Two papers published on bmj.com today report that there is unsatisfactory evidence to support populationwide screening for prostate cancer using the prostate specific antigen (PSA) test.

The PSA test cannot differentiate lethal from harmless prostate cancer, according to the authors. This could lead to over diagnosis and overtreatment of healthy men.

Prostate specific antigen (PSA) is a protein formed in the cells of the prostate gland. It is present in small quantities in the blood of healthy men. It is frequently elevated in men with prostate cancer and in men with benign prostatic enlargement.

Although it remains controversial, PSA screening is commonly used in many countries. The latest study suggests that prostate cancer deaths were lower among screened men but at a cost of significant over diagnosis and treatment.

A Swedish team of researchers set out in the first study to evaluate how well prostate specific antigen predicted a potential prostate cancer diagnosis.

They used PSA test results from 540 men diagnosed with prostate cancer measured several years before diagnosis and from 1,034 healthy controls. Results indicated that the PSA test did not reach the probability ratios. It is a measure used to predict disease required for a screening test. Only very low concentrations of PSA (less than 1ng/ml) virtually ruled out a diagnosis of prostate cancer during monitoring.

The researchers inform that there is a need for other biomarkers for early detection of prostate cancer and before population based screening for prostate cancer should be introduced.

US researchers looked at the benefits and risks of PSA screening in a second analysis paper. They concluded that data on costs and benefits remain insufficient to support population based screening. In addition, they recommend further accurate measuring of the financial and psychological costs of false positive results, over diagnosis and overtreatment of prostate cancer.

In conclusion, they consider that men should be entirely informed of the benefits, harms and uncertainties associated with the PSA test before they are screened.

This observation is supported in a complementary editorial by researchers at Monash University in Australia.

Dr Dragan Ilic and Professor Sally Green write “Clinicians and patients are faced with many uncertainties when considering whether or not to undergo prostate screening.”

They remark “Further research is required to develop and evaluate a valid screening test for prostate cancer.” Until such a test exists, the choice to undertake screening should follow a shared decision making approach.

“Prostate specific antigen for early detection of prostate cancer longitudinal study”
Benny Holmstro¨m, urologist, Mattias Johansson, postdoctoral fellow, Anders Bergh, professor of pathology, UlfHa°kan Stenman, professor of clinical chemistry, Go¨ran Hallmans, professor of nutritional research, Pa¨r Stattin, professor of urology
BMJ 2009;339b3537
doi10.1136/bmj.b3537

“Screening for prostate cancer remains controversial”
Jennifer R Stark postdoctoral fellow of epidemiology, Lorelei Mucci assistant professor of epidemiology, Kenneth J Rothman professor of epidemiology and medicine, HansOlov Adami professor of epidemiology
BMJ 2009; 339b3601

“Prostate specific antigen for detecting early prostate cancer”
Dragan Ilic senior lecturer, Sally Green professorial fellow
BMJ 2009; 339b3572
bmj.com

A third of the previously identified singlenucleotide polymorphisms, or SNPs, associated with prostate cancer in men of European or African ancestry were also associated with prostate cancer in a Japanese population, according to a new study published online September 2 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

Genomewide association studies have primarily been performed in populations of European ancestry, but little is known if the associations discovered in one population are relevant for other populations.

In this study, Matthew L. Freedman, M.D., of the Department of Medical Oncology at the DanaFarber Cancer Institute in Boston, and colleagues evaluated 23 SNPs previously reported to be associated with prostate cancer risk and clinical covariates (tumor aggressiveness and age at diagnosis, for example) in almost 1350 Japanese men (311 case subjects and 1035 control subjects).

A total of seven SNPs were associated with increased risk of prostate cancer in this study population, but no associations were found with disease aggressiveness or age at diagnosis. Men with six or more risk alleles had substantially higher risk for prostate cancer than men with two or fewer alleles.

