imaged at initial diagnosis prior to primary therapy. The higher incidence may be due to the decrease in PSA testing...
PCa Commentary #173 – Sequencing Bat With Xtandi: An Effective Option
Bipolar Androgen Therapy (BAT) has been validated as an effective, but likely underused, option in the sequence of treatments for metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). What is BAT and Where Does It Fit In? BAT is the monthly cyclic elevation of...
PCa Commentary #174 – MANAGING BIOCHEMICAL FAILURE AFTER RADIATION THERAPY — The Importance of Considering Both PSA and PSA Doubling Time.
The set-point for biochemical failure was standardized in 2006 based on a consensus conference of experts in Phoenix, Arizona. The value agreed upon was “PSA + 2 ng/mL above the post-radiation PSA nadir — hence the “Phoenix Definition.” (Roach et...
PCa Commentary #172 – METASTASES DIRECTED THERAPY (MDT): Can Concomitant Hormone Suppression Be Avoided?
Metastases Directed Therapy refers to targeted radiation, i.e., such as CyberKnife, directed at a few metastatic lesions, (osseous or nodal), usually 3 - 5, for the purpose of controlling all imageable disease, delaying cancer progression and, if not accompanied by...
PCa Commentary #171 – Nonmetastatic Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer: The “Ides” of Androgen Receptor Inhibition – Enzalutamide, Apalutamide and Darolutamide.
Nonmetastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (nmCRPC) is a transient, heterogeneous state that progresses to metastatic disease. nmCRPC is defined as a rising PSA after primary therapy in association with a castrate level of testosterone (<50 ng/mL) while...
PCa Commentary #170 – ACTIVE SURVEILLANCE (AS) for Men with Favorable-Intermediate Risk (F-IR) Prostate Cancer: Patient Selection and the Role of MRI Monitoring.
The key to optimal outcomes in active surveillance is careful patient selection and monitoring of participants during AS. MRI guided biopsy at initial diagnosis: Lee et al., Korean J Radiol. 2021 Jul, argue that in men in whom there is a clinical suspicion of prostate...
PCa Commentary #169 – ANDROGEN DEPRIVATION THERAPY (ADT) and Radiotherapy: Basic Mechanisms and New Developments.
Any man diagnosed with prostate cancer is likely aware that lowering testosterone (T) levels achieves control of the cancer at various stages of the disease. Question: What is the underlying biology and function of that therapeutic maneuver (androgen deprivation...
PCa Commentary #168 – De Novo Metastatic Castration-Sensitive Prostate Cancer: (mHSPC) — Many Options for Treatment
The incidence of metastatic prostate cancer at diagnosis, i.e., metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer has increased, partly due to the fallout from the 2012 Task Force recommendation against screening, particularly increasing in men older than 75 years. This...
UNDERSTANDING PROSTATE CANCER
What is Prostate Cancer?
What is Prostate Cancer, the Symptoms, Risk Factors? What does the Prostate do, where is it located?
Prostate Cancer Recurrence.
For Some, Cancer Returns After Treatment. Compare Treatments. Increase Your Odds of Remaining in Remission.
Treating Prostate Cancer.
Patients have options when it comes to the prostate cancer treatments. Learn about your treatment options.
Remission versus Recurrence?
Relapse of prostate cancer is way more common than you might think. Many men treated for prostate cancer have their cancer return, which can lead to a lifetime of treatment. Prostate Cancer Free studies treatment outcomes documented in "The STUDY", recently updated for 2021. Take this Study to your doctor, and discuss your chance of cancer recurrence. The Study is available with the new, just released booklet, to help you learn about prostate cancer. Both the Prostate Cancer Free Study and the booklet, “What You Need to Know About Prostate Cancer” are available NOW for you to VIEW, PRINT or DOWNLOAD.
Help To Continue the Work!
The Prostate Cancer Free Foundation, reviews the results of hundreds of thousands of men treated for prostate cancer. Tracking them for years. This information is available to you, and others like you, to help find the best prostate cancer treatment. This work takes time, effort, resources all of it done by volunteers. Please help us continue. Please Donate!