Bladder Cancer Advocacy Network - BCAN » Bladder Cancer News

Clinical trial recruiting smokers for bladder cancer screening test

claire — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 22:07:40 +0000

Doctors at the:

University of Rochester, Rochester, NY
University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston TX
Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, and
Laval University in Quebec, Canada

need men over the age of 60 who have smoked at least 20 years to participate in an international clinical study to improve bladder cancer screening techniques.

Study participants cannot have had a previous diagnosis of bladder cancer. Participants will be asked to complete daily urine tests during two 10-day periods.

For more information: click here.

Updates from American Urology Association’s Annual Meeting in Chicago in April 2009

liesl — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 18:11:43 +0000

Well Water, Sun Exposure, and Smoking Linked to Increased Bladder Cancer Risk. Link to news story

More Intensive Treatment for Early Bladder Cancer May Not Provide Better Outcomes. Link to news story

Bladder Cancer mortality jumps 30% when diagnosis is delayed. Link to news story

Improved cystoscopy imaging method (currently unavailable in the US until FDA approval) shows improved detection of bladder tumors and reduced recurrence. Link to news story

Diet and Bladder Cancer – Yogurt and Selenium

liesl — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 17:31:10 +0000

Yogurt? Selenium? Can they affect bladder cancer? Find out about new studies that explore the relationship between bladder cancer, eating yogurt and selenium levels. Read More (from Outlook, BCAN’s Newsletter, Winter 2009)

Firefighters May be at Increased Risk for Bladder Cancer

liesl — Mon, 19 May 2008 18:32:33 +0000

Firefighters may be at increased risk for bladder cancer and should be considered for routine annual screening, say University of California, San Francisco, researchers. Link to news story

Eating Vegetables Can Reduce Your Bladder Cancer Risk

dzquale — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 22:11:41 +0000

A recent study shows that eating broccoli or cabbage three times each month may reduce your risk of developing bladder cancer by 40%. To learn more, click here.

AUA Releases New Guidelines on Non-Muscle Invasive Bladder

dzquale — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 21:32:34 +0000

The American Urological Association (AUA) recently published new guidelines on the treatment of non-muscle invasive bladder cancer.The Guideline reviews a number of current treatments and reaches conclusions on issues such as immunotherapy versus chemotherapy for low risk disease, the need for repeat resections, and maintenance BCG therapy. For more details, click here.

RESEARCHERS FIND BROCCOLI PREVENTS OR SLOWS BLADDER CANCER

admin — Fri, 26 Oct 2007 02:55:27 +0000

Researchers at Ohio State University believe that consumption of cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, brussel sprouts and kale, may help prevent or slow the progression of bladder cancer. The researchers hypothesized this effect and confirmed it in laboratory experiments using compounds found in cruciferous vegetables. Interestingly, the compounds had the strongest effect on the most aggressive forms of bladder cancer cells. The researchers presented their findings at the July 18, 2005 annual meeting of the Institute of Food Technologists, held in New Orleans. The full text of this announcement may be found by clicking here.

In a separate but related report, Discover Magazine, in its January, 2005 issue, listed the finding that “Broccoli Kicks Cancer” as one of the top 100 science stories of 2004. In that report, scientists at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign isolated a substance called sulforaphane from cruciferous vegetables and conducted in vitro tests against breast cancer cells. Within hours, the cancer cells stopped dividing. Sulforaphane was found to work by interrupting the cell division process of cancerous cells, while leaving normal cells untouched. The lead researcher, Keith Singletary, cautioned that what happens in the test tube may not be what happens in the body, and that further research is needed.

NSAIDs may protect against bladder cancer

admin — Wed, 29 Aug 2007 13:00:17 +0000

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) – Regular use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), especially aspirin, may decrease the risk of bladder cancer, particularly more advanced, high-grade tumors containing alterations in the tumor suppressor protein TP53, results of a study suggest. For more details click here.

Stopping Smoking Might Reduce Tumor Recurrence in Non-Muscle Invasive Bladder Cancer

admin — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 13:00:32 +0000

Researchers have found that continued smokers have a 2.2-fold greater risk of bladder cancer recurrence compared to those who quit smoking. They evaluated 265 male patients with Ta or T1 disease some of whom were non-smokers, quitters, and continued smokers. Researchers found that the 3 year recurrence free survival of continued smokers was 45% compared to the 70% for quitters. For more details, click here.

