User login
Money buys life, and a cigarette maker wants to ‘unsmoke the world’
With COVID, the fun never ends
Welcome to America’s favorite pandemic-themed game show! Let’s play Covidiot Proof! And now, here’s your host, the lovely and talented Anthony Grouchy!
Tony: Hello everyone! Our first category today is America or [blank], and the first clue is for you, Don. This country requires “individuals to use a health pass to patronize indoor establishments such as restaurants, bars, nightclubs and cinemas.”
Don: Freedom-loving Americans would never stand for that, Tony, so I’m going to say Greece.
Tony: That’s correct, Don. One hundred points for you. Okay Joe, here’s your clue: In this country, some people wear disguises to get a COVID vaccination so their friends and families won’t find out.
Joe: Sounds like communism to me, Tony. I’ll say Cuba.
Tony: Sorry Joe, that’s incorrect. Don?
Don: The friends and families sound like freedom-loving Americans, so it must be America.
Tony: It is America. Missouri, to be exact. And now, one last question for both of you to win the game. True or false? Did the pastor of a church in Tennessee say that mask-wearers would be kicked out of the building because “I am not playing these Democrat games up in this church”?
Joe: That’s fake news, Tony. It’s gotta be false.
Tony: Incorrect! It’s absolutely true. That means today’s winner is … Joe? Yes, I’m being told that Tennessee goes to Joe.
Don: That’s bulls#&@! I won this thing! I’ll see you in court!
More money, more life
Does it seem to you that the wealthy live forever, while the less financially comfortable live shorter lives? If you answered, yes, it turns out that you’re right.
Researchers analyzed the effect of net worth at midlife with mortality. To take out genetic differences among the sample of 5,400 adults aged 46 years, the investigators also studied a subset of 2,490 twin and sibling pairs.
“The within-family association provides strong evidence that an association between wealth accumulation and life expectancy exists, because comparing siblings within the same family to each other controls for all of the life experience and biology that they share,” said coauthor Eric Finegood of Northwestern University, Chicago.
But what if one sibling has a history of cancer, heart disease, or other health conditions? The cost of treatment and employment limitations could affect someone’s ability to stack their wealth, right? Absolutely. The researchers took that into account and looked at only healthy individuals and found the same results. More money, longer life.
We have the policies and programs in place for heart health, diabetes prevention, and smoking cessation, as they are seen as major threats to public health. So why not do the same for financial security? A low bank account may just be more harmful.
Holding the ‘health care and wellness’ gun
Cigarettes are not good for us. We know this.
It’s, therefore, not surprising to learn that a business has requested for a U.K. ban on the sale of cigarettes by 2030. However, when that someone turns out to be the CEO of Philip Morris International, tobacco company and maker of Marlboro cigarettes, things get a little confusing.
Banning cigarettes, according to Jacek Olczak, would reduce confusion among consumers, many of whom feel that the alternatives are worse for their health. His company can “see the world without cigarettes ... and actually, the sooner it happens, the better it is for everyone.” A truly noble sentiment from the CEO of a large tobacco company. Nothing nefarious going on here.
And if those aren’t egregious business euphemisms, we don’t know what is.
Of course, for all the completely believable and sincere rhetoric, the fact is that Marlboros are still on the shelves. Philip Morris is still making and advertising them. If their concern was genuine, why wouldn’t they just stop manufacturing them now?
So, we ask ourselves if this a selfless act of kindness or is it an unscrupulous corporate act to get a leg up on their competitors? We’ll leave it up to the readers to decide.
Okay, we lied, it’s the second one.
Autopsy of the living dead
Imagine the absolute terror you’d feel if you opened your eyes to bright, blinding white lights only to see a bone saw 3 inches from your forehead and getting closer by the second. Horrifying for you, certainly, but think about the poor pathologist behind the saw who probably thought a zombie apocalypse was coming. This was close to being a reality for a 29-year-old prisoner at the Asturias Central Penitentiary in Spain.
Gonzalo Montoya Jiménez was discovered in his cell unresponsive. Three physicians examined him and found he was showing signs of death, such as cyanosis and rigor mortis. Mr. Jiménez was processed like any other body and was sent, in a body bag, to a hospital mortuary, where he spent time in a freezer for body preservation. Just before he was due for his autopsy, he began showing signs of life.
It’s not completely clear why this happened to poor Mr. Jiménez, but it was reported that he wasn’t feeling well the day before and that he has epilepsy. Hospital officials suggested he may have been cataleptic, possibly because he had trouble adhering to his medication schedule.
Mr. Jiménez was moved to another hospital under armed guard after coming back to life and regained consciousness after a day or so. Talk about cheating death.
With COVID, the fun never ends
Welcome to America’s favorite pandemic-themed game show! Let’s play Covidiot Proof! And now, here’s your host, the lovely and talented Anthony Grouchy!
Tony: Hello everyone! Our first category today is America or [blank], and the first clue is for you, Don. This country requires “individuals to use a health pass to patronize indoor establishments such as restaurants, bars, nightclubs and cinemas.”
Don: Freedom-loving Americans would never stand for that, Tony, so I’m going to say Greece.
Tony: That’s correct, Don. One hundred points for you. Okay Joe, here’s your clue: In this country, some people wear disguises to get a COVID vaccination so their friends and families won’t find out.
Joe: Sounds like communism to me, Tony. I’ll say Cuba.
