A Collaborative Analysis of Individual Participant Data from 19 Prospective Studies Assesses Circulating Vitamin D and Prostate Cancer Risk.

Previous prospective studies assessing the relationship between circulating concentrations of vitamin D and prostate cancer risk have shown inconclusive results, particularly for risk of aggressive disease. In this study, we examine the association between prediagnostic concentrations of 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] and 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D [1,25(OH)D] and the risk of prostate cancer overall and by tumor characteristics. Principal investigators of 19 prospective studies provided individual participant data on circulating 25(OH)D and 1,25(OH)D for up to 13,462 men with incident prostate cancer and 20,261 control participants.

SWOG S0353: Phase II trial of intravesical gemcitabine in patients with nonmuscle invasive bladder cancer and recurrence after 2 prior courses of intravesical bacillus Calmette-Guérin.

Purpose: Prior phase II studies of intravesical gemcitabine have shown it to be active and well tolerated, but durable responses in patients with nonmuscle invasive bladder cancer who have experienced recurrence after bacillus Calmette-Guérin treatment are uncommon. We performed a multi-institutional phase II study within the SWOG (Southwest Oncology Group) cooperative group to evaluate the potential role of gemcitabine induction plus maintenance therapy in this setting.

Materials And Methods: Eligible patients had recurrent nonmuscle invasive bladder cancer, stage Tis (carcinoma in situ), T1, Ta high grade or multifocal Ta low grade after at least 2 prior courses of bacillus Calmette-Guérin.

Phase II evaluation of early oral estramustine, oral etoposide, and intravenous paclitaxel combined with hormonal therapy in patients with high-risk metastatic prostate adenocarcinoma: Southwest Oncology Group S0032.

Objectives: To assess the efficacy of a multiagent taxane-based chemotherapy combined with hormonal therapy in men with metastatic androgen-dependent prostate cancer in a multicenter, cooperative group, single-arm trial.

Methods: A total of 41 patients with newly diagnosed metastatic prostate cancer involving both the axial and the appendicular skeletons or viscera were enrolled. Of the 41 patients, 35 were treated with combined androgen blockade and ≤4 cycles of oral estramustine (280 mg orally 3 times daily) and etoposide (50 mg/m(2) daily) for 14 days of each 21-day cycle, with paclitaxel (135 mg/m(2) intravenously within 1 hour) on day 2 of each cycle.

A sequential treatment approach to myoinvasive urothelial cancer: a phase II Southwest Oncology Group trial (S0219).

Purpose: We conducted a phase II trial of neoadjuvant paclitaxel, carboplatin and gemcitabine as well as transurethral resection of bladder tumor to evaluate the clinical T0 (cT0) rate with paclitaxel, carboplatin and gemcitabine, and to study cystoscopic surveillance or immediate cystectomy for patients with cT0 status following chemotherapy.

Materials And Methods: Patients with T2-T4a chemotherapy and radiation naive urothelial cancer were eligible. T2+ tumor had to be diagnosed by transurethral bladder tumor resection followed by a second transurethral bladder tumor resection to confirm persistent disease within 16 weeks of the first resection.

COOPERATIVE GROUP TRIALS - SOUTHWEST ONCOLOGY GROUP (SWOG) INNOVATIONS IN ADVANCED PROSTATE CANCER.

The major goals of the SWOG-GU committee in the area of advanced prostate cancer are to improve the survival and quality of life of patients with advanced prostate cancer. SWOG trials have examined the role of combined androgen blockade, intermittent androgen deprivation, and the early application of chemotherapy in castration-naïve disease. In addition, they have contributed to advancing the current chemotherapy standard of docetaxel plus prednisone, and ongoing trials seek to improve upon that standard.