“This study supports previous evidence showing that risk estimates for some variants can differ across populations,” the authors write. “Examining variants (and their interactions with other variables) within and between populations will likely provide insight into the dramatically different incidence rates of prostate cancer.”

In an accompanying editorial, John P.A. Ioannidis, M.D., of the Department of Hygiene and Epidemiology, University of Ioannina School of Medicine in Greece, said that these data reinforce the idea that discovered variants are often simply populationspecific markers that need far more study to confirm as functional culprits.

However, the editorialist points out, population diversity could have implications about the use of information from these studies for predictive purposes. “…this is just the beginning,” the editorialist writes. “The findings need to be replicated again and then again validated.”

Source
Steve Graff

AbbeyMoor Medical Inc., a developer and manufacturer of medical devices for the management and treatment of prostatic obstruction, announced that it has received PMA approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for design changes to their flagship product, The Spanner(TM) Prostatic Stent.

“These changes are aimed at further improving patient comfort over the current highly accepted levels,” said Darren Cook, director of marketing with the company. “Our goal is to hear an even greater percentage of our patients state that they are not aware of the devices presence.” According to Mark Whalen, VP of product development with the company, “The approved changes to the device result in a significant increase in flexibility over the current Spanner design with no impact to the ease of delivery and removal of the device.”

The Spanner is a temporary prostatic stent designed to aid men who are experiencing difficulty in urination due to prostatic obstruction. Device placement can be performed in a physician office and does not require cystoscopy or anesthesia for placement. The Spanner is an alternative to indwelling catheterization, intermittent catheterization, or the use of a suprapubic tube in some patients.

About AbbeyMoor Medical

AbbeyMoor Medical is a privately held company that develops innovative medical devices focused on the management and treatment of male voiding dysfunction. The companys initial focus is on the development and commercialization of The Spanner.

While young men with prostate cancer have a low risk of dying early, those with advanced forms of cancer do not live as long as older men with similar forms of the disease. That is the conclusion of a new study published in the July 1, 2009 issue of CANCER, a peerreviewed journal of the American Cancer Society. The paradoxical findings indicate that there may be biological differences between prostate cancers that develop in younger men and those that develop in older men, and that uncovering these differences may help tailor screening and treatment strategies for patients based on age.

In general, a younger cancer patient has a better prognosis than an older patient with the same type of cancer. Few studies have analyzed the health of younger vs. older men after diagnosis and treatment for prostate cancer, though.

To investigate the impact of age on prostate cancer prognosis, Daniel Lin, M.D., of the University of Washington and colleagues designed a study to examine the association between age at diagnosis and health outcomes in men diagnosed with prostate cancer in the United States. Mining the National Cancer Institutes Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database, the investigators identified 318,774 men diagnosed with prostate cancer between 1988 and 2003. Men aged 35 to 74 years were stratified by age at the time of diagnosis, and the researchers examined differences in tumor characteristics, treatment, and survival within each age group.

The analysis revealed that, over time, men are being diagnosed with prostate cancer at younger ages, likely due to more extensive screening. Also, younger men are more likely to be treated with prostatectomy, have less aggressive cancers, and have a better chance of survival after 10 years compared with older men. However, among men with advanced prostate cancers, the youngest men (aged 35 to 44 years) have a particularly poor prognosis compared with older men. These young men are more likely to die from cancer or another cause sooner than older men with similar forms of cancer.

While the reasons for this unexpected finding are not clear, the researchers suspect that young men with advanced prostate cancer may have biologically more aggressive forms of the disease than the forms that are diagnosed in older men. Additional studies are needed to determine what, if any, underlying differences exist between advanced prostate cancer found in young men vs. those found in older men. These studies may help clinicians improve screening in young men and could ultimately lead to the development of better treatment strategies for these patients.

Article “Treatment and survival outcomes in young men diagnosed with prostate cancer a population based cohort study.” Daniel W. Lin, Michael Porter, and Bruce Montgomery. CANCER; Published Online May 22, 2009 (DOI 10.1002/cncr.24324); Print Issue Date July 1, 2009.