Tony: Sorry Joe, that’s incorrect. Don?
Don: The friends and families sound like freedom-loving Americans, so it must be America.
Tony: It is America. Missouri, to be exact. And now, one last question for both of you to win the game. True or false? Did the pastor of a church in Tennessee say that mask-wearers would be kicked out of the building because “I am not playing these Democrat games up in this church”?
Joe: That’s fake news, Tony. It’s gotta be false.
Tony: Incorrect! It’s absolutely true. That means today’s winner is … Joe? Yes, I’m being told that Tennessee goes to Joe.
Don: That’s bulls#&@! I won this thing! I’ll see you in court!
More money, more life
Does it seem to you that the wealthy live forever, while the less financially comfortable live shorter lives? If you answered, yes, it turns out that you’re right.
Researchers analyzed the effect of net worth at midlife with mortality. To take out genetic differences among the sample of 5,400 adults aged 46 years, the investigators also studied a subset of 2,490 twin and sibling pairs.
“The within-family association provides strong evidence that an association between wealth accumulation and life expectancy exists, because comparing siblings within the same family to each other controls for all of the life experience and biology that they share,” said coauthor Eric Finegood of Northwestern University, Chicago.
But what if one sibling has a history of cancer, heart disease, or other health conditions? The cost of treatment and employment limitations could affect someone’s ability to stack their wealth, right? Absolutely. The researchers took that into account and looked at only healthy individuals and found the same results. More money, longer life.
We have the policies and programs in place for heart health, diabetes prevention, and smoking cessation, as they are seen as major threats to public health. So why not do the same for financial security? A low bank account may just be more harmful.
Holding the ‘health care and wellness’ gun
Cigarettes are not good for us. We know this.
It’s, therefore, not surprising to learn that a business has requested for a U.K. ban on the sale of cigarettes by 2030. However, when that someone turns out to be the CEO of Philip Morris International, tobacco company and maker of Marlboro cigarettes, things get a little confusing.
Banning cigarettes, according to Jacek Olczak, would reduce confusion among consumers, many of whom feel that the alternatives are worse for their health. His company can “see the world without cigarettes ... and actually, the sooner it happens, the better it is for everyone.” A truly noble sentiment from the CEO of a large tobacco company. Nothing nefarious going on here.
And if those aren’t egregious business euphemisms, we don’t know what is.
Of course, for all the completely believable and sincere rhetoric, the fact is that Marlboros are still on the shelves. Philip Morris is still making and advertising them. If their concern was genuine, why wouldn’t they just stop manufacturing them now?
So, we ask ourselves if this a selfless act of kindness or is it an unscrupulous corporate act to get a leg up on their competitors? We’ll leave it up to the readers to decide.
Okay, we lied, it’s the second one.
Autopsy of the living dead
Imagine the absolute terror you’d feel if you opened your eyes to bright, blinding white lights only to see a bone saw 3 inches from your forehead and getting closer by the second. Horrifying for you, certainly, but think about the poor pathologist behind the saw who probably thought a zombie apocalypse was coming. This was close to being a reality for a 29-year-old prisoner at the Asturias Central Penitentiary in Spain.
Gonzalo Montoya Jiménez was discovered in his cell unresponsive. Three physicians examined him and found he was showing signs of death, such as cyanosis and rigor mortis. Mr. Jiménez was processed like any other body and was sent, in a body bag, to a hospital mortuary, where he spent time in a freezer for body preservation. Just before he was due for his autopsy, he began showing signs of life.
It’s not completely clear why this happened to poor Mr. Jiménez, but it was reported that he wasn’t feeling well the day before and that he has epilepsy. Hospital officials suggested he may have been cataleptic, possibly because he had trouble adhering to his medication schedule.
Mr. Jiménez was moved to another hospital under armed guard after coming back to life and regained consciousness after a day or so. Talk about cheating death.
With COVID, the fun never ends
Welcome to America’s favorite pandemic-themed game show! Let’s play Covidiot Proof! And now, here’s your host, the lovely and talented Anthony Grouchy!
Tony: Hello everyone! Our first category today is America or [blank], and the first clue is for you, Don. This country requires “individuals to use a health pass to patronize indoor establishments such as restaurants, bars, nightclubs and cinemas.”
Don: Freedom-loving Americans would never stand for that, Tony, so I’m going to say Greece.
Tony: That’s correct, Don. One hundred points for you. Okay Joe, here’s your clue: In this country, some people wear disguises to get a COVID vaccination so their friends and families won’t find out.
Joe: Sounds like communism to me, Tony. I’ll say Cuba.
Tony: Sorry Joe, that’s incorrect. Don?
Don: The friends and families sound like freedom-loving Americans, so it must be America.
Tony: It is America. Missouri, to be exact. And now, one last question for both of you to win the game. True or false? Did the pastor of a church in Tennessee say that mask-wearers would be kicked out of the building because “I am not playing these Democrat games up in this church”?
Joe: That’s fake news, Tony. It’s gotta be false.
Tony: Incorrect! It’s absolutely true. That means today’s winner is … Joe? Yes, I’m being told that Tennessee goes to Joe.
Don: That’s bulls#&@! I won this thing! I’ll see you in court!
More money, more life
Does it seem to you that the wealthy live forever, while the less financially comfortable live shorter lives? If you answered, yes, it turns out that you’re right.
