Patients and physician satisfaction of Degarelix in androgen deprivation therapy for advanced hormone-dependent prostate cancer in the Netherlands.

Background: To explore the effectiveness and safety of the gonadotropin-releasing hormone antagonist, Degarelix, for the treatment of advanced hormone-dependent prostate cancer (PCa) in a real-world setting.

Methods: In this noninterventional study, patients with advanced hormone-dependent PCa were included. Primary endpoints were progression-free survival (PFS) failure defined as either prostate-specific antigen failure, additional therapy related to PCa, or death.

Increasing age is not associated with toxicity leading to discontinuation of treatment in patients with urothelial non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer randomised to receive 3 years of maintenance bacille Calmette-Guérin: results from European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Genito-Urinary Group study 30911.

Objective: To determine the relationship of age to side-effects leading to discontinuation of treatment in patients with stage Ta-T1 non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) treated with maintenance bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG).

Patients And Methods: We evaluated toxicity for 487 eligible patients with intermediate- or high-risk Ta-T1 (without carcinoma in situ) NMIBC randomised to receive 3 years of maintenance BCG therapy (247 BCG alone and 240 BCG + isoniazid) in European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Genito-Urinary Group trial 30911. The percentage of patients who stopped for toxicity and the number of treatment cycles that they received were compared in four age groups, ≤60, 61-70, 71-75 and >75 years, using the Mantel-Haenszel chi-square test for trend.

The effect of age on the efficacy of maintenance bacillus Calmette-Guérin relative to maintenance epirubicin in patients with stage Ta T1 urothelial bladder cancer: results from EORTC genito-urinary group study 30911.

Background: Although maintenance bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) is the recommended treatment in high-risk non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC), its efficacy in older patients is controversial.

Objective: To determine the effect of age on prognosis and treatment outcome in patients with stage Ta T1 NMIBC treated with maintenance BCG.

Design, Setting, And Participants: A total of 957 patients with intermediate- or high-risk Ta T1 (without carcinoma in situ) NMIBC were randomized in European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) trial 30911 comparing six weekly instillations of epirubicin, BCG, and BCG plus isoniazid followed by three weekly maintenance instillations over 3 yr.

Side effects of Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) in the treatment of intermediate- and high-risk Ta, T1 papillary carcinoma of the bladder: results of the EORTC genito-urinary cancers group randomised phase 3 study comparing one-third dose with full dose and 1 year with 3 years of maintenance BCG.

Background: Although bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) has proven highly effective in non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC), but it can cause severe local and systemic side effects.

Objectives: The objective was to determine whether reducing the dose or duration of BCG was associated with fewer side effects. Efficacy comparisons of one-third dose versus full dose BCG given for 1 yr versus 3 yr have previously been published.

Final results of an EORTC-GU cancers group randomized study of maintenance bacillus Calmette-Guérin in intermediate- and high-risk Ta, T1 papillary carcinoma of the urinary bladder: one-third dose versus full dose and 1 year versus 3 years of maintenance.

Background: The optimal dose and duration of intravesical bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) in the treatment of non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) are controversial.

Objective: To determine if a one-third dose (1/3D) is not inferior to the full dose (FD), if 1 yr of maintenance is not inferior to 3 yr of maintenance, and if 1/3D and 1 yr of maintenance are associated with less toxicity.

Design, Setting, And Participants: After transurethral resection, intermediate- and high-risk NMIBC patients were randomized to one of four BCG groups: 1/3D-1 yr, 1/3D-3 yr, FD-1 yr, and FD-3 yr.

Postoperative radiotherapy after radical prostatectomy for high-risk prostate cancer: long-term results of a randomised controlled trial (EORTC trial 22911).

Background: We report the long-term results of a trial of immediate postoperative irradiation versus a wait-and-see policy in patients with prostate cancer extending beyond the prostate, to confirm whether previously reported progression-free survival was sustained.

Methods: This randomised, phase 3, controlled trial recruited patients aged 75 years or younger with untreated cT0-3 prostate cancer (WHO performance status 0 or 1) from 37 institutions across Europe. Eligible patients were randomly assigned centrally (1:1) to postoperative irradiation (60 Gy of conventional irradiation to the surgical bed for 6 weeks) or to a wait-and-see policy until biochemical progression (increase in prostate-specific antigen >0·2 μg/L confirmed twice at least 2 weeks apart).

Modified UroVysion scoring criteria increase the urothelial carcinoma detection rate in cases of equivocal urinary cytology.

Aims: UroVysion(®) is a four-target fluorescence in situ hybridization technique for the detection of urothelial carcinoma (UC) in urinary cytology. The aim of this retrospective study was to investigate the UC detection rate of a modified UroVysion test in patients with equivocal urinary cytology. The modification comprised the addition of a cytological prescreening technique and different evaluation criteria.

Long-term efficacy results of EORTC genito-urinary group randomized phase 3 study 30911 comparing intravesical instillations of epirubicin, bacillus Calmette-Guérin, and bacillus Calmette-Guérin plus isoniazid in patients with intermediate- and high-risk stage Ta T1 urothelial carcinoma of the bladder.

Background: Intravesical chemotherapy and bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) reduce the recurrence rate in patients with stage Ta T1 urothelial bladder cancer; however, the benefit of BCG relative to chemotherapy for long-term end points is controversial, especially in intermediate-risk patients.

Objective: The aim of the study was to compare the long-term efficacy of BCG and epirubicin.

Design, Setting, And Participants: From January 1992 to February 1997, 957 patients with intermediate- or high-risk stage Ta T1 urothelial bladder cancer were randomized after transurethral resection to one of three treatment groups in the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Genito-Urinary Group phase 3 trial 30911.

Is it possible to improve elderly male bladder function by having them drink more water? A randomized trial of effects of increased fluid intake/urine output on male lower urinary tract function.

Objectives: Several animal studies have shown that bladder performance improves as a result of diuresis. Whether increased urine output also has beneficial effects on elderly male bladder function and lower urinary tract symptoms is unknown.

Methods: We performed a randomized placebo-controlled trial of 141 men, 55 to 75 years of age, with moderate lower urinary tract symptoms.

Predictive factors for nocturia in elderly men: a cross-sectional study in 21 general practices.

Objective: To measure the prevalence of nocturia in general practice and to determine which factors are associated with nocturia.

Subjects And Methods: Data were collected from 3048 elderly men, who completed a questionnaire that was sent to every man aged 55-75 years in 21 general practices in Maastricht (the Netherlands). The symptom of nocturia was defined as two or more nocturnal voids.

Prophylactic breast irradiation with a single dose of electron beam radiotherapy (10 Gy) significantly reduces the incidence of bicalutamide-induced gynecomastia.

Purpose: To evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of prophylactic breast irradiation in reducing the incidence and severity of bicalutamide-induced gynecomastia and breast pain.

Methods And Materials: In all, 106 men with prostate cancer (T1b-T4/Nx/M0) and no current gynecomastia/breast pain were enrolled in this randomized, sham-controlled, double-blind, parallel-group multicenter trial. Patients received either a single dose of electron beam radiotherapy (10 Gy) or sham radiotherapy.

Short-term effects of increased urine output on male bladder function and lower urinary tract symptoms.

Objectives: To determine whether the human bladder can also adapt to an increased physiologic load, because bladder dysfunction is considered to be an important factor in the development of lower urinary tract symptoms. Animal studies have shown that bladder function can be improved by increasing the urine output.

Methods: A total of 44 men between 55 and 75 years of age were asked to increase their daily fluid intake by 2 L for a 2-month period.