A phase III clinical trial of exercise modalities on treatment side-effects in men receiving therapy for prostate cancer

Background: Androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) is accompanied by a number of adverse side effects including reduced bone mass and increased risk for fracture, reduced lean mass and muscle strength, mood disturbance and increased fat mass compromising physical functioning, independence, and quality of life. The purpose of this investigation is to examine the effects of long term exercise on reversing musculoskeletal-related side effects, and cardiovascular and diabetes risk factors in men receiving androgen deprivation for their prostate cancer. Specifically, we aim to investigate the effects of a 12-month exercise program designed to load the musculoskeletal system and reduce cardiovascular and diabetes disease progression on the following primary endpoints: 1) bone mineral density; 2) cardiorespiratory function and maximal oxygen capacity; 3) body composition (lean mass and fat mass); 4) blood pressure and cardiovascular function; 5) lipids and glycemic control; and 6) quality of life and psychological distress

Effects of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs on cancer sites other than the colon and rectum: a meta-analysis

BACKGROUND: Observational studies have consistently shown that aspirin and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) use is associated with a close to 50% reduced risk of colorectal cancer. Studies assessing the effects of NSAIDs on other cancers have shown conflicting results. Therefore, we conducted a meta-analysis to evaluate the relationship between NSAID use and cancer other than colorectal. METHODS: We performed a search in Medline (from 1966 to 2002) and identified a total of 47 articles (13 cohort and 34 case-control studies). Overall estimates of the relative risk (RR) were calculated for each cancer site using random effects models. RESULTS: Aspirin use was associated with a reduced risk of cancer of the esophagus and the stomach (RR, 0.51; 95%CI (0.38–0.69), and 0.73; 95%CI (0.63–0.84)). Use of NSAIDs was similarly associated with a lower risk of esophageal and gastric cancers (RR,0.65; 95% CI(0.46–0.92) and RR,0.54; 95%CI (0.39–0.75)). Among other cancers, only the results obtained for breast cancer were fairly consistent in showing a slight reduced risk among NSAID and aspirin users (RR, 0.77; 95%CI (0.66–0.88), and RR, 0.77; 95%CI (0.69–0.86) respectively)). CONCLUSIONS: The results of this meta-analysis show that the potential chemopreventive role of NSAIDs in colorectal cancer might be extended to other gastrointestinal cancers such as esophagus and stomach. Further research is required to evaluate the role of NSAIDs at other cancers sites

Comparative mRNA and microRNA Expression Profiling of Three Genitourinary Cancers Reveals Common Hallmarks and Cancer-Specific Molecular Events

Genome-wide gene expression profile using deep sequencing technologies can drive the discovery of cancer biomarkers and therapeutic targets. Such efforts are often limited to profiling the expression signature of either mRNA or microRNA (miRNA) in a single type of cancer.Here we provided an integrated analysis of the genome-wide mRNA and miRNA expression profiles of three different genitourinary cancers: carcinomas of the bladder, kidney and testis.Our results highlight the general or cancer-specific roles of several genes and miRNAs that may serve as candidate oncogenes or suppressors of tumor development. Further comparative analyses at the systems level revealed that significant aberrations of the cell adhesion process, p53 signaling, calcium signaling, the ECM-receptor and cell cycle pathways, the DNA repair and replication processes and the immune and inflammatory response processes were the common hallmarks of human cancers. Gene sets showing testicular cancer-specific deregulation patterns were mainly implicated in processes related to male reproductive function, and general disruptions of multiple metabolic pathways and processes related to cell migration were the characteristic molecular events for renal and bladder cancer, respectively. Furthermore, we also demonstrated that tumors with the same histological origins and genes with similar functions tended to group together in a clustering analysis. By assessing the correlation between the expression of each miRNA and its targets, we determined that deregulation of 'key' miRNAs may result in the global aberration of one or more pathways or processes as a whole.This systematic analysis deciphered the molecular phenotypes of three genitourinary cancers and investigated their variations at the miRNA level simultaneously. Our results provided a valuable source for future studies and highlighted some promising genes, miRNAs, pathways and processes that may be useful for diagnostic or therapeutic applications

Childhood post-streptococcal glomerulonephritis as a risk factor for chronic renal disease in later life

Objective: To test the hypothesis that post-streptococcal glomerulonephritis (PSGN) in childhood is a risk factor for chronic renal disease in later life. Design: Retrospective cohort study. Setting: A remote Aboriginal community in the "Top End" of the Northern Territory that experienced two epidemics of PSGN in 1980 and 1987, respectively. Participants: 472 people who were aged 2-15 years during either epidemic. They were categorised by clinical features recorded during the epidemics as having clinically defined PSGN (63), "abnormal urine" (haematuria or proteinuria; 86) or controls (323). Outcome measures: Urinary albumin to creatinine ratio (ACR), haematuria (by dipstick urinalysis), blood pressure, serum creatinine level, and calculated glomerular filtration rate (GFR) during community screening in 1992-1998. Results: Overt albuminuria (ACR > 34 mg/mmol) was present at follow-up in 13% of the PSGN group, 8% of the abnormal urine group, and 4% of the control group. The odds ratio (OR) for overt albuminuria in those with a history of PSGN compared with the control group, adjusted for age and sex, was 6.1 (95% Cl, 2.2-16.9). Haematuria (> trace) was present in 21% of the PSGN group compared with 7% of the control group (adjusted OR, 3.7; 95% Cl, 1.8-8.0). There were no significant differences between the groups in blood pressure, serum creatinine, level or calculated GFR. Conclusion. In this population, a history of PSGN in childhood is a risk factor for albuminuria and haematuria in later life