Researchers analyzed the effect of net worth at midlife with mortality. To take out genetic differences among the sample of 5,400 adults aged 46 years, the investigators also studied a subset of 2,490 twin and sibling pairs.
“The within-family association provides strong evidence that an association between wealth accumulation and life expectancy exists, because comparing siblings within the same family to each other controls for all of the life experience and biology that they share,” said coauthor Eric Finegood of Northwestern University, Chicago.
But what if one sibling has a history of cancer, heart disease, or other health conditions? The cost of treatment and employment limitations could affect someone’s ability to stack their wealth, right? Absolutely. The researchers took that into account and looked at only healthy individuals and found the same results. More money, longer life.
We have the policies and programs in place for heart health, diabetes prevention, and smoking cessation, as they are seen as major threats to public health. So why not do the same for financial security? A low bank account may just be more harmful.
Holding the ‘health care and wellness’ gun
Cigarettes are not good for us. We know this.
It’s, therefore, not surprising to learn that a business has requested for a U.K. ban on the sale of cigarettes by 2030. However, when that someone turns out to be the CEO of Philip Morris International, tobacco company and maker of Marlboro cigarettes, things get a little confusing.
Banning cigarettes, according to Jacek Olczak, would reduce confusion among consumers, many of whom feel that the alternatives are worse for their health. His company can “see the world without cigarettes ... and actually, the sooner it happens, the better it is for everyone.” A truly noble sentiment from the CEO of a large tobacco company. Nothing nefarious going on here.
And if those aren’t egregious business euphemisms, we don’t know what is.
Of course, for all the completely believable and sincere rhetoric, the fact is that Marlboros are still on the shelves. Philip Morris is still making and advertising them. If their concern was genuine, why wouldn’t they just stop manufacturing them now?
So, we ask ourselves if this a selfless act of kindness or is it an unscrupulous corporate act to get a leg up on their competitors? We’ll leave it up to the readers to decide.
Okay, we lied, it’s the second one.
Autopsy of the living dead
Imagine the absolute terror you’d feel if you opened your eyes to bright, blinding white lights only to see a bone saw 3 inches from your forehead and getting closer by the second. Horrifying for you, certainly, but think about the poor pathologist behind the saw who probably thought a zombie apocalypse was coming. This was close to being a reality for a 29-year-old prisoner at the Asturias Central Penitentiary in Spain.
Gonzalo Montoya Jiménez was discovered in his cell unresponsive. Three physicians examined him and found he was showing signs of death, such as cyanosis and rigor mortis. Mr. Jiménez was processed like any other body and was sent, in a body bag, to a hospital mortuary, where he spent time in a freezer for body preservation. Just before he was due for his autopsy, he began showing signs of life.
It’s not completely clear why this happened to poor Mr. Jiménez, but it was reported that he wasn’t feeling well the day before and that he has epilepsy. Hospital officials suggested he may have been cataleptic, possibly because he had trouble adhering to his medication schedule.
Mr. Jiménez was moved to another hospital under armed guard after coming back to life and regained consciousness after a day or so. Talk about cheating death.
Leg rash
The appearance and location of this rash are classic signs for necrobiosis lipoidica, a chronic granulomatous skin disease commonly associated with diabetes. The patient’s initial hemoglobin A1c was 12.4%, confirming a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes, and a punch biopsy of the lesion demonstrated a broad zone of necrobiosis in the mid to lower dermis and a chronic inflammatory infiltrate, including plasma cells.
Necrobiosis lipoidica is rare, typically affects middle-aged adults, and is more common in women than in men.1 Although commonly associated with diabetes (hence the historical name necrobiosis lipoidica diabeticorum), a significant number of cases occur in patients without diabetes.2 The pathogenesis is not fully understood. The condition first appears as asymptomatic yellow to red-brown papules and plaques, most commonly on the anterior legs. The lesions then flatten over time, forming broad, yellow-pink patches and plaques.1,2
Generally, the diagnosis can be made clinically but, if uncertain, a punch biopsy is the preferred technique for confirmation. The differential diagnosis includes chronic cutaneous lupus erythematosus (LE), sarcoidosis, and dermatophytosis. Although the appearance of lesions associated with LE or sarcoidosis can vary, neither one manifests with the yellow coloring seen here. Dermatophytosis typically demonstrates scale and pruritus with an active border; viewing a potassium hydroxide preparation of a skin scraping is usually sufficient to make a diagnosis.
Treatment for necrobiosis lipoidica includes counseling patients to avoid trauma to the affected areas, high-potency topical corticosteroids, and photodynamic therapy.3 Often, lesions are permanent.
For this patient’s diabetes treatment, she was prescribed metformin and insulin glargine and counseled extensively on weight loss, regular exercise, and appropriate diet adjustments. The rash was treated topically with triamcinolone 0.1% cream bid. At her 4-month follow-up, the patient’s hemoglobin A1c value had dropped to 5.4%, and the rash had become less prominent and widespread. The patient was pleased with the cosmetic outcome and declined referral to a dermatologist for further treatment.
Photo and text courtesy of Samuel Dickmann, MD, and James Medley, MD, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville.
