Quality of life improvements among cancer patients in remission following the consumption of Agaricus blazei Murill mushroom extract.

Objectives: The aim of this preliminary clinical study was to assess if the daily intake of Agaricus blazei Murill (ABM) granulated powder (SSI Co., Ltd., Tokyo, Japan) for 6 months improved the quality of life (QOL) in cancer patients in remission.

Phase I Clinical Study of the Dietary Supplement, Agaricus blazei Murill, in Cancer Patients in Remission.

Although many cancer patients use complementary and alternative medicine, including Agaricus blazei Murill (ABM), safety is not yet well understood. Cancer survivors took 1.8, 3.

Phase I trial of sorafenib in combination with interferon-alpha in Japanese patients with unresectable or metastatic renal cell carcinoma.

Background: We investigated the safety, pharmacokinetics, tumor response, and immunological parameters of sorafenib plus interferon α-2b [corrected] (IFN) in Japanese patients with advanced RCC.

Patients And Methods: After 2 weeks of IFN-alone treatment, eligible patients received 28-day cycles of continuous sorafenib 200 mg (Cohort 1) or 400 mg (Cohorts 2 and 3) twice daily combined with intramuscular IFN 6 (Cohorts 1 and 2) or 9 (Cohort 3) million international units (MIU) three times a week.

Results: A total of 18 patients received at least one dose of sorafenib plus IFN.

Maintenance therapy with bacillus Calmette-Guérin Connaught strain clearly prolongs recurrence-free survival following transurethral resection of bladder tumour for non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer.

Objective: • To confirm the recurrence-preventing efficacy and safety of 18-month bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) maintenance therapy for non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer.

Patients And Methods: • The enrolled patients had been diagnosed with recurrent or multiple non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (stage Ta or T1) after complete transurethral resection of bladder tumours (TURBT). • The patients were randomized into three treatment groups: a maintenance group (BCG, 81 mg, intravesically instilled once weekly for 6 weeks as induction therapy, followed by three once-weekly instillations at 3, 6, 12 and 18 months after initiation of the induction therapy), a non-maintenance group (BCG, 81 mg, intravesically instilled once weekly for 6 weeks) and an epirubicin group (epirubicin, 40 mg, intravesically instilled nine times).

Phase III trial of everolimus in metastatic renal cell carcinoma: subgroup analysis of Japanese patients from RECORD-1.

Objective: To assess the efficacy and safety of everolimus in Japanese patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma.

Methods: A subgroup analysis of the pivotal Phase III, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of everolimus 10 mg/day in patients with disease progression after treatment with sorafenib, sunitinib or both assessed outcomes in Japanese participants. Results were compared with those for the overall study population.

Docetaxel-prednisolone combination therapy for Japanese patients with hormone-refractory prostate cancer: a single institution experience.

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of docetaxel plus prednisolone treatment in Japanese patients with hormone-refractory prostate cancer (HRPC).

Methods: From April 2004 through August 2008, we used docetaxel plus prednisolone to treat 55 HRPC patients (median age, 72 years). Eighteen patients (32.

Dietary administration of mushroom mycelium extracts in patients with early stage prostate cancers managed expectantly: a phase II study.

Objective: To assess the efficacy and safety of dietary supplements in patients with early stage prostate cancers who are managed expectantly.

Methods: Seventy-four patients with early prostate cancer, who were treated with expectant management, enrolled in the study. A mushroom mycelium extract was given at a dose of 4.

Health-related quality of life using SF-8 and EPIC questionnaires after treatment with radical retropubic prostatectomy and permanent prostate brachytherapy.

Objective: The health-related quality of life (HRQOL) after treatment of prostate cancer is examined using a new HRQOL tool. HRQOL, based on the expanded prostate cancer index composite (EPIC) and SF-8 questionnaires, was prospectively compared after either a radical retropubic prostatectomy (RRP) or a permanent prostate brachytherapy (PPB) at a single institute.

