Prostate cancer recurrence during radiotherapy starts less than two months in

URO TODAY: Recurrence of prostate tumours starts no later than 58 days in the course of radiotherapy for prostate cancer, according to a new study. READ MORE>

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Prostate cancer patients with Gleason score 6 very unlikely to develop late recurrence

URO TODAY: Prostate cancer patients with Gleason score 6 disease are very unlikely to develop late recurrence and might be candidates for less-intense follow-up once they have passed the five-year mark. READ MORE>

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Most men whose prostate cancer recurs still survive

REUTERS: Men who show signs that their disease has returned after prostate cancer treatment are still more likely to die of other causes, a new study in US veterans shows. READ MORE>

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Researchers question need for annual PSA tests on ‘low risk’ patients after prostate surgery

NEW PROSTATE CANCER INFOLINK:  How often after prostate surgery should a “low risk” patient have his PSA tested to check if the cancer is coming back? READ MORE>

Tollefson et al. conclude that,  in low-risk patients, the risk of biochemical failure is inversely proportional to time for which the PSA is undetectable after radical prostatectomy.

They go on to suggest that taking PSA levels every two years should be sufficient to identify the majority of low-risk patients who experience biochemical progression.

The “New” Prostate Cancer InfoLink would certainly agree that annual PSA testing is probably unnecessary in the majority of patients who are treated surgically for low-risk disease if their PSA is undetectable after surgery.

However, the key question is how long should annual PSA testing be carried out before the patient can be switched to testing every two (or perhaps even every three) years.

Based on this paper, it would seem likely that even low-risk patients should all receive at least annual testing for three years after surgery.

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Gene variation gives one in five men greater risk of prostate cancer recurrence

URO TODAY: One in five men have a DNA variation that increases the risk of prostate cancer recurring after surgery, even though other factors (early diagnosis, low aggression, etc) may be in their favour. READ MORE> and HERE>

Department of Radiation Oncology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, US:
The A/G genotype of rs10895304 is predictive of decreased recurrence-free survival in patients with clinically localised prostate cancer.

Our data suggest that for this subset of patients, prostatectomy alone may not be adequate for local control.

This is a novel and relevant marker that should be evaluated for improved risk stratification of patients who may be candidates for adjuvant radiation therapy to improve local control.

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How long will a patient survive if his prostate cancer comes back?

NEW PROSTATE CANCER INFOLINK: How long have you got to live if your prostate cancer spreads after initial treatment?

We have been told that the median survival of a man diagnosed with metastatic prostate cancer today may be as much as 5-6 years, but actual data to support this belief are very hard to come by, writes Mike Scott. READ MORE>

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Bigger the prostate tumour removed, greater the risk of recurrence

URO TODAY: The size of your prostate tumour may predict whether you’ll get a recurrence of the disease after a prostatectomy – the bigger the tumour, the more the risk. READ MORE>

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