Nuclear Oncology

Posts Tagged ‘prostate cancer’

Green tea and prostate cancer prevention

A clinical study has shown that green tea can prevent prostate cancer, especially in men with family history. This new found benefits of this plant extract, besides its known diuretic and weight control.
After a study in which patients were analyzed in a prostate biopsy had found pre-malignant lesion called a PIN (Prostatic Intraepithelial Neoplasia), we know that to whom this lesion detected in the course of the first years, 30% will be diagnosed with prostate cancer.

We are currently working on obtaining catechins, green tea polyphenols, to be taken in capsule or tablet, since it is not yet available to all the green teas to drink 3 a day away from home. It is sometimes problematic, because the street is not found everywhere, nor is it advisable to prepare it before and have it in a bottle to take over the day, because after one hour polifemoles have been lost and no longer serve .

Although not the aim to study whether they improved the symptoms of prostate adenoma, benign growth but to treat the development of cancer after finding the PIN, 65% of patients with prostatic symptoms improved.

A prostate biopsy should be performed in two situations: when the DRE is a nodule, induration of the gland, or when the PSA is above the values that man is touched by age. However, the generally recommended value 4 by laboratories does not apply equally to all ages, a man of 70 years a value of 4 may be normal, but in another 40 years should not be more than 2, have 3 and would be high and should be biopsied.

If suspected the patient is made to biopsy with sedation, which allows us to have many more samples. Elsewhere in normal conditions, with local anesthesia will perform three samples from each side of the prostate, but not the same negative result with three signs that a negative result we do twenty, ten on each side.
There is always evolving, so that twice a year the patient must be resubmitted for review, get a PSA and when in doubt biopsy is done under sedation, which lasts about ten minutes. This unfortunately can not be done anywhere, we are privileged to be able to make a high quality medicine, having no limitations as may be in the public health.

The PSA is a marker of prostate cancer, not prostate cancer. Although up by the tumor, can also raise prostate infection, prostatitis, as well as inflammation or a benign growth, it also rises, but that does not necessarily mean cancer.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the first therapeutic vaccine for prostate cancer. Provenge approval to (name of vaccine), designed to attack the immune system itself to the tumor, has become the first therapy of its kind that accepts the FDA.

Provenge, which has been developed by a Seattle-based company, Dendreon Corp., encourages self-defense system to attack cancer cells. Treatment involves removing the patient’s white blood cells, treated in the laboratory with a protein genetically modified to make them more potent against the tumor, and then re-enter the affected blood.

Using the person’s own blood cells, this therapy does not cause other side effects from chemotherapy (currently used against this disease).
For now, Provenge is indicated for those with prostate cancer who have stopped responding to hormone therapy.

With the participation of 512 men with this type of tumor, the clinical trial phase III IMPACT found that Provenge reduced the risk of mortality in these patients 22.5% compared with placebo and prolonged survival of four months half .
Mitchell H. Gold, president and CEO of Dendreon, said the finding is a reward for the constant search of hope for cancer: “The approval of Provenge is a recognition of the work of patients and researchers who are 15 years participating in trials for get this vaccine, “he said in a statement.

Dendreon CorpTras, which should provide the vaccine at 50 U.S. centers, hopes to increase its production capacity next year.