Improved Outcomes with Higher Volumes for Radical Cystectomy

admin — Wed, 15 Aug 2007 13:00:18 +0000

According to an online publication in the Journal of Urology patients with bladder cancer who undergo surgery to remove their bladder have improved outcomes if they receive treatment at a medical center where large volumes of these procedures are performed. Researchers at Vanderbilt recently conducted a clinical study of 6,728 patients with bladder cancer who had undergone a radical cystectomy and found that the mortality rate for patients undergoing the surgery was .54% for those treated in a facility performing more than 50 radical cystectomies per year, compared with 2.7% for those treated in a facility performing 10 or less procedures per year. For more details, click here.

DNA in Urine May Detect Bladdder Cancer

admin — Wed, 25 Jul 2007 02:38:01 +0000

According to an article recently published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, testing a small number of genes in a urine sample may help detect bladder cancer. While these results need further confirmation, such testing may provide a non-invasive, effective method to screen for bladder cancer.

Patients who have undergone initial treatment for non-invasive bladder cancer often receive follow-up cystoscopies to detect a recurrence. During a cystoscopy, a doctor places a lighted tube into the bladder to search for abnormal areas of tissue that indicate cancer. As an invasive procedure, cystoscopy has its limitations. Physicians also rely on urine cytology to detect bladder cancer. However, urine cytology is not always accurate. Researchers are exploring tests that are less invasive than cystoscopy and more accurate than urinary cytology.

Researchers from Johns Hopkins recently conducted a clinical study to evaluate the accuracy of detecting bladder cancer by testing a small number of genes from a urine sample. This study included 175 patients with all different stages of bladder cancer and 94 patients without bladder cancer. DNA from urine samples was tested to find a small number (panel) of genes with properties that indicated the presence of bladder cancer. 82% of bladder cancers were identified from testing of the gene panel, and 96% of the tests that were positive for bladder cancer were accurate in the diagnosis. The researchers concluded that the testing of this specific panel of genes within a urine sample identities the presence of bladder cancer with high accuracy compared to standard testing. Further testing of this gene panel is required to confirm its accuracy and potential use in a clinical setting. For more details, please click here.

One Reason Why Bladder Cancer Hits More Men Than Women

admin — Tue, 24 Apr 2007 01:52:32 +0000

Bladder cancer strikes three times as many men as women. According to a study in the April 4 issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, researchers discovered one reason why bladder cancer is more prevalent in men–androgen receptors, molecular proteins that are more active in men, play a key role in development of the disease. This finding could lead to new types of treatment for the disease. For more details, click here.

Early Menopause Related to Bladder Cancer Risk

admin — Fri, 30 Mar 2007 01:53:12 +0000

Researchers have found that women who go through menopause at a younger age seem to be at greater risk of developing bladder cancer. The study, which was completed at the University of Minnesota School of Public Health, analyzed more than 37,000 women between the ages of 55 and 69 from Iowa. The risk of bladder cancer was 32 percent higher for those women who reached menopause between the ages of 43 and 47, compared to those women who were above the age of 48. For more details, click here.

BCG/MITOMYCIN BETTER THAN BCG ALONE

admin — Fri, 09 Feb 2007 02:48:37 +0000

A recent article printed in the journal “Lancet Oncology” reported that a study performed in Italy showed that administering Mitomycin C with BCG
improves the outcome compared to BCG alone. Approximately 211 patients were divided into two groups, one receiving BCG alone, and the other receiving BCG and Electromotive Mitomycin C. At the median follow-up period of 88 months, the following results were noted:

-Those treated with BCG/Mitomycin remained cancer free for 69 months on average, compared to 21 months for the BCG-only group. This was a
difference of 4 years.
-Cancer recurred in 41.9% of BCG/Mitomycin/Patients, compared with 57.9% of BCG-only patients.
- Cancer progressed in 9.3% of BCG/Mitomyin patients compared with 21.9% of BCG-only patients. -Overall mortality was 21.5% in BCG/Mitomycin patients, compared with 32.4% of BCG-only patients
-Mortality caused by bladder cancer was 5.6% in the BCG/Mitomycin patients, compared with 16.2% in the BCG-only group.