1. Hashemi DA, Brown-Joel ZO, Tkachenko E, et al. Clinical features and comorbidities of patients with necrobiosis lipoidica with or without diabetes. JAMA Dermatol. 2019;155:455-459. doi: 10.1001/jamadermatol.2018.5635
2. O’Toole EA, Kennedy U, Nolan JJ, et al. Necrobiosis lipoidica: only a minority of patients have diabetes mellitus. Br J Dermatol. 1999;140:283-286. doi: 10.1046/j.1365-2133.1999.02663.x
3. Heidenheim M, Jemec GBE. Successful treatment of necrobiosis lipoidica diabeticorum with photodynamic therapy. Arch Dermatol. 2006;142:1548-1550. doi: 10.1001/archderm.142.12.1548
The appearance and location of this rash are classic signs for necrobiosis lipoidica, a chronic granulomatous skin disease commonly associated with diabetes. The patient’s initial hemoglobin A1c was 12.4%, confirming a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes, and a punch biopsy of the lesion demonstrated a broad zone of necrobiosis in the mid to lower dermis and a chronic inflammatory infiltrate, including plasma cells.
Necrobiosis lipoidica is rare, typically affects middle-aged adults, and is more common in women than in men.1 Although commonly associated with diabetes (hence the historical name necrobiosis lipoidica diabeticorum), a significant number of cases occur in patients without diabetes.2 The pathogenesis is not fully understood. The condition first appears as asymptomatic yellow to red-brown papules and plaques, most commonly on the anterior legs. The lesions then flatten over time, forming broad, yellow-pink patches and plaques.1,2
Generally, the diagnosis can be made clinically but, if uncertain, a punch biopsy is the preferred technique for confirmation. The differential diagnosis includes chronic cutaneous lupus erythematosus (LE), sarcoidosis, and dermatophytosis. Although the appearance of lesions associated with LE or sarcoidosis can vary, neither one manifests with the yellow coloring seen here. Dermatophytosis typically demonstrates scale and pruritus with an active border; viewing a potassium hydroxide preparation of a skin scraping is usually sufficient to make a diagnosis.
Treatment for necrobiosis lipoidica includes counseling patients to avoid trauma to the affected areas, high-potency topical corticosteroids, and photodynamic therapy.3 Often, lesions are permanent.
For this patient’s diabetes treatment, she was prescribed metformin and insulin glargine and counseled extensively on weight loss, regular exercise, and appropriate diet adjustments. The rash was treated topically with triamcinolone 0.1% cream bid. At her 4-month follow-up, the patient’s hemoglobin A1c value had dropped to 5.4%, and the rash had become less prominent and widespread. The patient was pleased with the cosmetic outcome and declined referral to a dermatologist for further treatment.
Photo and text courtesy of Samuel Dickmann, MD, and James Medley, MD, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville.
The appearance and location of this rash are classic signs for necrobiosis lipoidica, a chronic granulomatous skin disease commonly associated with diabetes. The patient’s initial hemoglobin A1c was 12.4%, confirming a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes, and a punch biopsy of the lesion demonstrated a broad zone of necrobiosis in the mid to lower dermis and a chronic inflammatory infiltrate, including plasma cells.
Necrobiosis lipoidica is rare, typically affects middle-aged adults, and is more common in women than in men.1 Although commonly associated with diabetes (hence the historical name necrobiosis lipoidica diabeticorum), a significant number of cases occur in patients without diabetes.2 The pathogenesis is not fully understood. The condition first appears as asymptomatic yellow to red-brown papules and plaques, most commonly on the anterior legs. The lesions then flatten over time, forming broad, yellow-pink patches and plaques.1,2
Generally, the diagnosis can be made clinically but, if uncertain, a punch biopsy is the preferred technique for confirmation. The differential diagnosis includes chronic cutaneous lupus erythematosus (LE), sarcoidosis, and dermatophytosis. Although the appearance of lesions associated with LE or sarcoidosis can vary, neither one manifests with the yellow coloring seen here. Dermatophytosis typically demonstrates scale and pruritus with an active border; viewing a potassium hydroxide preparation of a skin scraping is usually sufficient to make a diagnosis.
Treatment for necrobiosis lipoidica includes counseling patients to avoid trauma to the affected areas, high-potency topical corticosteroids, and photodynamic therapy.3 Often, lesions are permanent.
For this patient’s diabetes treatment, she was prescribed metformin and insulin glargine and counseled extensively on weight loss, regular exercise, and appropriate diet adjustments. The rash was treated topically with triamcinolone 0.1% cream bid. At her 4-month follow-up, the patient’s hemoglobin A1c value had dropped to 5.4%, and the rash had become less prominent and widespread. The patient was pleased with the cosmetic outcome and declined referral to a dermatologist for further treatment.
Photo and text courtesy of Samuel Dickmann, MD, and James Medley, MD, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville.
1. Hashemi DA, Brown-Joel ZO, Tkachenko E, et al. Clinical features and comorbidities of patients with necrobiosis lipoidica with or without diabetes. JAMA Dermatol. 2019;155:455-459. doi: 10.1001/jamadermatol.2018.5635
2. O’Toole EA, Kennedy U, Nolan JJ, et al. Necrobiosis lipoidica: only a minority of patients have diabetes mellitus. Br J Dermatol. 1999;140:283-286. doi: 10.1046/j.1365-2133.1999.02663.x
3. Heidenheim M, Jemec GBE. Successful treatment of necrobiosis lipoidica diabeticorum with photodynamic therapy. Arch Dermatol. 2006;142:1548-1550. doi: 10.1001/archderm.142.12.1548
1. Hashemi DA, Brown-Joel ZO, Tkachenko E, et al. Clinical features and comorbidities of patients with necrobiosis lipoidica with or without diabetes. JAMA Dermatol. 2019;155:455-459. doi: 10.1001/jamadermatol.2018.5635
2. O’Toole EA, Kennedy U, Nolan JJ, et al. Necrobiosis lipoidica: only a minority of patients have diabetes mellitus. Br J Dermatol. 1999;140:283-286. doi: 10.1046/j.1365-2133.1999.02663.x
3. Heidenheim M, Jemec GBE. Successful treatment of necrobiosis lipoidica diabeticorum with photodynamic therapy. Arch Dermatol. 2006;142:1548-1550. doi: 10.1001/archderm.142.12.1548
MRI-targeted biopsy equals standard biopsy for detecting prostate cancer
Key clinical point: Use of MRI in men with PSA levels suggestive of prostate cancer was noninferior to standard biopsy in detecting clinically significant prostate cancer.