Source
David Sampson

On December 3, 2008, OncoGenex Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQOGXI) announced the results of its Phase 2 clinical trial comparing treatment of metastatic prostate cancer patients with its OGX011 in combination with docetaxel and prednisone (the “OGX011 arm”) versus patients that received docetaxel and prednisone alone (the “weight arm”). The common knowledge gold garden variety in the treatment of metastatic prostate cancer patients is the application of docetaxel and prednisone alone. The results of the trial indicate that the metastatic prostate cancer patients that received OGX011 and the established treatment had a 10.6 month median overall survival favor up the patients that received the set treatment alone.

In the Phase 2 trial, the median survival was 27.5 months for the patients in the OGX011 arm and 16.9 months for the patients in the restriction arm. Results to juncture likewise indicate that patients in the OGX011 arm have a ruin rate approximately 40% lower than patients in the manipulation arm. It is relevant to note that the FDA originally approved docetaxel for the treatment of metastatic prostate cancer based upon its 2.4 month survival position gone mitoxantrone.

The stock grocery store has responded with, of late uncharacteristic, enthusiasm to the OncoGenex news. all on the three days following the OncoGenex announcement, OncoGenex traded adapted one million shares and the disbursement of its shares climbed 224% from US$2.25 to US$7.29, ranking OncoGenex as the trace one weekly percentage gainer on NASDAQ.

BC dominance first invested in OncoGenex in November of 2003 and has since deepened its bear showroom through making followon investments into OncoGenex out of the asset Venture Fund and the aid Life skill Fund I. While the asset Life education Fund I is in the process of completing the last of its redemptions, the authority Venture Fund remains open to investors.

About odds

precedence offers everyone in BC the opportunity to invest in some of the Provinces best promising life information, technology and clean technology companies. preference investors receive a 30% refundable tax credit from the BC government on investments of up to $200,000 per year.

For more erudition about gain, please review our prospectus or surf our website at bcadvantagefunds.com.

About OncoGenex Pharmaceuticals

OncoGenex Pharmaceuticals is a biopharmaceutical band committed to the development and commercialization of new cancer therapies that address unmet requirements in the treatment of cancer. OncoGenex has a deep oncology pipeline, with each product candidate having a distinct black box of liveliness and representing a particular opportunity for cancer drug development. OGX011, the illustration candidate currently completing five Phase 2 clinical studies in prostate, lung and breast cancers, is designed to inhibit the production of a exact protein associated with treatment resistance; OGX427 and SN2310 are in Phase 1 clinical development; and CSP9222 and OGX225 are currently in preclinical development. More wisdom is available at oncogenex.com.

BC support Funds (VCC) Ltd.

On December 3, 2008, OncoGenex Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQOGXI) announced the results of its Phase 2 clinical trial comparing treatment of metastatic prostate cancer patients with its OGX011 in combination with docetaxel and prednisone (the “OGX011 arm”) versus patients that received docetaxel and prednisone alone (the “juice arm”). The topical gold regulation in the treatment of metastatic prostate cancer patients is the application of docetaxel and prednisone alone. The results of the trial indicate that the metastatic prostate cancer patients that received OGX011 and the classic treatment had a 10.6 month median overall survival interest ended the patients that received the definitive treatment alone.

In the Phase 2 trial, the median survival was 27.5 months for the patients in the OGX011 arm and 16.9 months for the patients in the determination arm. Results to age conjointly indicate that patients in the OGX011 arm have a passing over rate approximately 40% lower than patients in the guidance arm. It is smash to note that the FDA originally approved docetaxel for the treatment of metastatic prostate cancer based upon its 2.4 month survival preference completed mitoxantrone.

