It is scientific fact that Japan has a lower incidence of prostate cancer unless the Japanese men move to western societies and eat a different diet.
This short but compelling video explains what factors may increase the risk of developing prostate cancer:
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A recent study published in The Prostate showed that analysing peritumoural lymphatic vessel density (PTLD) in prostate biopsy cores could help to predict the lymphatic spread of clinically localized prostate cancer.
Researchers examined positive biopsy cores from 99 patients who underwent radical prostatectomy, immunostaining them with a monoclonal antibody against lymphatic endothelium. It was found that peritumoural lymphatic vessels were present in at least one positive biopsy core in 90.9 percent of cases, while intratumoral lymphatic vessels were seen in just 23.2 percent of cases.
Positive biopsy core rates were significantly associated with average and maximal PTLD and the presence of intratumoral lymphatic vessels.
This approach may become a useful technique for predicting early spread of the disease and suggests that patients with high PTLD in biopsy specimens should be carefully monitored after surgery.
The results of the Phase I trials with picoplatin, a new generation platinum, in prostate and colorectal cancer were presented earlier this year. Encouraging bioavailability data has also been presented from the ongoing Phase I trial of oral picoplatin.
The final phase II efficacy results in SCLC confirmed previously announced interim results showing a survival benefit in patients with recurrent SCLC who failed prior platinum-containing first-line chemotherapy or who progressed within six months of first-line therapy. The median overall survival in the picoplatin Phase II trial was 27 weeks for refractory and resistant small cell lung cancer patients, a population for which there is no approved therapy in the US.
The pivotal Phase III SPEAR trial in small cell lung cancer continues to enroll patients and patient enrollment in the Phase II trial in metastatic colorectal cancer has now completed.
Poniard's Chief Medical Officer stated that:
"Picoplatin, to date, has demonstrated good tolerability, with no severe neuropathies when combined with 5-fluorouracil and leucovorin in the FOLPI regimen. In our Phase 2 trial, we are performing a head-to-head comparison of the efficacy and safety of picoplatin with oxaliplatin. We will be presenting preliminary Phase 2 data and updated Phase 1 data at the 2008 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting."
