BY DOUGLAS SCHERR M.D.

Dr. Douglas Scherr, MD

Obesity is becoming an increasing concern with regard to prostate cancer treatment decisions as the number of patients with a Body Mass Index (BMI) of greater than 30 grows. While there hasn’t been conclusive study into the area, it has been generally found that obesity is a negative risk factor for prostate cancer.

The American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) will host news briefings with accompanying live webcasts on the top cancer research papers from its 51st Annual Meeting to be held this coming week in Chicago. Prostate cancer features in three of briefings. Here are the headlines:

Reuters and WAll Street Journal report today that Dendreon plans to seek US FDA approval for Provenge prostate cancer vaccine in November. Dendreon “expects regulators to act on the application by the middle of next year, the company said on Thursday.”

To start from an updated report in the Wall Street Journal, which adds this information to Reuters’ coverage of Dendreon ’s share prices today. The points are excerpted and reordered:

Rick Ward, of Deer Lodge, Montana and San Antonio,Texas, a pioneering prostate cancer awareness advocate and activist, died recently of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Rick, an Air Force veteran aged 71, will be remembered for his tremendous contribution to Seedpods brachytherapy mailing list, for his dedication to helping Veterans faced with cancer and other health problems, for popularizing the sky blue ribbon as an emblem of prostate cancer awareness, and for advocating for equitable funding for prostate cancer research.

Rick discovered he had prostate cancer at age 56 in September 1994 in Deer Lodge, Montana when a PSA test at a free screening clinic during Prostate Cancer Awareness Week came back at a high 14 ng/mL. He called the National Cancer Institute at 1-800-4CANCER; and as an early internet user, he joined one of the start-up online mailing lists.

Us TOO University Presents:
Estrogen Deficiency Side Effects Due to Androgen Deprivation Therapy.

This free webinar/teleconference with speaker Samir Taneja MD will
take place Wednesday, September 23, 2009, at 8pm Eastern,
7pm Central, 6pm Mountain, 5pm Pacific.

For more information and to RSVP today, go to:
http://www.ustooevents.org/site/Survey?ACTION_REQUIRED=URI_ACTION_USER_REQUESTS&SURVEY_ID=2700

Patients who experience fatigue during radiotherapy for breast or prostate cancer may be reacting to activation of the proinflammatory cytokine network, a known inflammatory pathway, according to a report in Clinical Cancer Research, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research.

• Fatigue is a major side effect of radiotherapy
• Inflammation mechanism suggests possible treatment option
• Test done in breast and prostate cancer

Androgen-deprivation therapy is well-established for treating prostate cancer but is associated with bone loss and an increased risk of fracture. Matthew R. Smith and an international team investigated the effects of denosumab, a fully human monoclonal antibody against receptor activator of nuclear factor-{kappa}B ligand, on bone mineral density and fractures in men receiving androgen-deprivation therapy for nonmetastatic prostate cancer. In today’s New England Journal of Medicine, August 20, they report positive results:

Senator Christopher J. Dodd of Connecticut, age 65, announced on Friday that he had prostate cancer, in an early, treatable form. His PSA blood test, taken during an annual physical exam, plus follow up biopsy and treatment are covered by his Congressional health care plan, he said.

Princeton, New Jersey; July 9, 2009 — Sandoz today announced the introduction of bicalutamide tablets, USP a generic equivalent of Casodex®, in the United States. Bicalutamide is an androgen receptor inhibitor indicated for use in combination therapy with a luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) analog for the treatment of Stage D2 metastatic carcinoma of the prostate.

According to IMS Health, US sales for branded bicalutamide tablets, USP were approximately USD 319 million for the twelve months ending April 2009. Sandoz will market bicalutamide in 50mg strength tablets, the same as Casodex®.

Proton beam therapy for prostate cancer, a treatment that attracts more than an average numbers of engineers, scientists and pilots, is coming under intense scrutiny from reporters who expect it to be questioned by the Obama adminstration’s health-care reform team.