| Larger-volume tumors of the prostate are
| |
| | 12]. In fact, prostate cancer is so
|
| common among older men. Available tests
| |
| | common among older men that selecting
|
| for the early detection of cancer have
| |
| | subpopulations for screening on the basis
|
| limited specificity, which necessitates a
| |
| | of risk factors other than age, such as
|
| relatively high biopsy rate. The positive
| |
| | race or family history, would not be
|
| predictive value of combined digital
| |
| | necessary if screening and treatment
|
| rectal examination and PSA measurement
| |
| | strategies that favorably affect outcome
|
| has been defined, but the negative
| |
| | were available.
|
| predictive value is less clear.
| |
| | However, evidence also indicates that
|
| Measurement of PSA is the most sensitive
| |
| | available tests for early detection have
|
| noninvasive test for prostate cancer.
| |
| | limited specificity, particularly among
|
| However, digital rectal examination
| |
| | older men who have benign prostatic
|
| detects cancer that would otherwise be
| |
| | hyperplasia. Therefore, the combined use
|
| missed by PSA measurement.
| |
| | of digital rectal examination and the
|
| Clinical trials serve as one way of
| |
| | currently available assays for PSA
|
| finding prostate cancer cures. All
| |
| | results in as many as 15 of men in their
|
| prostate cancer medications must take
| |
| | 70s requiring further invasive evaluation
|
| pass the three phases required to gain
| |
| | with biopsy. Positive predictive values
|
| approval from the Food and Drug
| |
| | are 15, depending on age.
|
| Administration.
| |
| | Prostate Cancer Statistics:
|
| Phase I of the clinical trials test the
| |
| | Prostate cancer is the most common type
|
| safety of a new drug. The second clinical
| |
| | of cancer found in American men, other
|
| phase is designed to determine how the
| |
| | than skin cancer. Prostate cancer is the
|
| proposed new prostate cancer treatment
| |
| | second leading cause of cancer death in
|
| works. Patients are given the drug in
| |
| | men, exceeded only by lung cancer.
|
| high doses during this phase. The
| |
| | Although men of any age can get prostate
|
| patients are watched to see what effect
| |
| | cancer, it is found most often in men
|
| the test drug has on their prostate
| |
| | over 50. In fact, more than 70 between
|
| cancer. The final phase of clinical trial
| |
| | 1973 and 1992.
|
| testing pits test medications against
| |
| | One in six American men is at lifetime
|
| standard treatments. A control group is
| |
| | risk of prostate cancer. If a close
|
| given dosages of the test drug while a
| |
| | relative has prostate cancer, a man's
|
| second group uses standard methods of
| |
| | risk of the disease more than doubles.
|
| medicine-with the effects documented
| |
| | With two relatives, his risk increases
|
| The purpose of the trial is to test the
| |
| | fivefold. With three close relatives, his
|
| safety and effectiveness of the
| |
| | risk is about 97 - 50 of all new cancer
|
| technique, called high intensity focused
| |
| | cases in American men.
|
| ultrasound (HIFU), as the initial
| |
| | This year, more cases of prostate cancer
|
| treatment in men with newly-diagnosed,
| |
| | in men under the age of 65 are expected
|
| localized prostate cancer.
| |
| | than the combined number of men of ages
|
| Undiagnosed prostate cancer is highly
| |
| | who are victims of leukemia, Hodgkin's
|
| prevalent, especially among older men
| |
| | disease, and brain tumors.
|
| [42-49]. Although many of these cancers
| |
| | Prostate cancer accounts for
|
| may be considered incidental, evidence
| |
| | approximately 15 of male cancer deaths.
|
| suggests that consideration of screening
| |
| | Yet, on average, only about 5% of federal
|
| is warranted because earlier diagnosis of
| |
| | cancer research dollars have been devoted
|
| clinically significant cancers often has
| |
| | to beat the disease.
|
| the potential to improve outcome [10,
| |
| |
|