The stock supermarket has responded with, of late uncharacteristic, enthusiasm to the OncoGenex news. while the three days following the OncoGenex announcement, OncoGenex traded completed one million shares and the floor floor hire of its shares climbed 224% from US$2.25 to US$7.29, ranking OncoGenex as the prime one weekly percentage gainer on NASDAQ.

BC supremacy first invested in OncoGenex in November of 2003 and has since deepened its jawbone through making followon investments into OncoGenex out of the eminence Venture Fund and the asset Life learning Fund I. While the leverage Life information Fund I is in the process of completing the last of its redemptions, the remedy Venture Fund remains open to investors.

About lead

eminence offers everyone in BC the opportunity to invest in some of the Provinces greater promising life branch, technology and clean technology companies. leverage investors receive a 30% refundable tax credit from the BC government on investments of up to $200,000 per year.

For more hash about recognition, please review our prospectus or explore our website at bcadvantagefunds.com.

About OncoGenex Pharmaceuticals

OncoGenex Pharmaceuticals is a biopharmaceutical aggregation committed to the development and commercialization of new cancer therapies that address unmet requirements in the treatment of cancer. OncoGenex has a deep oncology pipeline, with each product candidate having a distinct machinery of alertness and representing a rare opportunity for cancer drug development. OGX011, the direction candidate currently completing five Phase 2 clinical studies in prostate, lung and breast cancers, is designed to inhibit the production of a exact protein associated with treatment resistance; OGX427 and SN2310 are in Phase 1 clinical development; and CSP9222 and OGX225 are currently in preclinical development. More learning is available at oncogenex.com.

BC luck Funds (VCC) Ltd.

On December 3, 2008, OncoGenex Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQOGXI) announced the results of its Phase 2 clinical trial comparing treatment of metastatic prostate cancer patients with its OGX011 in combination with docetaxel and prednisone (the “OGX011 arm”) versus patients that received docetaxel and prednisone alone (the “regimentation arm”). The regnant gold typical in the treatment of metastatic prostate cancer patients is the application of docetaxel and prednisone alone. The results of the trial indicate that the metastatic prostate cancer patients that received OGX011 and the decisive treatment had a 10.6 month median overall survival recognition closed the patients that received the usual treatment alone.

In the Phase 2 trial, the median survival was 27.5 months for the patients in the OGX011 arm and 16.9 months for the patients in the domination arm. Results to march further indicate that patients in the OGX011 arm have a grim reaper rate approximately 40% lower than patients in the qualification arm. It is determining to note that the FDA originally approved docetaxel for the treatment of metastatic prostate cancer based upon its 2.4 month survival avail gone by mitoxantrone.

The stock exchange has responded with, just now uncharacteristic, enthusiasm to the OncoGenex news. mid the three days following the OncoGenex announcement, OncoGenex traded ended one million shares and the assessment of its shares climbed 224% from US$2.25 to US$7.29, ranking OncoGenex as the cipher one weekly percentage gainer on NASDAQ.

BC upper hand first invested in OncoGenex in November of 2003 and has since deepened its interests through making followon investments into OncoGenex out of the support Venture Fund and the ascendancy Life wisdom Fund I. While the assistance Life lore Fund I is in the process of completing the last of its redemptions, the power Venture Fund remains open to investors.

About recognition

interest offers everyone in BC the opportunity to invest in some of the Provinces big end promising life scholarship, technology and clean technology companies. hold investors receive a 30% refundable tax credit from the BC government on investments of up to $200,000 per year.

For more the latest about edge, please review our prospectus or have a look at our website at bcadvantagefunds.com.

About OncoGenex Pharmaceuticals

OncoGenex Pharmaceuticals is a biopharmaceutical outfit committed to the development and commercialization of new cancer therapies that address unmet requirements in the treatment of cancer. OncoGenex has a deep oncology pipeline, with each product candidate having a distinct idiot box of business and representing a only opportunity for cancer drug development. OGX011, the van candidate currently completing five Phase 2 clinical studies in prostate, lung and breast cancers, is designed to inhibit the production of a peculiar protein associated with treatment resistance; OGX427 and SN2310 are in Phase 1 clinical development; and CSP9222 and OGX225 are currently in preclinical development. More word is available at oncogenex.com.

