Study first: Over-expression of Cox-2 can predict prostate cancer outcomeNovember 09, 2006Researchers say an over-expression of COX-2 in men with prostate cancer is associated with an increase in PSA after radiation treatment and the spread of the cancer outside of the prostate. That is the result of the first study linking COX-2 (cyclooxygenase-2) with prostate cancer radiation treatment outcomes. The study, sponsored by the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG 92-02), was presented today at the 48th Annual Meeting of the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology in Philadelphia by Li-Yan Khor, M.D., a fellow in the Radiation Oncology Department at Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia. "We found that an increased level of COX-2 prior to treatment was linked with biochemical failure and distant metastasis but was not predictive of overall survival," explained Khor. For the study, Khor and colleagues analyzed 586 cases from RTOG 92-02 which had available tissue and suitable staining by immunohistochemistry. Median follow-up was 106.9 months. The intensity of COX-2 staining was quantified by automated image analysis provided by a commercial company. The 5 year distant metastasis rate was 10.6 percent for a COX-2 intensity score less than 134, versus 14.1 percent for an intensity score greater than 134. A high intensity of COX-2 also predicted biochemical failure, the immediate PSA rise after treatment. Khor added that data from animals have shown that inhibition of COX-2 suppresses angiogenesis (development of blood vessels) and the growth of prostate cancer, and is believed to make the cancer cells more sensitive to radiation therapy. "This research suggest the need to know more about the levels of COX-2 in our patients," says Khor. "If men show increased levels of COX-2 perhaps radiation treatment will follow an attempt to inhibit COX-2 expression thereby making their cancer more responsive to radiation therapy." Khor adds "Future studies in this area should include additional biopsy information to determine if COX-2 over-expression is associated with the inability to completely eliminate the cancer within the prostate." Fox Chase Cancer Center |
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| Related Prostate Cancer Current Events and Prostate Cancer News Articles Does prostate-specific antigen velocity help in early detection prostate cancer? The November issue of European Urology, the official journal of the European Association of Urology, features an article focussing on prostate specific antigen (PSA) velocity and early cancer detection. It has been suggested that changes in PSA over time aid prostate cancer detection. New Synthetic Molecules Trigger Immune Response to HIV and Prostate Cancer Researchers at Yale University have developed synthetic molecules capable of enhancing the body's immune response to HIV and HIV-infected cells, as well as to prostate cancer cells. Their findings, published online in the Journal of the American Chemical Society, could lead to novel therapeutic approaches for these diseases. Chemo-radiation before prostate removal may prevent cancer recurrence Researchers in the Oregon Health & Science University Knight Cancer Institute and the Portland Veterans Affairs Medical Center have found a combination of radiation therapy and chemotherapy given before prostate removal is safe and may have the potential to reduce cancer recurrence and improve patient survival. Blood vessels might predict prostate cancer behavior A diagnosis of prostate cancer raises the question for patients and their physicians as to how the tumor will behave. Will it grow quickly and aggressively and require continuous treatment, or slowly, allowing therapy and its risks to be safely delayed? Short-term hormone therapy and intermediate dose radiation increases survivial for early stage prostate cancer Short-term hormone therapy given prior to and during intermediate dose radiation treatment for men with early stage prostate cancer increases their chance of living longer, compared to those who receive the same radiation alone. Task force develops new radiation guidelines for brachytherapy Radiation dose delivered to the prostate and nearby organs in every brachytherapy procedure should be carefully analyzed using post-implant CT or MRI and uniformly documented in every patient. 1 disease, not 1 demographic The Asian continent has nearly four billion people living in 47 different countries, and each of these groups has their own unique set of health issues. But when they come to the United States, they're often lumped into one large demographic: "Asian/Pacific Islander." Cancer survivors may not be getting the help they need to stop smoking More than a quarter of cancer survivors who still smoke have not been advised to quit smoking by their health care providers in the last year, according to a study published by researchers at Fox Chase Cancer Center in the current issue of the Journal of General Internal Medicine. Experts issue call to reconsider screening for breast cancer and prostate cancer Twenty years of screening for breast and prostate cancer - the most diagnosed cancer for women and men - have not brought the anticipated decline in deaths from these diseases, argue experts from the University of California, San Francisco and the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio in an opinion piece published in the "Journal of the American Medical Association." Detecting the undetectable in prostate cancer screening A team of Northwestern University researchers, using an extremely sensitive tool based on nanotechnology, has detected previously undetectable levels of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) in patients who have undergone radical prostatectomy. More Prostate Cancer Current Events and Prostate Cancer News Articles |
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