Active clinical trials for "Prostatic Neoplasms"

RATIONALE: Gathering information about prostate cancer, treatment, and quality of life from gay men with prostate cancer may help doctors plan the best treatment. PURPOSE: This clinical trial is collecting information about health-related quality of life from gay men with localized prostate cancer.

This is a phase I study to evaluate the feasibility and safety of using MRI/MRS to identify the dominant intraprostatic lesion (DIL) and to selectively boost the lesion using inverse planned high dose rate (HDR) brachytherapy. The main objective is to exploit the ability of MRI/MRS to identify cancer regions within the prostate or the dominant intraprostatic lesions (DIL). The imaging data will be combined with the treatment planning CT images to define a treatment plan that will boost the dose delivered to the DIL up to 150% of the prescribed dose. Dose to the whole prostate and the dose delivered to adjacent organs will not change. This is accomplished by using inverse treatment planning software that can focus normally occurring high dose regions within the target volume to coincide with the DIL. After enrollment, each patient will have a MRI/MRS before starting treatment. Hormonal therapy and external beam radiotherapy will be given based on current standard of practice. During HDR brachytherapy, information about the location of tumor within the prostate will be used to design the brachytherapy treatment plan. We will try to increase dose to DIL by coincide existing high dose region on DIL using inverse planning software. Dose to prostate, and adjacent structure will remain the same as the current treatment practice. Timing and the delivery of brachytherapy will not change from our current practice. After the treatment, each patient will remain on study and follow for 12 months and treatment toxicity will be evaluated. A two-stage study design will be applied with a stopping rule for safety. Once a patient comes off study he will be routinely followed for disease outcome and any late toxicities.

The primary goal of this project is to evaluate the efficacy of prostate seed implantation for the treatment of early stage prostate cancer for patients treated at Summa Health System/Akron City Hospital and Salem Community Hospital.

Background: Between 2000 and 2006, 433 patients were overexposed (8% to 10%) during a course of conformal radiotherapy for a prostate adenocarcinoma in Jean MONNET hospital, Epinal, France. Among them, twenty four patients received an additional mean dose about 20%, due to an inappropriate use of the treatment planning system. Severe adverse events (proctitis, cystitis, and tissue necrosis) have occurred among most of these overexposed patients. We propose to develop several research programs in order to increase the scientific knowledge on iatrogenic effects related to overexposure of ionizing radiation, by studying their relationship with dosimetric, clinical, biologic and genetic characteristics. Aim of the study: To correlate the received doses, the volume of irradiated normal tissues, the events, with biologic, phenotypic and genetic data. Primary study endpoint: Incidence and severity of adverse events related to radiotherapy (according to SOMA - LENT and CTCAE scales).

The purpose of this study is to look at the genetic changes that RAD001 causes in prostate cancer cells and how those changes relate to patients' response to RAD001 treatment.

Limited data exists for the cancer patients' preferences on their patient-doctor interaction with their radiation oncologist. These physicians have the opportunity to develop intimate relationships with their patients since these patients typically require daily radiation treatments anywhere from one to seven weeks. Thus, by having a greater understanding of the individual patient preferences, the radiation oncologists will be able to better serve their patients leading to improved patient satisfaction with their physician and healthier outlook on life. This is the premise and the hypothesis of this study.

Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer related deaths among men in the United States.1 Although still controversial, there is growing evidence that early detection will reduce prostate cancer mortality. Currently the most useful biomarker to aid in early detection is measurement of serum prostate specific antigen (PSA) levels. Despite the value of PSA it has substantial limitations. To overcome the limitations of total PSA testing, there is emerging evidence demonstrating that relevant cancer biomarker can be detected in urine. Patients who present to the urology clinic for a radical prostatectomy will be asked to enter this study. After obtaining informed consent, the following exam and specimen collection scheduled will be followed: Visit 1 (pre-op): Digital Rectal Exam (DRE) - Voided urine collection & serum collection Visit 2 (time of prostatectomy): Under anesthesia- catheterized urine collection and serum collection Visit 3 (approximately 8 days post-prostatectomy): Catheterized urine collection Visit 4 (approximately 3 months post-prostatectomy): Voided urine collection and serum collection Some patients will not have the serum collection at visits 1, 2, and 4. The patients will be notified as to whether or not their blood will be drawn during the visits. Pre-operative Digital Rectal Exam, urinary catheterization and blood draws are part of standard of care in this patient population with localized prostate cancer. The catheter will be inserted during the time of surgery preparation in the operating room and removed during the post operative clinic appointment.

The purpose of this study is to compare how subjects feel after receiving injections of two different types of GnRH six months apart. One injection is given under the skin of the abdomen, and the other one into the muscle of the buttock or thigh.

RATIONALE: Screening may help doctors find prostate cancer sooner, when it may be easier to treat. The amount of heterocyclic amines in the diet may affect prostate cancer screening results and the risk of prostate cancer. PURPOSE: This phase II trial is studying prostate cancer screening and dietary heterocyclic amines in African American men.

RATIONALE: Collecting and storing samples of blood from patients and their brothers with cancer to study in the laboratory may help doctors learn more about changes that may occur in DNA and identify biomarkers related to cancer. PURPOSE: This laboratory study is looking at changes in DNA in patients and their brothers with prostate cancer.