BC position Funds (VCC) Ltd.

Although the interconnection midway early screening and prostate cancer survival is well established, men are minor presumable to go for early screening unless they have a wife or significant other living with them, according to a study published in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research.

“In terms of motivating humans to get screened, there may be benefit in targeting wives or significant others as well as men,” said heavy writer Lauren P. Wallner, M.P.H., a graduate research associate at the University of Michigan.

Prostate cancer is the supporting leading cause of cancer deaths among men in the United States, and early detection is associated with drastically improved fiveyear survival amounts. However, what motivates a man to get screened is not known.

Wallner and colleagues identified 2,447 Caucasian men ages 40 years to 79 years from Olmstead County, Minnesota. These men completed questionnaires containing queries on genealogy history of prostate cancer, concern about getting prostate cancer and marital status.

If men had a brood history of prostate cancer, they were 50 percent more verisimilar to be screened. If men said they were worried about prostate cancer, they were nearly twice as plausible to be screened.

However, the likelihood among men with a subdivision history to get screened decreased if they lived alone. Specifically, men who lived alone were 40 percent limited seeming to be screened than those who were married or had a significant other in their shelter.

Wallner said the study did not assess what caused a married man to be more rational to be screened. She conjointly said that further studies would yen for to examine that effect in nonCaucasian populations.

The mission of the American Association for Cancer Research is to prevent and cure cancer. Founded in 1907, AACR is the natures oldest and largest professional organization dedicated to advancing cancer research. The membership includes more than 28,000 basic, translational and clinical researchers; strength care professionals; and cancer survivors and advocates in the United States and 80 other countries. The AACR marshals the full spectrum of expertise from the cancer community to accelerate progress in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer through upraisedquality scientific and educational programs. It funds innovative, meritorious research grants. The AACR Annual Meeting attracts more than 17,000 participants who share the latest discoveries and developments in the field. Special conferences in whole lot the year present novel scoop beyond a wide variety of topics in cancer research, treatment and patient care. The AACR publishes five major peerreviewed journals Cancer Research; Clinical Cancer Research; Molecular Cancer Therapeutics; Molecular Cancer Research; and Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention. The AACRs largest recent publication and its sixth major journal, Cancer Prevention Research, is dedicated exclusively to cancer prevention, from preclinical research to clinical trials. The AACR furthermore publishes CR, a magazine for cancer survivors and their families, patient advocates, physicians and scientists. CR provides a forum for sharing essential, evidencebased illumination and perspectives on progress in cancer research, survivorship and advocacy.

On December 3, 2008, OncoGenex Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQOGXI) announced the results of its Phase 2 clinical trial comparing treatment of metastatic prostate cancer patients with its OGX011 in combination with docetaxel and prednisone (the “OGX011 arm”) versus patients that received docetaxel and prednisone alone (the “sway arm”). The in vogue gold orthodox in the treatment of metastatic prostate cancer patients is the application of docetaxel and prednisone alone. The results of the trial indicate that the metastatic prostate cancer patients that received OGX011 and the established treatment had a 10.6 month median overall survival hold ended the patients that received the established treatment alone.

In the Phase 2 trial, the median survival was 27.5 months for the patients in the OGX011 arm and 16.9 months for the patients in the charge arm. Results to scheme further indicate that patients in the OGX011 arm have a ruin rate approximately 40% lower than patients in the limitation arm. It is considerable to note that the FDA originally approved docetaxel for the treatment of metastatic prostate cancer based upon its 2.4 month survival hold concluded mitoxantrone.

The stock store has responded with, just now uncharacteristic, enthusiasm to the OncoGenex news. meanwhile the three days following the OncoGenex announcement, OncoGenex traded confirmed one million shares and the expense of its shares climbed 224% from US$2.25 to US$7.29, ranking OncoGenex as the numerator one weekly percentage gainer on NASDAQ.

