Health-related quality of life in active surveillance and radical prostatectomy for low-risk prostate cancer: a prospective observational study (HAROW - Hormonal therapy, Active Surveillance, Radiation, Operation, Watchful Waiting)

Effect of Acoustically Responsive Droplet-based Low-intensity Histotripsy on Canine Prostate

OBJECTIVE

Low-intensity histotripsy (LIH) is a novel and safe technique for tissue ablation. This study aimed to explore the effects of LIH on canine prostate tissue and identify the degree of acute injury to the gland.

METHODS

We constructed and evaluated two types of acoustically responsive droplet (ARD) emulsions using either perfluoropentane (PFP) with a lipid shell or perfluoromethyl-cyclopentane (PFMCP) with lauromacrogol (L) injection. Twenty beagles were assigned to four experimental groups: ultrasound (US) + PFP (n = 6), US + PFMCP-L (n = 6), PFMCP-L (n = 5) and PFP (n = 3). The ARDs were injected transcutaneously and transabdominally into normal canine prostates under US-guided imaging. Subsequently, focused therapeutic US was employed to induce acoustic droplet vaporization and bubble cloud cavitation. The mechanical damage to canine prostate tissue was evaluated using gross and histological examination.

RESULTS

Gross specimens showed that the injured area was dark brown. Hematoxylin and eosin-stained tissue sections of the damage zone showed significant cavity formation and interstitial edema. The total tissue damage scores in the US + PFP group were compared to those of the other three experimental groups. No statistically significant differences were observed in the extent of tissue damage and total scores among the US + PFMCP-L, PFMCP-L and PFP groups.

CONCLUSION

We achieved significant mechanical tissue damage in the canine prostate using PFP ARD-based LIH that proved to be superior to that using PFMCP ARDs with LIH.

A prospective cohort of men with localized prostate cancer on active surveillance protocol in Hong Kong, China: what did we learn?

This study aimed to report the outcomes of active surveillance (AS) in the management of low-risk prostate cancer (PCa). It recruited 87 men who were prospectively followed up according to the Prostate Cancer Research International Active Surveillance (PRIAS) protocol with local adaptation at SH Ho Urology Centre, Prince of Wales Hospital, Hong Kong, China. We investigated the predictors of disease progression and found that baseline prostate-specific antigen density (PSAD) and the presence of the highest Prostate Imaging-Reporting and Data System (PI-RADS) score 5 lesion on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are significantly correlated with disease progression. Moreover, men with PSAD >0.2 ng ml -2 or PI-RADS 4 or 5 lesions had significantly worse upgrading-free survival compared to those with PSAD ≤0.2 ng ml -2 and PI-RADS 2 or 3 lesions. The study concludes that AS is a safe and effective management strategy for selected patients to defer radical treatment and that most disease progression can be detected after the first repeated biopsy. The combination of PSAD >0.2 ng ml -2 and PI-RADS 4 or 5 lesions may serve as a useful predictor of early disease progression and provide a guide to optimize follow-up protocols for men in different risk groups.

The Influence of Practice Structure on Urologists' Treatment of Men With Low-Risk Prostate Cancer

BACKGROUND

Vertical and horizontal integration among health care providers has transformed the practice arrangements under which many physicians work.

OBJECTIVE

To examine the influence of type of practice structure, and by implication the financial incentives associated with each structure, on treatment received among men newly diagnosed with low-risk prostate cancer.

RESEARCH DESIGN

We compiled a unique database from cancer registry records from 4 large states, Medicare enrollment and claims for the years 2005-2014 and SK & A physician surveys corroborated by extensive internet searches. We estimated a multinomial logit model to examine the influence of urologist practice structure on type of initial treatment received.

RESULTS

The probability of being monitored with active surveillance was 7.4% and 4.2% points higher for men treated by health system and nonhealth system employed urologists ( P <0.01), respectively, in comparison to men treated by single specialty urology practices. Among multispecialty practices, the rate of active surveillance use was 3% points higher compared with single specialty urology practices( P <0.01). Use of intensity modulated radiation therapy among urologists with ownership in intensity modulated radiation therapy was 17.4% points higher compared with urologists working in small single specialty practices.