The researchers thus concluded that treatment with the combination of BCG and Electromotive Mitomycin C gave superior results to those treated with
BCG alone.The detailed news release may be viewed by clicking here.

Scientists Establish Link Between Gonorrhea and Bladder Cancer

admin — Wed, 17 Jan 2007 01:54:02 +0000

New research suggests that men who have contracted the sexually transmitted infection gonorrhea in their past are at a greater risk to have bladder cancer. After analyzing the histories of 286 bladder cancer patients, scientists at the Harvard School of Public Health confirmed a link between the sexually transmitted infection and cancer. The severity and frequency of the gonorrhea symptoms may affect the severity of the risk. This study was published in the British Journal of Cancer. For more details, click here.

Childhood Exposure to Secondhand Smoke Linked to Bladder Cancer

admin — Wed, 06 Dec 2006 02:36:26 +0000

A recently released study in the International Journal of Cancer suggests that children and adolescents may be even more susceptible to the harmful effects of tobacco smoke than adults. Results from the study, partially funded by Cancer Research UK, suggest that exposure to secondhand smoke at a young age increases the risk of bladder cancer in later life. The research team looked at data from nearly 430,000 people and found that exposure to secondhand smoke during childhood was associated with an almost 40 per cent increased risk of bladder cancer in later life compared to no exposure. The researchers also found that for every five years later in life that people started smoking, their risk of developing bladder cancer was reduced by 19 per cent. This suggests that the younger a person is when they take up smoking, the greater their risk of the disease. For the complete text of this article, please click here.

Use of Personal Permanent Hair Dye Is Not Linked to Bladder Cancer Risk

admin — Wed, 06 Dec 2006 01:57:20 +0000

An occupational exposure to hair dyes by hairdressers and barbers has been shown to increase their bladder cancer risk. Hair dyes contain small amounts of aromatic amines, which are shown to be carcinogenic in animals. However, in the September 2006 issue of Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers and Prevention, researchers from M.D. Anderson Cancer Center report that personal use of hair dyes does not increase the risk of bladder cancer. For more information on this study, please click here.

Frequent Bacon Consumption Linked to Elevated Risk of Bladder Cancer

admin — Wed, 06 Dec 2006 01:56:50 +0000

Doctors at the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston found that people who ate bacon five times a week or more were nearly 60 percent more likely to develop bladder cancer. Some meat products contain nitrosamines, which are known to cause the cancer, according to a report published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. But the studies that have attempted to investigate the meat-bladder cancer link have been small and most have not separated out the effects of different types of meat. This study looked at data for 47,422 men and 88,471 women. People who ate bacon and other processed meats frequently were also more likely to smoke and to take in more fat and fewer vitamins, the researchers found. They were also less likely to exercise. For a copy of the report, please click here.

EU Bans 22 Hair Dye Substances to Ensure Safety

admin — Tue, 25 Jul 2006 02:39:12 +0000

The European Commission recently banned 22 chemicals used in permanent hair dyes because of evidence that long-term use of these chemical may be associated with development of bladder cancer. This ban becomes effective December 1, 2006. According to news reports, most of the banned substances no longer are used in hair dyes. For more details, please click here.

New Study Shows Benefit of Urovysion DNA Test

admin — Tue, 25 Jul 2006 02:38:36 +0000

A study published in the July 2006 edition of Journal of Urology has shown that UroVysion, a DNA-based urine test that detects important genetic changes in bladder cells, has almost twice the sensitivity of conventional urine cytology tests as an aid for the initial diagnosis of bladder cancer in patients with hematuria (blood in their urine) suspected of having bladder cancer. Sensitivity refers to the likelihood that a patient with bladder cancer will have a positive test result and is a standard indicator of the predictive value of a diagnostic test.

The study involved 497 patients, all of whom had confirmed hematuria within three months of enrollment. The results showed that UroVysion detected 69% of bladder tumors, while cytology detected 38%. When low grade, low stage tumors were excluded, UroVysion detected 83% of the cases, while cytology detected only 50%. In addition, the “negative predictive value” or probability that negative UroVysion results were not associated with bladder cancer wad 98.5%. Dr. Michael Sarosdy, lead investigator for this study stated, “These data certainly argue strongly for the use of the UroVysion assay, particularly if urine cytology results are negative.” For the complete text of the article, please click here.