Biopsy indication--a predictor of pathologic stage among men with preoperative serum PSA levels of 4.0 ng/mL or less and T1c disease.

Objectives: To determine the indications for biopsy among men with a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level of 4 ng/mL or less and T1c disease and whether the reason for biopsy correlated with the final pathologic stage. It is not uncommon for men to undergo radical prostatectomy (RP) with a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level of 4 ng/mL or less and T1c disease.

Methods: We examined the percentage of men with T1c disease and PSA level of 4.

Predictors of metastatic disease in men with biochemical failure following radical prostatectomy.

Purpose: We determined clinical and pathological predictors of positive bone scans and computerized tomography (CT) in patients with biochemical recurrence after radical prostatectomy (RP).

Materials And Methods: A retrospective analysis of patients treated with RP at West Los Angeles Veterans Affairs Medical Center and University of California-Los Angeles Medical Center was performed to identify men with biochemical recurrence. All postoperative bone scans and pelvic CT following recurrence and prior to the initiation of hormone ablation therapy were reviewed.

Preoperative model for predicting prostate specific antigen recurrence after radical prostatectomy using percent of biopsy tissue with cancer, biopsy Gleason grade and serum prostate specific antigen.

Purpose: We developed a preoperative model to risk stratify patients for prostate specific antigen (PSA) failure following radical prostatectomy (RP) and identify those at high risk who would be potential candidates for neoadjuvant clinical trials.

Materials And Methods: A retrospective survey of 459 patients from the SEARCH Database treated with RP between 1990 and 2002 was done. Multivariate analysis was used to compare the preoperative variables of patient age, race, PSA, biopsy Gleason score, clinical stage and percent of prostate needle biopsy tissue with cancer for the ability to predict time to PSA recurrence following RP.

Biochemical failure after radical prostatectomy in men with pathologic organ-confined disease: pT2a versus pT2b.

Background: The 1997 TNM staging system for prostate carcinoma defines a pT2a disease as a tumor histologically involving one lobe of the prostate and pT2b disease as a tumor histologically involving both prostatic lobes. Whether this distinction provides prognostic significance is unclear. The authors evaluated biochemical outcomes between men with pT2aN0 and pT2bN0 disease.

Predictors of prostate-specific antigen progression among men with seminal vesicle invasion at the time of radical prostatectomy.

Background: Seminal vesicle (SV) invasion at the time of radical prostatectomy (RP) generally is considered to be indicative of poor outcome. The authors examined whether there was a subset of men with SV invasion who had long-term prostate-specific antigen (PSA) progression-free survival.

Methods: Data were examined from 1687 men who underwent RP between 1988 and 2002 at 5 equal-access medical centers.

Do younger men have better biochemical outcomes after radical prostatectomy?

Objectives: To examine the relationship between age and biochemical failure after radical prostatectomy (RP), controlling for the year of surgery. Prior studies have suggested that younger men have lower prostate-specific antigen recurrence rates after RP, although none of the prior studies had controlled for the year of surgery.

Methods: We examined the data from 1753 men treated with RP between 1988 and 2002 at five equal access medical centers.

Effect of isocaloric low-fat diet on prostate cancer xenograft progression to androgen independence.

An isocaloric low-fat diet has been shown to slow androgen-sensitive Los Angeles Prostate Cancer-4 (LAPC-4) tumor growth in a mouse xenograft model. LAPC-4 cells were injected into male severe combined immunodeficient mice. After palpable tumors developed, the mice were divided into three groups, high-fat intact, high-fat castration, and low-fat castration.

Impact of obesity on biochemical control after radical prostatectomy for clinically localized prostate cancer: a report by the Shared Equal Access Regional Cancer Hospital database study group.

Purpose: Given the limited information regarding the impact of obesity on treatment outcomes for prostate cancer, we sought to examine the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and cancer control after radical prostatectomy (RP).

Patients And Methods: We compared clinicopathologic and biochemical outcome information across BMI groups from 1,106 men treated with RP between 1988 and 2002. Multivariate analysis was used to determine if BMI significantly predicted adverse pathology or biochemical recurrence.

The percentage of prostate needle biopsy cores with carcinoma from the more involved side of the biopsy as a predictor of prostate specific antigen recurrence after radical prostatectomy: results from the Shared Equal Access Regional Cancer Hospital (SEARCH) database.

Background: The authors previously found that, although the total percentage of prostate needle biopsy cores with carcinoma was a significant predictor of prostate specific antigen (PSA) failure among men undergoing radical prostatectomy (RP), there was a trend toward a lower risk of recurrence in patients with positive bilateral biopsies, suggesting that high-volume, unilateral disease was a worse predictor of outcome than an equivalent number of positive cores distributed over two lobes. In the current study, the authors sought to compare the total percentage of cores with carcinoma directly with the percentage of cores from the more involved or dominant side of the prostate with carcinoma for their ability to predict outcome among men who underwent RP.

