Is prostate cancer screening worthy in southern European male populations? A case study in Eleusina, Greece.

Objective: To investigate the frequency of PSA-detected prostate cancer among non-symptomatic Greek males.

Methods: A prospective study on prostate cancer (PC) screening was performed in a representative sample of asymptomatic Greek males aged 40-75 years in Eleusina, (Greece) between January and November 2001. Indication for prostate biopsy was a PSA value above 3.

Cystic nephroma: a case report and review of the literature.

Background: The spectrum of cystic renal neoplasms includes both benign and malignant tumors and the order is as follows: benign multilocular cyst, multilocular cystic renal cell cancer and cystic renal cell cancer. Gross similarities among multicystic tumors of the kidney may cause conflict in the diagnosis and treatment of these lesions.

Results: We report a 53-year old male patient who presented with a mild persistent left flank pain and a painful left renal mass.

Serum testosterone: A potentially adjunct screening test for the assessment of the risk of prostate cancer among men with modestly elevated PSA values (> or =3.0 and <10.0 ng/ml).

Whether serum testosterone (T) can become an adjunct test able to validate the PSA-weighted risk of prostate cancer (PR.CA) in the "grey" diagnostic area (PSA =3.0 to <10.

Combination of dexamethasone and a somatostatin analogue in the treatment of advanced prostate cancer.

The local microenvironment at the sites of cancer metastases protects tumour cells from anticancer drug-induced apoptosis via mechanisms, such as soluble growth factors and cytokines. The concept of antisurvival factor (ASF) therapy as a component of anticancer treatments aims at neutralising the protective effect conferred upon cancer cells by the survival factor(s) derived by the local microenvironment, in order to enhance the sensitivity and/or reverse the resistance of tumour cells to other anticancer therapeutic strategies. Herein, we review the translation of this concept from ex vivo studies to clinical applications in the setting of prostate cancer refractory to androgen ablation (stage D3).