Methods: Between October 2005 and June 2007, 96 patients were treated by an RRP and 88 patients were treated by a PPB.

Bladder preservation therapy conducted by intra-arterial chemotherapy and radiotherapy for muscle invasive bladder cancer.

Objective: A previous paper reported favorable results of intra-arterial chemotherapy in combination with radiotherapy for muscle-invasive bladder cancer. The current study will update those results.

Methods: Between January 1992 and December 2006, 94 patients with confirmed muscle invasion were treated with intra-arterial chemotherapy and concurrent radiotherapy after an initial complete transurethral resection.

Radiation pneumonitis caused by a migrated brachytherapy seed lodged in the lung.

We report a case of radiation pneumonitis caused by a migrated seed lodged in the lung after prostate brachytherapy. A 71-year-old man underwent transperineal interstitial permanent prostate brachytherapy for localized prostate cancer. On the day after brachytherapy, a routine postimplant chest X-ray revealed migration of one seed to the lower lobe of the left lung.

A prospective longitudinal study comparing a radical retropubic prostatectomy and permanent prostate brachytherapy regarding the health-related quality of life for localized prostate cancer.

Objective: The health-related quality of life (HRQOL) after a radical retropubic prostatectomy (RRP) or a permanent prostate brachytherapy (PPB) was prospectively compared at a single institute.

Methods: Between 2003 and 2005, 122 patients were treated by RRP and 82 patients were treated by PPB. A QOL survey was completed at baseline, and 1, 3, 6 and 12 months after treatment, prospectively.

[Primary urothelial carcinoma of the prostate: a case of spread along ducts and into seminal vesicles].

A 75-year-old man was referred to our department with prostate cancer. When our pathologist reviewed the biopsy specimen, he was diagnosed as intraductal urothelial carcinoma. Transurethral random biopsy showed the urothelial carcinoma in the prostate ducts but no cancer in the bladder.

Health-related quality of life after bladder preservation therapy for muscle invasive bladder cancer.

Objective: To assess health-related quality of life (QOL) of bladder cancer patients following bladder preservation therapy (BPT).

Methods: Eighty patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer had been treated between January 1992 and July 2005 at our institutions with BPT consisting of transurethral resection, intra-arterial chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Among them, 48 were alive and free from recurrence at the time of survey and were asked to participate.

Prospective evaluation of selection criteria for active surveillance in Japanese patients with stage T1cN0M0 prostate cancer.

Objective: Selection criteria for active surveillance (AS) program of localized prostate cancer remain to be standardized. The purpose was to evaluate the validity of selection criteria and investigate the feasibility of this AS program.

Methods: Patients meeting the criteria (i) stage T1cN0M0, (ii) age 50-80, (iii) serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) View Article and Find Full Text PDF

[Results of modified M-VAC chemotherapy for advanced urothelial carcinoma].

Purpose: We retrospectively evaluated the efficacy and toxicity of modified M-VAC therapy for locally advanced or metastatic urothelial carcinoma.

Patients And Method: From 1993 October to 2005 February, 28 patients were treated with modified M-VAC therapy and 25 of 28 patients had lesions suitable for the evaluation. The modified regimen was the combination of methotrexate at a dose of 30 mg/m2 on day 1, vinblastine at a dose of 3 mg/m2 on day 2, doxorubicin at a dose of 30 mg/m2 on day 2, and cisplatin at a dose of 70 mg/m2 on day 2 with courses repeated every three weeks.

Oral estramustine phosphate and oral etoposide for the treatment of hormone-refractory prostate cancer.

A total of 42 patients with hormone-refractory prostate cancer received E-E therapy. Oral estramustine phosphate (EMP) was administered twice daily for a total daily dose of 560 mg every day and oral etoposide (E-E therapy, 50 mg/body/day) was given on days 1-21 and stopped on days 22-35. Treatment was continued until the disease progression was confirmed radiographically or PSA had increased from base line of at least 25%.