Methods: A retrospective survey of 535 patients from the Shared Equal Access Regional Cancer Hospital database who underwent RP at 4 different equal-access medical centers between 1988 and 2002 was undertaken.

Is there a difference in outcome after radical prostatectomy between patients with biopsy Gleason sums 4, 5, and 6? Results from the SEARCH database.

Purpose: Fewer patients newly diagnosed with prostate cancer today have biopsy Gleason sums <6 compared to several years ago. Several tables and nomograms for predicting disease recurrence after definitive therapy provide little or no discrimination between biopsy Gleason sums 4, 5, and 6. We sought to examine the significance of biopsy Gleason sum for predicting biochemical failure following radical prostatectomy (RP) for men with biopsy Gleason sums of 4, 5, and 6.

Effect of isocaloric low-fat diet on human LAPC-4 prostate cancer xenografts in severe combined immunodeficient mice and the insulin-like growth factor axis.

Over-consumption of dietary fat has been suggested to promote the development and progression of prostate cancer in men. The present study was conducted to answer the following questions: (a) Can dietary fat reduction decrease tumor growth rates of Los Angeles prostate cancer (LAPC)-4 xenografts in severe combined immunodeficient (SCID) mice independent of total caloric intake? and (b) Is the insulin-like growth factor (IGF) axis involved in the effects of dietary fat on LAPC-4 tumor growth in SCID mice? Twenty-eight male CB17 beige SCID mice (8 weeks old) were individually caged, randomized, and fed an isocaloric high-fat (HF, 42% kcal) or low-fat (LF, 12% kcal) diet. Each mouse was s.

Predicting biochemical recurrence after radical prostatectomy for patients with organ-confined disease using p27 expression.

Objectives: It is unclear why men who undergo radical prostatectomy (RP) and are found to have pathologically organ-confined disease develop prostate-specific antigen (PSA) recurrences. We previously found that patients with less than 45% of cells in the prostate needle biopsy specimen (PNBx) staining positive for the cell cycle regulator p27 had a significantly increased risk of biochemical recurrence after RP. We sought to determine whether p27 staining in the PNBx specimen might serve as a molecular marker for PSA failure in the subset of patients who develop PSA recurrence despite organ-confined disease at RP.

Should a positive surgical margin following radical prostatectomy be pathological stage T2 or T3? Results from the SEARCH database.

Purpose: The finding of a positive surgical margin associated with extracapsular extension at radical prostatectomy is a poor prognostic factor. However, whether a positive surgical margin with no documented extracapsular extension portends a similarly poor prognosis is unclear. We examined the significance of the pathological features of positive surgical margin and extracapsular extension for predicting biochemical failure following radical prostatectomy.

Percent of prostate needle biopsy cores with cancer is significant independent predictor of prostate specific antigen recurrence following radical prostatectomy: results from SEARCH database.

Purpose: Recent studies have suggested that the percent of positive cores in the prostate needle biopsy is a significant predictor of outcome among men undergoing radical prostatectomy or radiation therapy for prostate cancer. We evaluate whether either percent of cores with cancer or percent of cores positive from the most and least involved side of the prostate needle biopsy was associated with a worse outcome among men treated with radical prostatectomy.

Materials And Methods: A retrospective survey of 1,094 patients from the SEARCH Database treated with radical prostatectomy at 4 different equal access medical centers in California between 1988 and 2002 was undertaken.

Improved clinical staging system combining biopsy laterality and TNM stage for men with T1c and T2 prostate cancer: results from the SEARCH database.

Purpose: A number of studies have failed to show significant differences in outcome following radical prostatectomy between men with palpable, clinically localized prostate cancer (cT2) and those whose tumors are not palpable (cT1c). We determined whether we could improve the prognostic value of the TNM staging system in men with cT1c and cT2 cancers by including information on whether prostate needle biopsy was unilaterally or bilaterally positive.

Materials And Methods: A retrospective survey of 992 patients from the SEARCH (Shared Equal Access Regional Cancer Hospital) Database treated with radical prostatectomy at 4 equal access medical centers between 1988 and 2002 was done.

Quality of life, pain and return to normal activities following laparoscopic donor nephrectomy versus open mini-incision donor nephrectomy.

Purpose: We evaluated pain, convalescence and health related quality of life in patients undergoing laparoscopic and open mini-incision donor nephrectomy.

Materials And Methods: We compared the records of consecutive patients who underwent laparoscopic and mini-incision open donor nephrectomy from our donor nephrectomy data base in retrospective fashion using 2 questionnaires. The first questionnaire evaluated postoperative pain, return to functioning time and satisfaction.

Heterogeneity of molecular targets on clonal cancer lines derived from a novel hormone-refractory prostate cancer tumor system.