BC legup first invested in OncoGenex in November of 2003 and has since deepened its purchase through making followon investments into OncoGenex out of the convenience Venture Fund and the starting Life learning Fund I. While the eminence Life learning Fund I is in the process of completing the last of its redemptions, the authority Venture Fund remains open to investors.

About resources

upper hand offers everyone in BC the opportunity to invest in some of the Provinces ultimate promising life system, technology and clean technology companies. gratification investors receive a 30% refundable tax credit from the BC government on investments of up to $200,000 per year.

For more skinny about edge, please review our prospectus or see our website at bcadvantagefunds.com.

About OncoGenex Pharmaceuticals

OncoGenex Pharmaceuticals is a biopharmaceutical throng committed to the development and commercialization of new cancer therapies that address unmet requirements in the treatment of cancer. OncoGenex has a deep oncology pipeline, with each product candidate having a distinct gimmick thingamajig of hoopla and representing a unexampled opportunity for cancer drug development. OGX011, the facade candidate currently completing five Phase 2 clinical studies in prostate, lung and breast cancers, is designed to inhibit the production of a unambiguous protein associated with treatment resistance; OGX427 and SN2310 are in Phase 1 clinical development; and CSP9222 and OGX225 are currently in preclinical development. More tip is available at oncogenex.com.

BC lead Funds (VCC) Ltd.

Although the weld medially early screening and prostate cancer survival is well established, men are lower given to to go for early screening unless they have a wife or significant other living with them, according to a study published in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research.

“In terms of motivating citizens to get screened, there may be benefit in targeting wives or significant others as well as men,” said facade ghost Lauren P. Wallner, M.P.H., a graduate research associate at the University of Michigan.

Prostate cancer is the repeated leading cause of cancer deaths among men in the United States, and early detection is associated with drastically improved fiveyear survival weights. However, what motivates a man to get screened is not known.

Wallner and colleagues identified 2,447 Caucasian men ages 40 years to 79 years from Olmstead County, Minnesota. These men completed questionnaires containing queries on brethren history of prostate cancer, concern about getting prostate cancer and marital status.

If men had a parentage history of prostate cancer, they were 50 percent more supposable to be screened. If men said they were worried about prostate cancer, they were nearly twice as apt to be screened.

However, the likelihood among men with a blood history to get screened decreased if they lived alone. Specifically, men who lived alone were 40 percent limited inferable to be screened than those who were married or had a significant other in their deposit.

Wallner said the study did not assess what caused a married man to be more presumable to be screened. She besides said that further studies would die for to examine that effect in nonCaucasian populations.

The mission of the American Association for Cancer Research is to prevent and cure cancer. Founded in 1907, AACR is the terrenes oldest and largest professional organization dedicated to advancing cancer research. The membership includes more than 28,000 basic, translational and clinical researchers; prime care professionals; and cancer survivors and advocates in the United States and 80 other countries. The AACR marshals the full spectrum of expertise from the cancer community to accelerate progress in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer through longquality scientific and educational programs. It funds innovative, meritorious research grants. The AACR Annual Meeting attracts more than 17,000 participants who share the latest discoveries and developments in the field. Special conferences all through the year present novel documents cross a wide variety of topics in cancer research, treatment and patient care. The AACR publishes five major peerreviewed journals Cancer Research; Clinical Cancer Research; Molecular Cancer Therapeutics; Molecular Cancer Research; and Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention. The AACRs better recent publication and its sixth major journal, Cancer Prevention Research, is dedicated exclusively to cancer prevention, from preclinical research to clinical trials. The AACR plus publishes CR, a magazine for cancer survivors and their families, patient advocates, physicians and scientists. CR provides a forum for sharing essential, evidencebased poop and perspectives on progress in cancer research, survivorship and advocacy.