Major finding: Clinically significant cancer was identified in 192 men in the experimental biopsy group and 106 men in the standard group; the percentage of clinically insignificant cancers was significantly lower in the experimental biopsy group compare to the standard group (4% vs 12%),
Study details: The data come from a population-based noninferiority trial of 1532 men aged 50 to 74 years with PSA levels of 3 ng/mL or higher. The men were randomized to standard biopsy or experimental biopsy using MRI.
Disclosures: The study was supported by the Swedish Research Council, the Swedish Cancer Society, the Percy Falk Foundation, the Magnus Bergvall Foundation, the Strategic Research Program on Cancer at Karolinska Institutet, the Hagstrand Memorial Fund, Region Stockholm, Svenska Druidorden, Åke Wibergs Stiftelse, the Swedish e-Science Research Center (SeRC), Karolinska Institutet, and the Swedish Prostate Cancer Foundation. The researchers had no financial conflicts to disclose.
Source: Eklund M et al. N Engl J Med. 2021 Jul 9. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa2100852.
Key clinical point: Use of MRI in men with PSA levels suggestive of prostate cancer was noninferior to standard biopsy in detecting clinically significant prostate cancer.
Major finding: Clinically significant cancer was identified in 192 men in the experimental biopsy group and 106 men in the standard group; the percentage of clinically insignificant cancers was significantly lower in the experimental biopsy group compare to the standard group (4% vs 12%),
Study details: The data come from a population-based noninferiority trial of 1532 men aged 50 to 74 years with PSA levels of 3 ng/mL or higher. The men were randomized to standard biopsy or experimental biopsy using MRI.
Disclosures: The study was supported by the Swedish Research Council, the Swedish Cancer Society, the Percy Falk Foundation, the Magnus Bergvall Foundation, the Strategic Research Program on Cancer at Karolinska Institutet, the Hagstrand Memorial Fund, Region Stockholm, Svenska Druidorden, Åke Wibergs Stiftelse, the Swedish e-Science Research Center (SeRC), Karolinska Institutet, and the Swedish Prostate Cancer Foundation. The researchers had no financial conflicts to disclose.
Source: Eklund M et al. N Engl J Med. 2021 Jul 9. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa2100852.
Key clinical point: Use of MRI in men with PSA levels suggestive of prostate cancer was noninferior to standard biopsy in detecting clinically significant prostate cancer.
Major finding: Clinically significant cancer was identified in 192 men in the experimental biopsy group and 106 men in the standard group; the percentage of clinically insignificant cancers was significantly lower in the experimental biopsy group compare to the standard group (4% vs 12%),
Study details: The data come from a population-based noninferiority trial of 1532 men aged 50 to 74 years with PSA levels of 3 ng/mL or higher. The men were randomized to standard biopsy or experimental biopsy using MRI.
Disclosures: The study was supported by the Swedish Research Council, the Swedish Cancer Society, the Percy Falk Foundation, the Magnus Bergvall Foundation, the Strategic Research Program on Cancer at Karolinska Institutet, the Hagstrand Memorial Fund, Region Stockholm, Svenska Druidorden, Åke Wibergs Stiftelse, the Swedish e-Science Research Center (SeRC), Karolinska Institutet, and the Swedish Prostate Cancer Foundation. The researchers had no financial conflicts to disclose.
Source: Eklund M et al. N Engl J Med. 2021 Jul 9. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa2100852.
High-dose-rate brachytherapy improves quality of life in prostate cancer
Key clinical point: The use of high-dose-rate brachytherapy was associated with significantly higher quality-of-life scores over the first 36 months post-treatment compared to low-dose-brachytherapy.
Major finding: No significant differences in toxicity were noted between the high-dose and low-dose groups, and quality-of-life scores were significantly higher in the high-dose patients. PSA nadir was significantly higher with HDRB compared to LDRB (1.02 vs 0.25, P < 0.0001, and significantly more LDRB patients reached a PSA of less than 0.4 ng/mL (13 vs 2, P < 0.0001).
Study details: The data come from a phase 2 randomized pilot study in which 15 men with low-risk and favorable-intermediate-risk prostate cancer underwent Low-Dose-Rate Brachytherapy (LDRB) and 16 underwent High-Dose-Rate Brachytherapy (HDRB).
Disclosures: The study received no outside funding. The researchers had no financial conflicts to disclose.
Source: Reynaud T et al. Brachytherapy. 2021 Jul 5. doi: 10.1016/j.brachy.2021.05.010.
