Advertisement
+ News Categories + Corporate Categories + Report Categories

NEXT ARTICLE

Slow Growing Prostate Cancer Is Still Cancer

19:30 EST 3 Feb 2012 | PR Web

At the NIH State-of-the-Science Conference a few weeks ago, an independent panel advised that active surveillance is appropriate for patients presenting low-grade, low-volume prostate cancer and recommended the removal of the terminology ‘cancer’ by physicians when discussing courses of action. While active surveillance for these patients unarguably has many merits, Drs. Bruce Chabner and Matthew Smith of Massachusetts General Hospital expressed their concerns for the suggested change in nomenclature in an editorial in The Oncologist.

Durham, NC (PRWEB) February 03, 2012

Related Biotechnology, Pharmaceutical and Healthcare News

At the NIH State-of-the-Science Conference a few weeks ago, an independent panel advised that active surveillance is appropriate for patients presenting low-grade, low-volume prostate cancer and recommended the removal of the terminology ‘cancer’ by physicians when discussing courses of action. While active surveillance for these patients unarguably has many merits, Drs. Bruce Chabner and Matthew Smith of Massachusetts General Hospital expressed their concerns for the suggested change in nomenclature in an editorial in The Oncologist.

The panel recommended removing the term “cancer” for patients with this early stage/low volume disease to alleviate much of the anxiety that goes along with the term. While prostate cancer typically progresses slowly in these patients and they are unlikely to experience morbidity or mortality as a result of their condition, the pathology is still consistent with the diagnosis of cancer.

Dr. Chabner stated, "I am concerned about the rush to change the perception of prostate cancer. While it is certain that we unnecessarily treat or over-treat elderly patients with low grade disease, prostate cancer, like other cancers, has the potential to kill. We are not yet sufficiently knowledgeable to know precisely which patients will progress and in which patients the disease will remain stagnant. That uncertainty needs to be communicated to our patients as we discuss screening and treatment. Changing the name will simply confuse the issue."

The full editorial title “Call It Cancer” can be accessed at: http://theoncologist.alphamedpress.org/content/early/2012/02/01/theoncologist.2012-0004.full.pdf+html

###

For the original version on PRWeb visit: http://www.prweb.com/releases/prweb2012/2/prweb9167112.htm

Original Article: Slow Growing Prostate Cancer Is Still Cancer

PR Web

 Channels 116 Associated Channels :: Search

  • Prostate Cancer Pub Med

    Prostate cancer is a form of cancer that develops in the prostate, a gland in the male reproductive system. Most prostate cancers are slow growing; however, there are cases of aggressive prostate ca...

  • Prostate Cancer

    Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men in the UK; affecting 250,000 men. Risk factors for prostate cancer include age (average age at diagnosis is 70), a family history and a Caribbean or...

  • Prostate Cancer Cellular Vaccine rDNA

  • Abiraterone Acetate - Zytiga

    On April 28, 2011, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Zytiga (abiraterone acetate), for use in combination with prednisone for the second-line treatment of castration-resistant prost...

  • Tumor markers

    Tumor markers are substances produced by tumor cells or by other cells of the body in response to cancer or certain benign (noncancerous) conditions. These substances can be found in the blood, in t...

  • Prostate specific membrane antigen PSMA

    Prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) is a transmembrane protein commonly found on the surface of late-stage and metastatic prostate cancer and a well-known imaging biomarker for staging and monit...

  • Cervical Cancer

    Cervical cancer is a malignant neoplasm of the cervix uteri or cervical area. Symptoms include vaginal bleeding, but may not present until later stages of the cancer. Cervical cancer can be treated...

  • Epithelial cell adhesion molecule EpCAM CD326

    Epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM; CD326) is a cell surface protein that is frequently expressed at high level on most solid tumor types, including prostate, breast, colon, gastric, ovarian,...

  • Ovarian Cancer

    Ovarian cancer is cancer that starts in the female reproductive organs, the ovaries. It is the fifth most common cancer among women.  Women at risk of Ovarian cancer are those who have had fe...

  • Lung Cancer

    Lung cancer is the uncontrolled cell growth in tissues of the lung. Originating in the lungs, this growth may invade adjacent tissues and infiltrate beyond the lungs. Lung cancer, the most common ca...

Associated Content for this Article