CONCLUSIONS

Physician practice structure attributes are significantly associated with type of treatment received but few studies control for such factors. Our findings-coupled with the observation that urologist practice structure shifted substantially over this time period due to mergers of small urology groups-provide one explanation for the limited uptake of active surveillance among men with low-risk disease in the US.

Quality of Life of Prostate Cancer Patients Undergoing Prostatectomy and Affective Temperament

Purpose

Prostate cancer (PC) is one of the most common malignancies in men. The population of PC survivors is growing, and understanding the roles of different factors that affect quality of life (QoL) is important. We investigated the effects of affective temperament on the QoL of PC patients.

Patients and Methods

All subjects (n=100) underwent medical evaluation [including demographic data, medical history, physical examination, biochemical tests, and assessment of urinary incontinence (ICIQ-UI SF scale) and erectile dysfunction (ED) (IIEF-5 and subjective ED scale)] and psychological evaluation [including assessment of affective temperament using the TEMPS-A scale, depression and anxiety (using HADS), and QoL (EORTC-QLQ-C30 and EORTC-PR25)]. The relationships between individual variables were examined.

Results

Erection quality after treatment was associated with better QoL in most parameters. Similar strong relationships were observed between the urinary incontinence scale and QoL. Depressive, cyclothymic, irritable, and anxious temperaments were associated with decreased QoL. On the EORTC-PR25 scale, associations were observed between a depressive temperament and worse sexual function and urinary symptoms, between a cyclothymic temperament and worse urinary symptoms, and between an irritable temperament and worse sexual functioning. Multivariate analysis identified the severity of anxiety and depression symptoms measured by HADS as the most important psychological factors affecting QoL.

Conclusion

QoL in PC survivors depends on many factors, including age, interval since diagnosis, tumor stage, treatment, complications, and affective temperament profile. Depressive, cyclothymic, irritable, and anxious temperaments were associated with poorer QoL in selected domains, which was not observed for a hyperthymic temperament. The temperament profile of patients was associated with mood and anxiety level, which were important determinants of a poorer QoL.

Supported progressive resistance exercise training to counter the adverse side effects of robot-assisted radical prostatectomy: a randomised controlled trial

PURPOSE

To investigate the effects of a supported home-based progressive resistance exercise training (RET) programme on indices of cardiovascular health, muscular strength and health-related quality of life (HR-QoL) in prostate cancer (PCa) patients after treatment with robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP).

METHODS

This study was a single-site, two-arm randomised controlled trial, with 40 participants randomised to either the intervention or control group over a 10-month period. In addition to receiving usual care, the intervention group completed three weekly RET sessions using resistance bands for 6 months. Participants performed 3 sets of 12-15 repetitions for each exercise, targeting each major muscle group. The control group received usual care only. Brachial artery flow-mediated dilatation (FMD) was the primary outcome and assessed at baseline, 3 and 6 months. Secondary outcomes included body weight, body fat, aerobic fitness, strength and blood-borne biomarkers associated with cardiometabolic risk.

RESULTS

There was no significant difference between the groups in FMD at 3 or 6 months. However, there were improvements in aerobic exercise capacity (P < 0.01) and upper- (P < 0.01) and lower-limb (P = 0.01) strength in favour of the RET group at 6 months, accompanied by greater weight loss (P = 0.04) and a reduction in body fat (P = 0.02). Improvements in HRQoL were evident in the RET group at 3 and 6 months via the PCa-specific component of the FACT-P questionnaire (both P < 0.01). Five adverse events and one serious adverse event were reported throughout the trial duration.

CONCLUSION

This study demonstrates that home-based RET is an effective and safe mode of exercise that elicits beneficial effects on aerobic exercise capacity, muscular strength and HR-QoL in men who have undergone RARP.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ISRCTN10490647.

Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms in Prostate Cancer Patients Treated With Radiation Therapy: Past and Present

The incidence of prostate cancer (PCa) is increasing concomitantly with population aging. Accordingly, interest in radiation therapy (RT) and the frequency of RT are also increasing. The types of RT can be broadly divided into external beam RT (EBRT), brachytherapy (BT), and combination therapy (EBRT+BT). Lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) after RT for the treatment of PCa are common; however, there are few reviews on the relationship between RT and LUTS. Herein, we review the causes and incidence of LUTS, as well as the evaluation and treatment options. Because of the reported risks of RT, patients undergoing RT should be counseled regarding the challenges of treatment and informed that they may have higher failure rates than nonirradiated patients. Moreover, thorough evaluation and treatment strategies are needed to support treatment recommendations. With a review of the existing literature, this narrative article provides an overview to aid urologists in treating patients presenting with complications associated with RT for the treatment of PCa. Further research is required to provide evidence of the effectiveness and feasibility of the management approach to the care of patients with LUTS after RT for the treatment of PCa.

Upregulation of PTTG1 is associated with poor prognosis in prostate cancer

Pituitary tumor-transforming gene 1 (PTTG1) is a regulator of chromosome stability. PTTG1 overexpression had been associated with tumor aggressiveness in several cancer types. To examine its prognostic utility in prostate cancer, a tissue microarray including 12 427 tumors with clinical and molecular data was analyzed by immunohistochemistry. PTTG1 immunostaining was largely absent in normal prostate epithelial cells. In cancers, staining was considered weak in 5.4%, moderate in 5.6% and strong in 0.8%. Strong staining was linked to advanced pT stage, high classical and quantitative Gleason grade, high Ki67-labeling index (all P < 0.0001) and lymph node metastasis (P = 0.0083). The prognostic impact of PTTG1 expression was independent of established preoperative and postoperative prognostic features. Comparison with molecular features revealed that PTTG1 upregulation was associated with nine of 12 common genomic deletions (P < 0.05), p53 alterations and high androgen receptor levels (P < 0.001 each), but was unrelated to the TMPRSS2:ERG fusion status. In conclusion, these data identify PTTG1 as a strong and independent prognostic feature in prostate cancer. PTTG1 measurement, either alone or in combination with other biomarkers might be instrumental for determining prostate cancer aggressiveness.

Use of psycho-oncological services by prostate cancer patients: A multilevel analysis

Background

Cancer patients often suffer from psychological distress. Psycho‐oncological services (POS) have been established in some health care systems in order to address such issues. This study aims to identify patient and center characteristics that elucidate the use of POS by patients in prostate cancer centers (PCCs).

Methods

Center‐reported certification and patient survey data from 3094 patients in 44 certified PCCs in Germany were gathered in the observational study (Prostate Cancer Outcomes). A multilevel analysis was conducted.

Results

Model 1 showed that utilization of POS in PCCs is associated with patients’ age (OR = 0.98; 95%‐CI = 0.96‐0.99; P < .001), number of comorbidities (1‐2 vs 0, OR = 1.27; 95%‐CI = 1.00‐1.60; P=.048), disease staging (localized high‐risk vs localized intermediate risk, OR = 1.41; 95%‐CI = 1.14‐1.74; P < .001), receiving androgen deprivation therapy before study inclusion (OR = 0.19; 95%‐CI = 0.10‐0.34; P < .001), and hospital teaching status (university vs academic, OR = 0.09; 95%‐CI = 0.02‐0.55; P = .009). Model 2 additionally includes information on treatment after study inclusion and shows that after inclusion, patients who receive primary radiotherapy (OR = 0.05; 95%‐CI = 0.03‐0.10; P < .001) or undergo active surveillance/watchful waiting (OR = 0.06; 95%‐CI = 0.02‐0.15; P < .001) are less likely to utilize POS than patients who undergo radical prostatectomy. Disease staging (localized high‐risk vs localized intermediate risk, OR = 1.31; 95%‐CI = 1.05‐1.62; P = .02) and teaching status (university vs academic, OR = 0.08; 95%‐CI = 0.01‐0.65; P = .02) are also significant predictors for POS use. The second model did not identify any other significant patient characteristics.

Conclusions

Future research should explore the role of institutional teaching status and whether associations with therapy after study inclusion are due to treatment effects – for example, less need following radiotherapy – or because access to POS is more difficult for those receiving radiotherapy.