Mortality and biochemical recurrence after surgery, brachytherapy, or external radiotherapy for localized prostate cancer: a 10-year follow-up cohort study.

To compare the effectiveness at ten years of follow-up of radical prostatectomy, brachytherapy and external radiotherapy, in terms of overall survival, prostate cancer-specific mortality and biochemical recurrence. Cohort of men diagnosed with localized prostate cancer (T1/T2 and low/intermediate risk) from ten Spanish hospitals, followed for 10 years. The treatment selection was decided jointly by patients and physicians.

Comparative Effectiveness Research in Localized Prostate Cancer: A 10-Year Follow-up Cohort Study.

Purpose: Long-term comparative effectiveness research on localized prostate cancer treatments is scarce, and evidence is lacking especially for brachytherapy. The aim of this study was to assess the long-term impact of the side effects of radical prostatectomy, brachytherapy, and external radiation therapy on patients with localized prostate cancer at 10 years, using propensity score analyses.

Methods And Materials: This was a prospective observational study of a cohort of men who received a diagnosis of clinically localized prostate cancer (clinical stage T1 or T2, low and intermediate risk group) and were treated with radical prostatectomy (n = 139), brachytherapy (n = 317), or external radiation therapy (n = 194).

Comparing European countries' performances in the transition towards the Circular Economy.

The aim of the present research is to compare the performances of the 28 EU Member States in the period 2006-2016 in order to assess their progress towards the achievement of circular economy objectives. This study overviews the conceptual background, that informed the implemented measures so as to create an accumulation of knowledge which focuses on the one hand on "Reduction, Reuse, Recycling" actions, and on the other hand on the main impact areas of circular economy activities. Furthermore, the evaluation of these actions and their impacts were carried out correlating Growth Domestic Products in Purchasing Power Standards data with quantitative indicators: Produced Municipal Waste - PMW, Produced Food Waste - PFW, Municipal Waste Recycling rate - MWRr, Domestic Material Consumption - DMC, Production Material Reuse rate - PMRr, Market rate of Recyclable Raw Materials - MrRRM.

Mechanistic modelling of prostate-specific antigen dynamics shows potential for personalized prediction of radiation therapy outcome.

External beam radiation therapy is a widespread treatment for prostate cancer. The ensuing patient follow-up is based on the evolution of the prostate-specific antigen (PSA). Serum levels of PSA decay due to the radiation-induced death of tumour cells and cancer recurrence usually manifest as a rising PSA.

Quality of life impact of treatments for localized prostate cancer: cohort study with a 5 year follow-up.

Purpose: To assess long-term quality of life (QoL) impact of treatments in localized prostate cancer patients treated with radical prostatectomy, external beam radiotherapy or brachytherapy.

Material And Methods: Observational, prospective cohort study with pre-treatment QoL evaluation and follow-up until five years after treatment. 704 patients with low or intermediate risk localized prostate cancer were consecutively recruited in 2003-2005.

DNA fragmentation dynamics allows the assessment of cryptic sperm damage in human: evaluation of exposure to ionizing radiation, hyperthermia, acidic pH and nitric oxide.

Sperm DNA fragmentation (SDF) is not a static seminal parameter, since the longevity of sperm DNA decreases progressively with time following ejaculation or thawing. While the dynamics of SDF is a species-specific characteristic, in the case of humans, there is still significant variation within patients. To evaluate the suitability of the dynamic SDF assay to assess the adverse effects of agents that cause genetic damage, fresh semen samples from different donors were exposed in vitro to (1) increasing acute doses of ionizing radiation, (2) elevated temperature (41 °C and 45 °C), (3) acidic pH (pH 4) and (4) the nitric oxide (NO) donor sodium nitroprusside (SNP).

Brachytherapy for the treatment of recurrent prostate cancer after radiotherapy or radical prostatectomy.

What's known on the subject? and What does the study add? The curative treatment of prostate cancer includes surgery, external beam radiation or interstitial radiation. However, a high percentage of patients may develop recurrent disease, which is often localised. The possibilities of treatment in these cases, including surgery or adjuvant radiotherapy, are not well defined.

Quality-of-life impact of primary treatments for localized prostate cancer in patients without hormonal treatment.

Purpose: Earlier studies evaluating the effect on quality of life (QoL) of localized prostate cancer interventions included patients receiving adjuvant hormone therapy, which could have affected their outcomes. Our objective was to compare the QoL impact of the three most common primary treatments on patients who were not receiving adjuvant hormonal treatment.

Patients And Methods: This was a prospective study of 435 patients treated with radical prostatectomy, external-beam radiotherapy, or brachytherapy.

[Evaluation of the quality of life of patients with localizad prostate cancer: validation of the Spanish version of the EPIC].

Background And Objective: The EPIC (Expanded Prostate Cancer Index Composite) is a specific questionnaire for patients with prostate cancer designed to evaluate the impact of treatments on their quality of life. It contains 50 items divided in 4 summaries: urinary, intestinal, sexual and hormonal. The objective was to adapt the EPIC to Spanish and to evaluate its metric characteristics.

Health-related quality of life 2 years after treatment with radical prostatectomy, prostate brachytherapy, or external beam radiotherapy in patients with clinically localized prostate cancer.

Purpose: To compare treatment impact on health-related quality of life (HRQL) in patients with localized prostate cancer, from before treatment to 2 years after the intervention.

Methods And Materials: This was a longitudinal, prospective study of 614 patients with localized prostate cancer treated with radical prostatectomy (134), three-dimensional external conformal radiotherapy (205), and brachytherapy (275). The HRQL questionnaires administered before and after treatment (months 1, 3, 6, 12, and 24) were the Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short Form, the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy (General and Prostate Specific), the Expanded Prostate Cancer Index Composite (EPIC), and the American Urological Association Symptom Index.

Innovation technology and application issues in Italian e-healthcare.

This work commences with a theoretical discussion about the relationship between innovation technology and application issues in Italian public and private healthcare. It argues that three contexts are important, namely, the "task", "normative" and "organisational" environments. The second part of the paper reports some findings from research, quantitative and qualitative approach, in progress.

Preoperative chemoradiotherapy for rectal cancer: randomized trial comparing oral uracil and tegafur and oral leucovorin vs. intravenous 5-fluorouracil and leucovorin.

Purpose: To compare, in a randomized trial, 5-fluorouracil (FU) plus leucovorin (LV) (FU+LV) vs. oral uracil and tegafur (UFT) plus LV (UFT+LV) given concomitantly with preoperative irradiation in patients with cT3-4 or N+ rectal cancer.

Methods And Materials: A total of 155 patients were entered onto the trial.