Key clinical point: The use of high-dose-rate brachytherapy was associated with significantly higher quality-of-life scores over the first 36 months post-treatment compared to low-dose-brachytherapy.
Major finding: No significant differences in toxicity were noted between the high-dose and low-dose groups, and quality-of-life scores were significantly higher in the high-dose patients. PSA nadir was significantly higher with HDRB compared to LDRB (1.02 vs 0.25, P < 0.0001, and significantly more LDRB patients reached a PSA of less than 0.4 ng/mL (13 vs 2, P < 0.0001).
Study details: The data come from a phase 2 randomized pilot study in which 15 men with low-risk and favorable-intermediate-risk prostate cancer underwent Low-Dose-Rate Brachytherapy (LDRB) and 16 underwent High-Dose-Rate Brachytherapy (HDRB).
Disclosures: The study received no outside funding. The researchers had no financial conflicts to disclose.
Source: Reynaud T et al. Brachytherapy. 2021 Jul 5. doi: 10.1016/j.brachy.2021.05.010.
Key clinical point: The use of high-dose-rate brachytherapy was associated with significantly higher quality-of-life scores over the first 36 months post-treatment compared to low-dose-brachytherapy.
Major finding: No significant differences in toxicity were noted between the high-dose and low-dose groups, and quality-of-life scores were significantly higher in the high-dose patients. PSA nadir was significantly higher with HDRB compared to LDRB (1.02 vs 0.25, P < 0.0001, and significantly more LDRB patients reached a PSA of less than 0.4 ng/mL (13 vs 2, P < 0.0001).
Study details: The data come from a phase 2 randomized pilot study in which 15 men with low-risk and favorable-intermediate-risk prostate cancer underwent Low-Dose-Rate Brachytherapy (LDRB) and 16 underwent High-Dose-Rate Brachytherapy (HDRB).
Disclosures: The study received no outside funding. The researchers had no financial conflicts to disclose.
Source: Reynaud T et al. Brachytherapy. 2021 Jul 5. doi: 10.1016/j.brachy.2021.05.010.
Enzalutamide tops abiraterone acetate for progression-free survival in metastatic prostate cancer
Key clinical point: During a median follow-up of 13 months, the rate of progression was significantly higher in patients treated with abiraterone acetate compared to those treated with enzalutamide, and patients in the enzalutamide group had more favorable profiles for radiological progression-free survival and overall survival.
Major finding: The rate of metastatic prostate cancer at diagnosis was significantly higher in patients treated with abiraterone acetate compared to those treated with enzalutamide (P = 0.016); enzalutamide patients had increased radiological progression-free survival and overall survival.
Study details: The data come from a retrospective study of 250 men diagnosed with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer who were treated with either abiraterone acetate or enzalutamide.
Disclosures: The study received no outside funding. The researchers had no financial conflicts to disclose.
Source: Demirci A et al. Sci Rep. 2021 Jul 8. doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-93659-x.
Key clinical point: During a median follow-up of 13 months, the rate of progression was significantly higher in patients treated with abiraterone acetate compared to those treated with enzalutamide, and patients in the enzalutamide group had more favorable profiles for radiological progression-free survival and overall survival.
Major finding: The rate of metastatic prostate cancer at diagnosis was significantly higher in patients treated with abiraterone acetate compared to those treated with enzalutamide (P = 0.016); enzalutamide patients had increased radiological progression-free survival and overall survival.
Study details: The data come from a retrospective study of 250 men diagnosed with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer who were treated with either abiraterone acetate or enzalutamide.
Disclosures: The study received no outside funding. The researchers had no financial conflicts to disclose.
Source: Demirci A et al. Sci Rep. 2021 Jul 8. doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-93659-x.
Key clinical point: During a median follow-up of 13 months, the rate of progression was significantly higher in patients treated with abiraterone acetate compared to those treated with enzalutamide, and patients in the enzalutamide group had more favorable profiles for radiological progression-free survival and overall survival.
Major finding: The rate of metastatic prostate cancer at diagnosis was significantly higher in patients treated with abiraterone acetate compared to those treated with enzalutamide (P = 0.016); enzalutamide patients had increased radiological progression-free survival and overall survival.
Study details: The data come from a retrospective study of 250 men diagnosed with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer who were treated with either abiraterone acetate or enzalutamide.
Disclosures: The study received no outside funding. The researchers had no financial conflicts to disclose.
Source: Demirci A et al. Sci Rep. 2021 Jul 8. doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-93659-x.
Black men may have an increased risk of prostate cancer progression on active surveillance
Key clinical point: The potential association between increased progression risk and active surveillance among Black men with prostate cancer is not strong enough to discourage active surveillance in this population.
Major finding: The overall relative risk of prostate cancer progression among Black men on active surveillance was 1.62; this effect decreased over time, with a relative risk of 1.29 for studies after 2019.
Study details: The data come from a meta-analysis of 8 prospective and 4 retrospective studies of men with Grade Group 1 or 2 prostate cancer.
Disclosures: The study received no outside funding. The researchers had no financial conflicts to disclose.
Source: Vigneswaran HT et al. Prostate Cancer Prostatic Dis. 2021 Jul 8. doi: 10.1038/s41391-021-00425-1.
Key clinical point: The potential association between increased progression risk and active surveillance among Black men with prostate cancer is not strong enough to discourage active surveillance in this population.
Major finding: The overall relative risk of prostate cancer progression among Black men on active surveillance was 1.62; this effect decreased over time, with a relative risk of 1.29 for studies after 2019.
