Here are what the editors at HealthDay consider to be the most important developments in Urology for February 2009. This roundup includes the latest research news from journal articles, as well as the FDA approvals and regulatory changes that are the most likely to affect clinical practice.
PSA Provides Higher Cancer Prediction By Race
FRIDAY, Feb. 27 (HealthDay News) -- Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) has a higher prediction for prostate cancer in African American men, which may be explained by genetic West African ancestry, according to a study published online Feb. 24 in Cancer Prevention Research.
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Supplements Affect Expression of Prostate Cancer Genes
THURSDAY, Feb. 26 (HealthDay News) -- In prostate cancer patients scheduled for radical prostatectomy, selenium and vitamin E have significant effects on expression levels of genes commonly associated with cancer development and progression that may have clinical implications, according to an article published in the Mar. 4 issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
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Male Infertility Linked to Testicular Cancer Risk
THURSDAY, Feb. 26 (HealthDay News) -- Men with male factor infertility showed a markedly higher risk of testicular cancer than men in the general population, according to research published in the Feb. 23 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine.
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Insurance Essential for Good Health, Well-Being
TUESDAY, Feb. 24 (HealthDay News) -- Having health insurance is vital for health and well-being, and when rates of uninsurance are high, even insured people are more likely to struggle to obtain necessary care, according to a new report from the Institute of Medicine released online Feb. 24.
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Denosumab May Benefit Patients with Bone Metastases
TUESDAY, Feb. 24 (HealthDay News) -- In patients with bone metastases from prostate, breast or other cancers, who have elevated urinary N-telopeptide levels despite ongoing intravenous bisphosphonate therapy, treatment with denosumab may be more effective at normalizing levels and reducing skeletal-related events than continuation of bisphosphonate therapy, according to a report published in the Mar. 1 issue of the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
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US Health Spending May Have Hit $2.4 Trillion in 2008
TUESDAY, Feb. 24 (HealthDay News) -- Health spending in the United States was estimated to be $2.4 trillion last year, and is expected to account for an unprecedented share of the economy this year, according to a report published online Feb. 24 in Health Affairs.
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Study Supports Halt of PSA Testing in Some Older Men
TUESDAY, Feb. 24 (HealthDay News) -- Men who are 75 to 80 years old and have a prostate specific antigen (PSA) less than 3 ng/mL are not likely to have life-threatening prostate cancer during the remainder of their lives, according to research released online in advance of publication in the April issue of the Journal of Urology.
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DVT Prevention to Be Considered for All Urologic Surgeries
MONDAY, Feb. 23 (HealthDay News) -- Consideration of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) prophylaxis is recommended for all patients undergoing a urological surgical procedure, according to a best practice statement from the American Urological Association published in the March issue of the Journal of Urology.
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Procedure Significantly Improves Urinary Incontinence
MONDAY, Feb. 23 (HealthDay News) -- A transobturator tape procedure resulted in nearly an 80 percent improvement in urge urinary incontinence, according to research published in the March issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology.
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Proposed Changes to Health Care Would Reduce Costs
THURSDAY, Feb. 19 (HealthDay News) -- Simultaneous gains in universal health coverage, improved health outcomes and slowed spending growth would have a major impact on the development of public policy, according to a perspective published in the Feb. 26 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
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Transparency, Globalization Growing in Clinical Research
THURSDAY, Feb. 19 (HealthDay News) -- All clinical trial data and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration database should be publicly available, and global clinical research should be conducted in relevant populations for potential applications of the intervention, according to two articles published in the Feb. 19 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
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Implementing a Quality Improvement Faculty Path
WEDNESDAY, Feb. 18 (HealthDay News) -- A new career pathway in academic medicine, termed clinicians in quality improvement, is a justified concept to achieve and recognize excellence in patient safety, according to a commentary published in the Feb. 18 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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Ads Featuring 'Drug Facts Box' Help Educate Consumers
TUESDAY, Feb. 17 (HealthDay News) -- Replacing the brief summary in direct-to-consumer ads with a "drug facts box" may result in improved consumer knowledge and judgment about medication benefits and side effects, according to study findings released online Feb. 17 in advance of publication in the Apr. 21 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.
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Avosentan Helps Cut Albumin Excretion in Some Diabetics
MONDAY, Feb. 16 (HealthDay News) -- In patients with diabetic nephropathy and macroalbuminuria, treatment with avosentan in combination with standard therapy significantly decreases the urinary albumin excretion rate, according to a study published ahead of print Jan. 14 in the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology.
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Urinary Metabolite Levels Higher in Prostate Cancer
FRIDAY, Feb. 13 (HealthDay News) -- Levels of an amino acid derivative are higher in the urine of men with more advanced prostate cancer, which could be used as a non-invasive screening test, according to a study in the Feb. 12 issue of Nature.
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Surrogate Endpoints Found for Prostate Cancer Survival
FRIDAY, Feb. 13 (HealthDay News) -- Distant metastasis and general clinical treatment failure three years after prostate cancer treatment are effective surrogate endpoints for survival at 10 years, according to a report published in the Feb. 18 issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
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Tumor Cells May Be Marker of Prostate Cancer Survival
THURSDAY, Feb. 12 (HealthDay News) -- In patients with progressive, metastatic, castration-resistant prostate cancer receiving first-line chemotherapy, the circulating tumor cell count may be a useful prognostic marker for survival, according to a report published online Feb. 11 in The Lancet Oncology.
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Marijuana Use Linked to Common Testicular Malignancy
WEDNESDAY, Feb. 11 (HealthDay News) -- Marijuana use may increase men's risk of non-seminoma testicular germ cell tumors, according to research published online Feb. 9 in the journal Cancer.
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Care Coordination Programs Don't Benefit Medicare Patients
TUESDAY, Feb. 10 (HealthDay News) -- For Medicare beneficiaries with chronic illnesses, most care coordination programs have little impact on reducing hospitalizations and costs or improving quality of care, according to a report published in the Feb. 11 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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Baby Formula with Melamine Linked to Urinary Tract Stones
WEDNESDAY, Feb. 4 (HealthDay News) -- Exposure to infant formula contaminated with melamine was associated with kidney stones in children in China, Hong Kong and Taiwan, though conventional signs and symptoms of nephrolithiasis were lacking, according to a study and two letters published online Feb. 4 in the New England Journal of Medicine.
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Letter from Taiwan
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