Here are what the editors at HealthDay consider to be the most important developments in Urology for March 2009. This roundup includes the latest research news from journal articles, as well as the FDA approvals and regulatory changes that are the most likely to affect clinical practice.
Safe Practice Scores Do Not Add Up to Fewer Patient Deaths
TUESDAY, March 31 (HealthDay News) -- In hospitals, higher self-reported scores for improvements in safe practices do not correlate with reduced mortality rates, researchers report in the April 1 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Low-Income Men May Not Grasp Prostate Cancer Terms
FRIDAY, March 27 (HealthDay News) -- Low literacy levels among medically underserved men highlight the need to consider literacy and use non-medical language for prostate cancer education efforts and outcomes measures, according to a study published online ahead of print March 23 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
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Omega-3s Linked to Prostate Cancer Protection
FRIDAY, March 27 (HealthDay News) -- Higher intakes of long-chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids were associated with a lower risk of aggressive prostate cancer, which appeared to be modified by a COX-2 single nucleotide polymorphism, according to research published online March 24 in Clinical Cancer Research.
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Tumor Suppressor Genes Linked to Bladder Cancer
THURSDAY, March 26 (HealthDay News) -- Inhibition of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling may offer a potential treatment for invasive bladder cancer, according to research published in the March 15 issue of Genes & Development.
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Circumcision Lowers Risk of Sexually Transmitted Disease
WEDNESDAY, March 25 (HealthDay News) -- In a study of Ugandan men, circumcision reduced both the incidence of herpes simplex virus (HSV-2) and the prevalence of human papillomavirus (HPV), two co-factors in HIV/AIDs, according to a report in the March 26 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
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Cost Barriers Slow Adoption of Electronic Health Records
WEDNESDAY, March 25 (HealthDay News) -- Citing cost barriers, relatively few U.S. hospitals have adopted electronic health records, posing a major obstacle for policy makers who say health information technology is critical to the improvement of health care quality and cost-effectiveness, according to an article published online March 25 in the New England Journal of Medicine.
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Men's Follow-Up Attendance Influenced by Trust in Doctor
WEDNESDAY, March 25 (HealthDay News) -- Men with testicular cancer are less likely to attend follow-up visits and adhere to medical advice if they feel that they do not have a satisfactory relationship with their doctor, according to study findings published online March 23 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
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Active Surveillance Safe for Some Prostate Cancer Patients
WEDNESDAY, March 25 (HealthDay News) -- Active surveillance of certain prostate cancer patients is a safe and effective strategy for prevention of systemic progression of the disease, according to a study published in the April issue of the Journal of Urology.
Antibiotic Dressing Reduces Catheter-Related Infections
TUESDAY, March 24 (HealthDay News) -- An antibiotic-impregnated catheter dressing reduces catheter-related infections better than standard dressings in critically ill patients, according to a report in the March 25 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Over-Diagnosis Risk From Prostate Cancer Screening
WEDNESDAY, March 18 (HealthDay News) -- Screening for prostate cancer does not reduce the mortality rate after seven to 10 years' follow-up, according to study results released online March 18 in advance of publication in the March 26 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine, while a second study in the same issue concludes that prostate-specific antigen-based screening does reduce mortality but runs the risk of over-diagnosis.
Abstract: Andriole et al
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Abstract: Schröder et al
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Folic Acid Supplements Linked to Prostate Cancer Risk
WEDNESDAY, Mar. 11 (HealthDay News) -- Folic acid supplementation may be associated with a higher risk of prostate cancer, and different definitions of "lead time" in studies on screening with prostate-specific antigen (PSA) can affect their outcome, according to two reports published online Mar. 10 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
Abstract - Figueiredo
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Abstract- Draisma
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Transdermal Patches Pose Burn Risk During Scans
FRIDAY, Mar. 6 (HealthDay News) -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has issued a warning about the risk of burns as a result of wearing medicated patches, such as those used for smoking cessation or pain relief, during MRI scans.
Patient Anxiety Linked to Timing of Prostate Treatment
THURSDAY, Mar. 5 (HealthDay News) -- Anxiety over the disease is a major predictor in older men's decision to begin androgen deprivation therapy early after biochemical recurrence of prostate cancer, according to research published online Mar. 2 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
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Obama Wants to Spend $630 Billion on Health Care Reform
THURSDAY, Mar. 5 (HealthDay News) -- Achieving health care reform is one of President Barack Obama's major challenges, and his newly released spending plan calls on Congress to commit $630 billion over the next decade to finance that reform, according to an article published online Mar. 4 in the New England Journal of Medicine.
US Motor Vehicle-Related Death Rates Vary Geographically
MONDAY, Mar. 2 (HealthDay News) -- Although the mortality rate related to motor vehicles remained almost unchanged from 1999 to 2005 in the United States, on closer inspection the data reveals wide variations from state to state, as well as by gender and ethnicity, according to a report published in the Feb. 27 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.