Study details: The data come from a meta-analysis of 8 prospective and 4 retrospective studies of men with Grade Group 1 or 2 prostate cancer.
Disclosures: The study received no outside funding. The researchers had no financial conflicts to disclose.
Source: Vigneswaran HT et al. Prostate Cancer Prostatic Dis. 2021 Jul 8. doi: 10.1038/s41391-021-00425-1.
Key clinical point: The potential association between increased progression risk and active surveillance among Black men with prostate cancer is not strong enough to discourage active surveillance in this population.
Major finding: The overall relative risk of prostate cancer progression among Black men on active surveillance was 1.62; this effect decreased over time, with a relative risk of 1.29 for studies after 2019.
Study details: The data come from a meta-analysis of 8 prospective and 4 retrospective studies of men with Grade Group 1 or 2 prostate cancer.
Disclosures: The study received no outside funding. The researchers had no financial conflicts to disclose.
Source: Vigneswaran HT et al. Prostate Cancer Prostatic Dis. 2021 Jul 8. doi: 10.1038/s41391-021-00425-1.
Inflammatory response in prostate cancer shows variation by ethnicity
Key clinical point: Signs of systemic inflammation were significantly lower among white male prostate cancer patients compared to matched controls, but no difference in these measures was observed between cases and controls among black men.
Major finding: Among black men, trajectories in neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and monocyte-to-lymphocyte ratio (MLR) were similar between prostate cancer patients and controls. Among white men, both NLR and MLR values were higher among controls compared to prostate cancer patients.
Study details: The data come from 10 478 men with benign prostate cancer who were followed for up to 18 years; researchers created a nested case-control study of 822 pairs.
Disclosures: The study was supported by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. The researchers had no financial conflicts to disclose.
Source: Rundle AG et al. PLoS One. 2021 Jul 9. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0252951.
Key clinical point: Signs of systemic inflammation were significantly lower among white male prostate cancer patients compared to matched controls, but no difference in these measures was observed between cases and controls among black men.
Major finding: Among black men, trajectories in neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and monocyte-to-lymphocyte ratio (MLR) were similar between prostate cancer patients and controls. Among white men, both NLR and MLR values were higher among controls compared to prostate cancer patients.
Study details: The data come from 10 478 men with benign prostate cancer who were followed for up to 18 years; researchers created a nested case-control study of 822 pairs.
Disclosures: The study was supported by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. The researchers had no financial conflicts to disclose.
Source: Rundle AG et al. PLoS One. 2021 Jul 9. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0252951.
Key clinical point: Signs of systemic inflammation were significantly lower among white male prostate cancer patients compared to matched controls, but no difference in these measures was observed between cases and controls among black men.
Major finding: Among black men, trajectories in neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and monocyte-to-lymphocyte ratio (MLR) were similar between prostate cancer patients and controls. Among white men, both NLR and MLR values were higher among controls compared to prostate cancer patients.
Study details: The data come from 10 478 men with benign prostate cancer who were followed for up to 18 years; researchers created a nested case-control study of 822 pairs.
Disclosures: The study was supported by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. The researchers had no financial conflicts to disclose.
Source: Rundle AG et al. PLoS One. 2021 Jul 9. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0252951.
Docetaxel demonstrates stronger safety and survival profile than cabazitaxel for prostate cancer
Key clinical point: The risk of hematologic toxicities was significantly higher for metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer patients treated with cabazitaxel compared to those treated with docetaxel.
Major finding: Within 8 months of treatment initiation, 61% of patients given cabazitaxel were treated for hematologic toxicity, vs 31% of docetaxel patients; median overall survival was 11.3 months with cabazitaxel vs 21.9 months with docetaxel.
Study details: The data come from a retrospective claims study of metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) patients who received either cabazitaxel (539 patients) or docetaxel (240 patients).
Disclosures: The study received no outside funding. The researchers had no financial conflicts to disclose.
Source: Kreis K et al. BJU Int. 2021 Jul 9. doi: 10.1111/bju.15542.
Key clinical point: The risk of hematologic toxicities was significantly higher for metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer patients treated with cabazitaxel compared to those treated with docetaxel.
Major finding: Within 8 months of treatment initiation, 61% of patients given cabazitaxel were treated for hematologic toxicity, vs 31% of docetaxel patients; median overall survival was 11.3 months with cabazitaxel vs 21.9 months with docetaxel.
Study details: The data come from a retrospective claims study of metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) patients who received either cabazitaxel (539 patients) or docetaxel (240 patients).
Disclosures: The study received no outside funding. The researchers had no financial conflicts to disclose.
Source: Kreis K et al. BJU Int. 2021 Jul 9. doi: 10.1111/bju.15542.
Key clinical point: The risk of hematologic toxicities was significantly higher for metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer patients treated with cabazitaxel compared to those treated with docetaxel.
Major finding: Within 8 months of treatment initiation, 61% of patients given cabazitaxel were treated for hematologic toxicity, vs 31% of docetaxel patients; median overall survival was 11.3 months with cabazitaxel vs 21.9 months with docetaxel.
Study details: The data come from a retrospective claims study of metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) patients who received either cabazitaxel (539 patients) or docetaxel (240 patients).
Disclosures: The study received no outside funding. The researchers had no financial conflicts to disclose.