A randomized trial comparing radical prostatectomy plus endocrine therapy versus external beam radiotherapy plus endocrine therapy for locally advanced prostate cancer: results at median follow-up of 102 months.

Background: To investigate the optimal treatment of locally advanced prostate cancer, a prospective randomized trial was conducted to compare radical prostatectomy plus endocrine therapy versus external beam radiotherapy plus endocrine therapy.

Methods: One hundred patients with T2b-3N0M0 prostate cancer were enrolled and 95 were evaluated. Of 95 cases, 46 underwent radical prostatectomy with pelvic lymph node dissection and 49 were treated with external beam radiation by linear accelerator with 40-50 Gy to the whole pelvis and 20-Gy boost to the prostatic area.

[A case of hormone-refractory prostate cancer (HRPC) with tumor fever responding to docetaxel plus prednisolone therapy].

We have experienced a patient with tumor fever from hormone-refractory prostate cancer (HRPC) who was treated successfully using docetaxel plus prednisolone therapy. A 65-year-old male was diagnosed with prostate cancer (T4 N1 M1b). He received androgen-ablation therapy.

[Utility of prostate specific antigen doubling time in repeat biopsy for prostate cancer].

Purpose: It is not rare that the repeat biopsy is performed when the initial biopsy was negative. However, there is not a clear indication for the repeat biopsy. We evaluated the utility of prostate specific antigen doubling time (PSA-DT) as indication for the repeat biopsy.

[Correlation of change in prostate-specific antigen and testosterone following withdrawal of androgen ablation after combination of radiation and hormone therapy].

Purpose: We investigated retrospectively that change of serum testosterone and PSA concentrations following withdrawal of androgen ablation after combination of radiation and hormone therapy for prostate cancer.

Subjects And Method: Among prostate cancer patients who were treated with combination of radiation and hormone therapy from 1992, 42 patients who were measured with time in the concentration of testosterone after withdrawal of androgen ablation were selected. Their median age was 76 years old (62-84), their median PSA was 13.

Long-term outcomes of 60 Gy conventional radiotherapy combined with androgen deprivation for localized or locally advanced prostate cancer.

Background: Until 1998 in Japan, very few institutions were treating prostate cancer solely with radiotherapy (RT) >70 Gy and most were using < or =65 Gy in combination with hormone therapy. The present study reports the long-term results of RT combined with hormone therapy for localized and locally advanced prostate cancer.

Methods: We investigated 57 patients who were treated by external beam RT plus hormone therapy (median age 79 years, median prostate-specific antigen concentration 15.

[Health-related quality of life after radical prostatectomy or radiotherapy].

Purpose: We compared general and disease specific health related quality of life (QOL) after surgery and radiotherapy for prostate cancer.

Materials And Methods: We performed a retrospective survey of patients treated between 1992 and 2001. General and disease specific health related QOL were assessed by the SF-36 and the University of California-Los Angels Prostate Cancer Index (UCLA PCI).

Predictor of response to salvage radiotherapy in patients with PSA recurrence after radical prostatectomy: the usefulness of PSA doubling time.

Background: We assessed predictors of response to salvage radiotherapy (sRT) in patients with prostate-specific antigen (PSA) recurrence after radical prostatectomy.

Methods: A total of 21 patients receiving sRT for PSA recurrence without systemic progression after radical prostatectomy had medical records available for retrospective review. We defined sRT as external beam radiotherapy for patients with a continuous increase in PSA level > or =0.

[Two cases of second bladder cancer after radiotherapy for prostate cancer].

Second cancer after radiotherapy is defined that more than five years have passed from radiotherapy for primary cancer in case of solid and different histological cancer and second cancer exists into or near radiotherapy area. While it has been not frequent that a treatment for urological cancers causes second cancer, there is the possibility that second cancer increases by recent increase of radiotherapy for prostate cancer. We report two cases of second bladder cancer after radiotherapy for prostate cancer.