Prostate Cancer Symptoms and Prostate Treatment

Senators Ask Why Medicare Is Reviewing Provenge

Thu, 26 Aug 2010 07:04:50 +0000

The latest people to object to the recent decision by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to open a National Coverage Analysis of the Provenge prostate cancer vaccine happen to be two US Senators. John Kerry and Arlen Specter, Democrats from Massachusetts and Pennsylvania, respectively, wrote an Aug. 20 letter to the agency questioning the rationale for the review and voicing suspicion the move will lead to restricted coverage.
At issue is the extent to which CMS believes coverage is reasonable and necessary. As noted previously, an NCA is uncommon for new drugs, but CMS officials have ranged from silent to vague in explaining their decision. Although marketed for $93,000, price is not supposed to factor into the analysis. Presumably, the undertaking was prompted by regional …

Original post by Pharmalot and software by Elliott Back

XMRV not detected in seminal plasma

Fri, 13 Aug 2010 10:43:20 +0000

This study involved two groups of HIV-1 infected men from the Netherlands: 29 who have sex with men, and 25 heterosexual men. The rationale for examining HIV-1 infected men for XMRV was that “they have a higher chance of contracting sexually transmitted pathogens than non-HIV-1 infected men”. For 39 men a second sample was also available from another time point, bringing the total samples to 93.
To detect XMRV, semen samples were diluted 1:1 with buffer and centrifuged to remove cells, yielding seminal plasma. Total nucleic acid was then extracted and subjected to reverse-transcription and then polymerase chain reaction. This procedure assays for the presence of XMRV viral RNA. At the same time, the samples were also tested for the presence of HIV-1 RNA. The positive control fo…

Original post by virology blog and software by Elliott Back

Sex Vitamin & Scream Cream

Thu, 12 Aug 2010 21:41:05 +0000

Research showed a 69% boost to testosterone – the male sex hormone by being in sunlight. In America as winter begins, there is a dip noticed in both supply of Vitamin D and testosterone which continues till March. Â So it is important to get enough sun if you want to have great erections and awesome sex! Â Studies now suggest that Vitamin D, and frequent sex may prevent prostate cancer! Â The second part of that duo happens to be my most frequently requested prescription.

Swedish women are some of the most beautiful women in the world
The rest of the world has a similar story, but even more intense is the winter in Northern Sweden, where winter lasts 7 months, with two months where the sun never rises above the horizon! Â Perhaps these girls are trying to make up for lost sun time …

Original post by Timemaster MD and software by Elliott Back

TWiV 94: XMRV with Dr. Ila Singh

Sun, 08 Aug 2010 07:24:14 +0000

Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Alan Dove,Â Rich Condit, and Ila Singh
On episode #94 of the podcast This Week in Virology, Vincent, Alan, and Rich speak with Ila Singh about the new human retrovirus XMRV, and how her laboratory is studying its association with prostate cancer and chronic fatigue syndrome.
Download TWiV #94 (56 MB .mp3, 77Â minutes)
Subscribe to TWiV (free) in iTunes , at the Zune Marketplace, by the RSS feed, or by email, or listen on your mobile device with Stitcher Radio.
Links for this episode:

CFIDS Association of America
Discovery of XMRV (PLoS Pathogens)
Detection of XMRV in CFS patients (Science)
Presence of XMRV in malignant prostate (PNAS)
Inhibition of XMRV by raltegravir (PLoS One)
Letters read on TWiV 94

Weekly Science Picks
Alan – The new Federal Register …

Original post by virology blog and software by Elliott Back

Oncologists Criticizes CMS For Provenge Review

Tue, 03 Aug 2010 07:26:29 +0000

In a sharply worded letter to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, the American Society of Clinical Oncology takes the federal agency to task for conducting a coverage review of the Provenge prostate cancer vaccine. You may recall that CMS unexpectedly disclosed plans for a National Coverage Analysis in late June in response to inquiries from regional Medicare programs about the novel therapy.
Ever since, CMS has been bombarded with comments from patients, doctors and investors, among others. The vast majority express concern that CMS will somehow limit coverage next year, although a review of the $93,000 annual price tag per patient is not supposed to factor into the review (back story). In his letter, ASCO ceo Allen Lichter complains the reasoning given for the review is wa…

Original post by Pharmalot and software by Elliott Back

Provenge Launch Appears On Track: Analyst

Mon, 26 Jul 2010 08:23:36 +0000

Given the intense interest in the Provenge prostate cancer vaccine, Wall Street is closely tracking the launch of the controversial Dendreon product, which was recently launched at a price tag of $93,000 a patient and is also the subject of a coverage review by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (see here and here).
Getting a clear picture can be difficult, given reports of rationing (back story), a recent survey of medical and pharmacy directors that found 65 percent may restrict patient access in some form (see this) and an anonymous report that circulated among investors this month that purported to debunk Dendreon study results (see here).
To gain some clarity, Leerink Swann analyst Howard Liang surveyed 17 physicians who work at 13 distinct institutions, or about a quar…

Original post by Pharmalot and software by Elliott Back

The Launch And Uptake Of Nine Emerging Therapies Will Drive The Prostate Cancer Drug Market To More Than Double To $8.4 Billion In 2019

admin — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 05:00:00 +0000

Decision Resources, one of the world’s leading research and advisory firms for pharmaceutical and healthcare issues, finds that the launch and uptake of nine emerging therapies will drive the prostate cancer drug market to more than double from nearly $4 billion in 2009 to $8.4 billion in 2019 in the United States, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom and Japan…

Original post by Cancer Commentary and software by Elliott Back

Researchers Block Pathway That Performs Key Function In End-Stage Prostate Cancer

admin — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 04:00:00 +0000

Prostate cancer advances when tumors become resistant to hormone therapy, which is the standard treatment for patients, and begin producing their own androgens. Researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center have found that blocking one of the enzymatic steps that allow the tumor to produce androgens could be the key in halting a tumor’s growth…

Original post by Cancer Commentary and software by Elliott Back

USC Leads International Program Aimed At Identifying Prostate Cancer Risk

admin — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 03:00:00 +0000

Researchers at the USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center have received a $12 million National Cancer Institute (NCI) grant to lead a multi-institution international project aimed at identifying new biological pathways critical to the development and potential treatment of prostate cancer…

Original post by Cancer Commentary and software by Elliott Back

CytRx Announces Substantial Progress With Its Bafetinib Clinical Trials Program

admin — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 03:00:00 +0000

CytRx Corporation (NASDAQ: CYTR), a biopharmaceutical company specializing in oncology, announces progress with its clinical program to evaluate the preliminary efficacy and safety of its drug candidate bafetinib in three oncology indications…

Original post by Cancer Commentary and software by Elliott Back