Management of Prostate Cancer with Systemic Therapy: A Prostate Cancer Unit Perspective.

The scenario of systemic therapy for prostate cancer is rapidly evolving, with new drugs and new treatment options. To update the background knowledge of shared uro-oncologic practice, we reviewed current statements and landmarks in systemic therapy. A number of new agents are under investigation in non-metastatic and metastatic disease.

CuCl PET/CT in Prostate Cancer Relapse.

Our objective was to evaluate the biodistribution, kinetics, and radiation dosimetry of CuCl in humans and to assess the ability of CuCl PET/CT to detect prostate cancer (PCa) recurrence in patients with biochemical relapse. We prospectively evaluated 50 PCa patients with biochemical relapse after surgery or external-beam radiation therapy. All patients underwent CuCl PET/CT, F-choline PET/CT, and multiparametric MRI within 15 d of each other.

Association of Biomarkers with Serious Cardiac Adverse Events during Abiraterone Acetate Treatment in Castration Resistant Prostate Cancer.

Background: Abiraterone acetate is an effective drug for castration-resistant prostate cancer, but cardiac serious adverse events (SAEs) may occur. We studied their association with N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) and troponin T (TnT) during abiraterone therapy.

Patients And Methods: In a single institution, 17 patients were treated with abiraterone acetate 1 g daily with concomitant prednisone and then switched to dexametasone plus canrenone.

An observational study of nasal cavity toxicity in cancer patients treated with bevacizumab.

Background: The nasal cavity is a vulnerable zone which may be damaged by vascular disorders. We systematically assessed the frequency and severity of nasal cavity alterations during bevacizumab treatment, to determine its clinical relevance and factors contributing to its onset.

Patients And Methods: We conducted a hospital-based cohort study in 47 consecutive patients with advanced cancers who were on treatment with chemotherapy and bevacizumab at different doses.

A randomized, placebo-controlled, preoperative trial of allopurinol in subjects with colorectal adenoma.

Inflammation and oxidative stress play a crucial role in the development of colorectal cancer (CRC) and interference with these mechanisms represents a strategy in CRC chemoprevention. Allopurinol, a safe molecular scavenger largely used as antigout agent, has been shown to increase survival of patients with advanced CRC and to reduce CRC incidence in long-term gout users in epidemiologic studies. We conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled preoperative trial in subjects with colorectal adenomatous polyps to assess the activity of allopurinol on biomarkers of colorectal carcinogenesis.

A case series of low dose bevacizumab and chemotherapy in heavily pretreated patients with epithelial ovarian cancer.

Background: The addition of bevacizumab to standard chemotherapy prolongs progression free survival in the first line treatment of epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC), but its cost/effectiveness is debated. We assessed the safety and activity of a lower dose of bevacizumab in pretreated advanced stage EOC.

Methods: We treated 15 patients, mostly with platinum resistant EOC, who had received a median of four prior cytotoxic regimens, with bevacizumab 5-7.

Phase I-II trial of weekly bicalutamide in men with elevated prostate-specific antigen and negative prostate biopsies.

Background: Men with elevated prostate-specific antigen (PSA) and negative prostate biopsies are at risk for prostate cancer. The antiandrogen bicalutamide has a prolonged half-life, thus potentially allowing an intermittent administration to retain activity while reducing toxicity. We conducted a phase I-II trial of weekly bicalutamide in men with PSA >4 ng/mL and negative biopsies.

Prognostic effect of DNA aneuploidy from bladder washings in superficial bladder cancer.

Background: Superficial (papillary) bladder cancer is associated with progression and death from muscle-invasive bladder cancer, but no reliable predictors of the outcomes have been identified.

Methods: We analyzed the long-term prognostic effect of DNA flow cytometry in bladder washings from 93 subjects with previously resected T(a) and T(1) bladder tumors who participated in a chemoprevention trial of the synthetic retinoid fenretinide. Kaplan-Meier analysis and Cox regression were used to determine the prognostic effect of DNA aneuploidy on cancer progression and mortality in conjunction with conventional clinical factors after a median of 11.