Abstracts and Press Release was...... UroToday - Complications

[Guest guest]

,

You have asked for views on this subject

so I am responding to that request otherwise I would not have replied directly

to Kathy’s mail on List.

From time to time members of this List complain

about the volume of posts. That complaint is not unique to this List, but is a

common one. Sometimes the complaint is not justified and merely reflects the

fact that the complainant does not find the posts useful for their particular

situation or, in some cases, especially for newly diagnosed men, it is because

they cannot relate to what the post is about.

I have always felt therefore that one

should consider carefully who will benefit and how before posting on List and

that if Press Releases or Abstracts are posted that there should a brief note

to guide the uninitiated as to the potential value of the item posted. I personally

learned a tremendous amount for posted Abstracts and studies, but usually this

was when an explanation was given or when there was a discussion on the Abstract

– or better still, the study itself. Without this kind of interaction I think

that there is a good chance of the item being misinterpreted, misunderstood or

merely ignored because the value is not clear and they are merely part of

the overwhelming flood of information.

It is interesting that you say that

some (? many? all) should be taken with a pinch of salt and that they are of

interest as an indication of what may come through later. You may understand

this, but do the newly diagnosed, or do they plod through masses of items that

are not even of interest to them, let alone of any specific use? Do they know

how few studies based on laboratory growths in petrie dishes or mouse tumors

are of any real value when considering how they might affect a man with prostate

cancer?

I have been watching for developments and

reading about prostate cancer for over 11 years now and cannot really recall

any great change in treatment that resulted from the myriad of ‘breakthroughs’

that have been announced regularly as being available – usually in five

years time. The treatment of prostate cancer is essentially unchanged in that

time – surgery for the majority of men diagnosed, radiation for most of

the rest, with hormone therapy a third option. Cryosurgery and HIFU are still

minority treatment choices. Of course there have been changes in the delivery

of the treatment – laparoscopic surgery has been a substantial advance,

but that wasn’t developed for prostate cancer. It was used for many other

surgeries before prostate surgery. Similarly the delivery of radiation has

improved substantially, but that is by land large a change in the mechanical

delivery system, the only significant differential being the development of

proton beam.

In my opinion the true value of Lists like

this is in providing answers to specific questions asked by members, where the

collective knowledge of the other members may enlighten and guide. It is not in

posting unexplained technical papers which may do neither.

All the best

Terry Herbert

I have no medical

qualifications but I was diagnosed in ‘96: and have learned a bit since

then.

My sites are at www.yananow.net and www.prostatecancerwatchfulwaiting.co.za

Dr

“Snuffy” Myers : " As a physician, I am painfully aware that most of

the decisions we make with regard to prostate cancer are made with inadequate

data "

From: ProstateCancerSupport [mailto:ProstateCancerSupport ] On Behalf Of Metcalf

Sent: Saturday, 29 March 2008 2:38

AM

To: ProstateCancerSupport

Subject: Re:

UroToday - Complications of Open Radical Retropubic

Prostatectomy in Potential Candidates for Active Monitoring - Abstract

Kathy

I think we just have to accept that these posts are just

indicative of present research results.

From my reading they have not all had peer reviews and

therefore must be taken with a pinch of salt.

I find them useful however to see what is being looked at

and what may come through later with further work.

What does eveyone else think??

RE:

UroToday - Complications of Open Radical

Retropubic Prostatectomy in Potential Candidates for Active Monitoring -

Abstract

Terry,

As I have said before I post these studies because they may

be helpful to some. My time is very limited because I am working full time. I

have had to pull back my involvement. What I am sending from UROTODAY is the

abstract not a press release. These are journal summaries for physicians. They

are at time technical but men should be aware they are what their physicians

may be reading. At the bottom of each post is information that will help anyone

get more information.

Written by

Loeb S, Roehl KA, Helfand BT, Catalona WJ.

These

are the authors of the article. The first and the last are the one who have

been most involved.

Reference

Urology. 2008 Mar 6. Epub ahead of print.

doi:10.1016/j.urology.2007.12.016

This is

information about the Journal where the article is published. Most articles

will cost money to read but if anyone is interested they can go to a medical

library and read it for free. If not you have to pay for the cost of the

article.

PubMed Abstract

PMID:18329080

This is the

PubMed number that will help you find a link to the article online through the

National Library of Medicine,

I would

appreciate it if others can explain the abstracts if they need explaining. My

time is very limited.

If they are

not helpful, I will discontinue sending them to the list.

Kathy