Objective: We recently described a new hormone refractory prostate cancer cell line, CL1, derived from LNCaP via in vitro androgen deprivation. To study gene expression during prostate cancer progression and to identify molecular targets for therapy, a pure clonal tumor system was generated.

Methods: Limiting dilution of CL1 stably transfected with a green fluorescent protein, generated 35 single-cell clones, which were expanded into stable cell lines.

Comparison of percentage of total prostate needle biopsy tissue with cancer to percentage of cores with cancer for predicting PSA recurrence after radical prostatectomy: results from the SEARCH database.

Objectives: Tumor volume in the prostate needle biopsy is an important prognosticator for patients with prostate cancer. However, the best method to measure tumor volume in the prostate needle biopsy is unknown. We compared the total percentage of biopsy tissue with cancer to the percentage of cores positive for their ability to predict adverse pathologic findings and biochemical failure after radical prostatectomy (RP).

Time trends in biochemical recurrence after radical prostatectomy: results of the SEARCH database.

Objectives: To determine whether in the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) era stage and/or grade migration of patients treated with radical prostatectomy (RP) has occurred. We also examined whether the biochemical recurrence rates after RP have changed with time.

Methods: A total of 1654 patients from the Shared Equal Access Regional Cancer Hospital (SEARCH) database were analyzed for time trends in age, preoperative PSA level, clinical stage, biopsy Gleason score, prostatectomy Gleason grade, pathologic stage, margin status, and recurrence rates after RP.

Loss of CD10 (neutral endopeptidase) is a frequent and early event in human prostate cancer.

Background: We hypothesized that the aggressive LNCaP-derived androgen-independent cell line, CL1, might differ from LNCaP in their repertoire of cell surface markers and that these differences might typify changes that occur during clinical prostate cancer progression.

Methods: The cell surface marker expression profiles of CL1 and LNCaP were examined using flow cytometry. Markedly differential gene expression was confirmed using RT-PCR and further examined using immunohistochemistry among the prostate cancer cell lines LAPC-4, LNCaP, CL1, CL2, DU145, and PC-3.

Preoperative p27 status is an independent predictor of prostate specific antigen failure following radical prostatectomy.

Purpose: p27 is an important cell cycle regulator, and decreased expression in radical prostatectomy specimens is associated with an increased risk of prostate specific antigen (PSA) failure. To our knowledge no prior study has shown that preoperative p27 status independently predicts recurrence after radical prostatectomy.

Materials And Methods: The prostate needle biopsy specimens of 161 men treated with radical prostatectomy were examined for p27 expression using immunohistochemistry.

Defining the ideal cutpoint for determining PSA recurrence after radical prostatectomy. Prostate-specific antigen.

Objectives: To determine the ideal cutpoint for defining prostate-specific antigen (PSA) recurrence after radical prostatectomy (RP). Although various cutpoints have been used, a recent study suggested that 0.4 ng/mL may be the most appropriate.

Comparison of preoperative prostate specific antigen density and prostate specific antigen for predicting recurrence after radical prostatectomy: results from the search data base.

Purpose: Prostate specific antigen (PSA) density based on the surgical weight of the radical prostatectomy specimen has previously been shown to be an independent predictor of biochemical recurrence after radical prostatectomy. We determined whether preoperative PSA density calculated using transrectal ultrasound prostate volume was a better predictor of advanced pathological findings or biochemical recurrence after radical prostatectomy relative to PSA.

Materials And Methods: We examined 552 men from the newly established Shared Equal Access Regional Cancer Hospital data base of men treated with radical prostatectomy at equal access medical centers to determine whether preoperative PSA density was a significant predictor of an adverse pathological condition or PSA recurrence after radical prostatectomy.

Whole-body skeletal imaging in mice utilizing microPET: optimization of reproducibility and applications in animal models of bone disease.

The aims were to optimize reproducibility and establish [(18)F]fluoride ion bone scanning in mice, using a dedicated small animal positron emission tomography (PET) scanner (microPET) and to correlate functional findings with anatomical imaging using computed tomography (microCAT). Optimal tracer uptake time for [(18)F]fluoride ion was determined by performing dynamic microPET scans. Quantitative reproducibility was measured using region of interest (ROI)-based counts normalized to (a) the injected dose, (b) integral of the heart time-activity curve, or (c) ROI over the whole skeleton.

Race as an outcome predictor after radical prostatectomy: results from the Shared Equal Access Regional Cancer Hospital (SEARCH) database.

Objectives: Whether race is an independent predictor of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) recurrence after RP is controversial. To compare racial differences in clinical and pathologic features and biochemical recurrence in men undergoing radical prostatectomy (RP), we used a newly established multicenter database of patients from four equal-access healthcare centers in California, the Shared Equal Access Regional Cancer Hospital (SEARCH) database.

Methods: A retrospective survey of 1547 patients treated with RP at four different equal-access medical centers in California between 1988 and 2001 was undertaken.