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Prostate Cancer Therapy Mismatch?
Nov. 26, 2007 -- Researchers are urging men with early prostate cancer to talk with their doctor about any bowel, urinary, or sexual problems before choosing a prostate cancer treatment.
In a new study, more than a third of men with early prostate cancer got "mismatched" prostate cancer treatments.
That is, those men got treatments that tended to aggravate their pre-existing bowel or bladder conditions -- and not to improve sexual function.
"Our observations raise concerns about physician-patient communication," write the researchers, who included Ronald Chen, MD, of Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston.
Early Prostate Cancer Study
Chen's team studied 438 U.S. men who were diagnosed with early prostate cancer between 1994 and 2000.
The patients completed surveys about their bowel, urinary, and sexual symptoms before choosing prostate cancer treatments including:
- Radical prostatectomy: Surgery to remove the prostate
- Brachytherapy: Radiation from implanted radioactive "seeds"
- External beam radiation: Radiation given from outside the body
Nearly all of the men -- 89% -- reported at least one problem in those three areas before treatment. That's a surprisingly high percentage, Chen's team notes.
The researchers made three predictions:
- External beam radiation would tend to aggravate bowel problems
- Brachytherapy would tend to worsen urinary obstruction or irritation
- Patients with erectile dysfunction might not benefit from nerve-sparing radical prostatectomy, surgery to remove the prostate while avoiding nerves in that area.
Those predictions proved correct over the next three years.
But the reasons for those mismatches remain a mystery. It's not clear if the men and their doctors had a frank talk about symptoms before picking a prostate cancer treatment.
That sort of discussion can't hurt and might help avoid those problems, the researchers suggest.
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Indication
Uroxatral® (alfuzosin HCl 10 mg extended-release tablets) is an alpha1-blocker for the treatment of the signs and symptoms of BPH.
Important Safety Information
Do not take UROXATRAL if you have liver problems or if you are taking antifungal drugs like ketoconazole or itraconazole, or HIV drugs like ritonavir.
UROXATRAL can cause a sudden drop in blood pressure, especially when starting treatment. This may lead to fainting, dizziness, and lightheadedness. Do not drive, operate machinery, or do any dangerous activity until you know how UROXATRAL will affect you. This is especially important if you already have a problem with low blood pressure or take medicines to treat high blood pressure. There may be an increased risk of low blood pressure and fainting when taking UROXATRAL in combination with blood pressure medication or nitrates, or erectile dysfunction medication.
If considering cataract surgery (clouding of the eyes), tell your eye surgeon that you are currently taking UROXATRAL or have previously been treated with an alpha-blocker.
Before taking UROXATRAL, tell your doctor if you have kidney problems.
Also, tell your doctor if you or any family member(s) have or take medications for a rare heart condition known as congenital prolongation of the QT interval.
BPH and prostate cancer can cause the same symptoms. However, UROXATRAL is not a treatment for prostate cancer.
The most common side effects with UROXATRAL are dizziness, upper respiratory tract infection, headache, and tiredness.
Please see UROXATRAL full prescribing information.
Symptoms of an Enlarged Prostate
Sheldon Marks, MD, explains nearly everything you need to know about an enlarged prostate but were afraid to ask.