Source: Kreis K et al. BJU Int. 2021 Jul 9. doi: 10.1111/bju.15542.
High b-value imaging adds no value in prostate cancer detection
Key clinical point: No significant difference was noted in high b-value 3.0 T biparametric magnetic resonance with the Simplified Prostate Image Reporting and Data System (S-PI-RADS) compared with standard PI-RADS in biopsy-naïve men.
Major finding: The area under the curve values of these two methods for detecting prostate cancer were 0.905 and 0.892, respectively, and the AUC values for detecting clinically significant prostate cancer were 0.919 and 0.906, respectively.
Study details: The data come from a retrospective study of 224 adult men who underwent prostate cancer biopsy after imaging by two different radiologists, using the multi-parameter magnetic resonance imaging (mp-MRI) with the prostate imaging report and data system version 2 (PI-RADS v2), and biparametric magnetic resonance imaging (bp-MRI) with the simplified prostate image reporting and data system (S-PI-RADS).
Disclosures: The study was supported by Key R & D Project of Hainan Province. The researchers had no financial conflicts to disclose.
Source: Wang G et al. Clin Imaging. 2021 Jun 29. doi: 10.1016/j.clinimag.2021.06.024.
Key clinical point: No significant difference was noted in high b-value 3.0 T biparametric magnetic resonance with the Simplified Prostate Image Reporting and Data System (S-PI-RADS) compared with standard PI-RADS in biopsy-naïve men.
Major finding: The area under the curve values of these two methods for detecting prostate cancer were 0.905 and 0.892, respectively, and the AUC values for detecting clinically significant prostate cancer were 0.919 and 0.906, respectively.
Study details: The data come from a retrospective study of 224 adult men who underwent prostate cancer biopsy after imaging by two different radiologists, using the multi-parameter magnetic resonance imaging (mp-MRI) with the prostate imaging report and data system version 2 (PI-RADS v2), and biparametric magnetic resonance imaging (bp-MRI) with the simplified prostate image reporting and data system (S-PI-RADS).
Disclosures: The study was supported by Key R & D Project of Hainan Province. The researchers had no financial conflicts to disclose.
Source: Wang G et al. Clin Imaging. 2021 Jun 29. doi: 10.1016/j.clinimag.2021.06.024.
Key clinical point: No significant difference was noted in high b-value 3.0 T biparametric magnetic resonance with the Simplified Prostate Image Reporting and Data System (S-PI-RADS) compared with standard PI-RADS in biopsy-naïve men.
Major finding: The area under the curve values of these two methods for detecting prostate cancer were 0.905 and 0.892, respectively, and the AUC values for detecting clinically significant prostate cancer were 0.919 and 0.906, respectively.
Study details: The data come from a retrospective study of 224 adult men who underwent prostate cancer biopsy after imaging by two different radiologists, using the multi-parameter magnetic resonance imaging (mp-MRI) with the prostate imaging report and data system version 2 (PI-RADS v2), and biparametric magnetic resonance imaging (bp-MRI) with the simplified prostate image reporting and data system (S-PI-RADS).
Disclosures: The study was supported by Key R & D Project of Hainan Province. The researchers had no financial conflicts to disclose.
Source: Wang G et al. Clin Imaging. 2021 Jun 29. doi: 10.1016/j.clinimag.2021.06.024.
Active surveillance does not impair quality of life in low-risk prostate cancer
Key clinical point: The use of active surveillance caused no decline in quality of life for men with low-risk prostate cancer.
Major finding: Quality of life scores did not change significantly when averaged over 7 years of active surveillance; the physical function subdomain score showed clinical importance but remained about reference values.
Study details: The data come from 348 prostate cancer patients enrolled in the PRIAS trial, a prospective, longitudinal study of men with low-risk prostate cancer.
Disclosures: The study was supported in part by the Finnish Cancer Foundation, and the Jane and Aatos Erkko Foundation. The researchers had no financial conflicts to disclose.
Source: Lokman U et al. Eur Urol Focus. 2021 Jul 6. doi: 10.1016/j.euf.2021.06.008.
Key clinical point: The use of active surveillance caused no decline in quality of life for men with low-risk prostate cancer.
Major finding: Quality of life scores did not change significantly when averaged over 7 years of active surveillance; the physical function subdomain score showed clinical importance but remained about reference values.
Study details: The data come from 348 prostate cancer patients enrolled in the PRIAS trial, a prospective, longitudinal study of men with low-risk prostate cancer.
Disclosures: The study was supported in part by the Finnish Cancer Foundation, and the Jane and Aatos Erkko Foundation. The researchers had no financial conflicts to disclose.
Source: Lokman U et al. Eur Urol Focus. 2021 Jul 6. doi: 10.1016/j.euf.2021.06.008.
Key clinical point: The use of active surveillance caused no decline in quality of life for men with low-risk prostate cancer.
Major finding: Quality of life scores did not change significantly when averaged over 7 years of active surveillance; the physical function subdomain score showed clinical importance but remained about reference values.
Study details: The data come from 348 prostate cancer patients enrolled in the PRIAS trial, a prospective, longitudinal study of men with low-risk prostate cancer.
Disclosures: The study was supported in part by the Finnish Cancer Foundation, and the Jane and Aatos Erkko Foundation. The researchers had no financial conflicts to disclose.
Source: Lokman U et al. Eur Urol Focus. 2021 Jul 6. doi: 10.1016/j.euf.2021.06.008.