Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

"What Should Happen Before Asymptomatic Men Decide Whether Or Not To Have A Psa Test?"A Report On Three Community Juries, Chris Degeling, Lucie Rychetnik, Kristen Pickles, Rae Thomas, Jennifer Doust, Robert Gardiner, Paul Glasziou, Ainsley Newson, Stacy Carter

Jenny Doust

OBJECTIVES: To elicit the views of well informed community members on the ethical obligations of general practitioners regarding prostate-specific antigen (PSA) testing, and what should be required before a man undergoes a PSA test. DESIGN AND SETTING: Three community juries held at the University of Sydney over 6 months in 2014. PARTICIPANTS: Forty participants from New South Wales, of diverse social and cultural backgrounds and with no experience of prostate cancer, recruited through public advertising: two juries of mixed gender and ages; one all-male jury of PSA screening age. RESULTS: In contrast to Royal Australian College of General Practitioners guidelines, …

"What Should Happen Before Asymptomatic Men Decide Whether Or Not To Have A Psa Test?"A Report On Three Community Juries, Chris Degeling, Lucie Rychetnik, Kristen Pickles, Rae Thomas, Jennifer Doust, Robert Gardiner, Paul Glasziou, Ainsley Newson, Stacy Carter

Rae Thomas

OBJECTIVES: To elicit the views of well informed community members on the ethical obligations of general practitioners regarding prostate-specific antigen (PSA) testing, and what should be required before a man undergoes a PSA test. DESIGN AND SETTING: Three community juries held at the University of Sydney over 6 months in 2014. PARTICIPANTS: Forty participants from New South Wales, of diverse social and cultural backgrounds and with no experience of prostate cancer, recruited through public advertising: two juries of mixed gender and ages; one all-male jury of PSA screening age. RESULTS: In contrast to Royal Australian College of General Practitioners guidelines, …

Predictors Of Depression In Prostate Cancer Patients: A Comparison Of Psychological Resilience Versus Pre-Existing Anxiety And Depression, Christopher Sharpley, Vicki Bitsika, Addie Wootten, David Christie

Vicki Bitsika

Background: Previous anxiety and depression can influence current anxiety and depression, and psychological resilience may be a buffer against current anxiety and depression. However, despite the relevance of these two sets of predictors of anxiety and depression, and their potential in treatment planning, no reports have been published on their role in post-diagnosis anxiety and depression among prostate cancer (PCa) patients. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the roles of these predictors in a sample of men with prostate cancer. Method: Retrospective self-reports of anxiety and depression for how they were before receiving their diagnosis of PCa and at the …

The Link Between Value Motives, Value Success, And Well-Being Among People Diagnosed With Cancer, Lisbeth Lane, Joseph Ciarrochi, Danielle Fisher

joseph Ciarrochi

Objective: This study investigated the relationship between cancer patient¿s values and cancerrelated distress.Method: A total of 107 patients with cancer diagnoses completed an anonymousquestionnaire.Results: Less self-regulating motivation for health values was significantly related to poorerwell-being. Greater success at living one¿s values was significantly related to improved wellbeingand distress-related outcomes. Sex difference analysis suggested that success atfriendship values was linked to less cancer-related distress among women, but not men, whereassuccess at romantic relationship values was linked to less distress among men, but not women.Conclusion: The results have important implications for values focused interventions,highlighting the importance of facilitating success at valued living …

Paradoxical Effects Of The Autophagy Inhibitor 3-Methyladenine On Docetaxel-Induced Toxicity In Pc-3 And Lncap Prostate Cancer Cells, Rebecca Pickard, Briohny Spencer, Amelia Mcfarland, Nijole Bernaitis, Andrew Davey, Russ Chess-Williams, Catherine Mcdermott, Amanda Forbes, David Christie, Shailendra Anoopkumar-Dukie

Russ Chess-Williams

Survival time in patients with androgen-resistant prostate cancer. However, it provides only a modest increase in survival and is associated with significant toxicity. Therefore, there is an urgent need to identify potential adjunct therapies. Given the key role of autophagy in both tumour survival and chemoresistance, the impact of autophagy modulation on docetaxel toxicity was tested in vitro. PC-3 and LNCaP cells were pre-treated with the autophagy inhibitor 3- methyladenine (5 mM) and then exposed to various concentrations (0–100 μM) of docetaxel. Cytoxic effects of docetaxel were measured using resazurin reduction to resorufin, whilst autophagy and apoptosis was measured using …

Paradoxical Effects Of The Autophagy Inhibitor 3-Methyladenine On Docetaxel-Induced Toxicity In Pc-3 And Lncap Prostate Cancer Cells, Rebecca Pickard, Briohny Spencer, Amelia Mcfarland, Nijole Bernaitis, Andrew Davey, Russ Chess-Williams, Catherine Mcdermott, Amanda Forbes, David Christie, Shailendra Anoopkumar-Dukie

Catherine M. McDermott

Survival time in patients with androgen-resistant prostate cancer. However, it provides only a modest increase in survival and is associated with significant toxicity. Therefore, there is an urgent need to identify potential adjunct therapies. Given the key role of autophagy in both tumour survival and chemoresistance, the impact of autophagy modulation on docetaxel toxicity was tested in vitro. PC-3 and LNCaP cells were pre-treated with the autophagy inhibitor 3- methyladenine (5 mM) and then exposed to various concentrations (0–100 μM) of docetaxel. Cytoxic effects of docetaxel were measured using resazurin reduction to resorufin, whilst autophagy and apoptosis was measured using …

Enhanced Urothelial Atp Release And Contraction Following Intravesical Treatment With The Cytotoxic Drug, Doxorubicin, Stanley Kang, Catherine Mcdermott, Stef Farr, R. Chess-Williams

Catherine M. McDermott

Intravesical administration of the cytotoxic drug doxorubicin is a common treatment for superficial carcinoma of the bladder, but it is associated with significant urological adverse effects. The aim of this study was to identify doxorubicin-induced changes in the local mechanisms involved in regulating bladder function. As a model of intravesical doxorubicin administration in patients, doxorubicin (1 mg/mL) was applied to the luminal surface of porcine bladders for 60 min. Following treatment, the release of urothelial/lamina propria mediators (acetylcholine (Ach), ATP and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and contractile responses of isolated tissue strips was investigated. Doxorubicin pretreatment did not affect contractile responses …

Induction Of Inflammatory Cytokines And Alteration Of Urothelial Atp, Acetylcholine And Prostaglandin E2 Release By Doxorubicin, Sung-Hung Kang, Russ Chess-Williams, Shailendra Anoopkumar-Dukie, Catherine Mcdermott

Catherine M. McDermott

Intravesical treatment with cytotoxic drugs such as doxorubicin is associated with local adverse effects in bladder cancer patients. Here we investigate the effects of doxorubicin on urothelial release of ATP, acetylcholine and prostaglandin E2, and production of inflammatory cytokines. Urothelial cells were treated with doxorubicin for 1 h at 37 °C. Immediately or 24 h following treatment the level of ATP, acetylcholine and prostaglandin E2 released under basal and stimulated conditions was measured and compared to release from vehicle treated control cultures. The presence of inflammatory cytokines, in culture medium was also assessed 24 h after doxorubicin pre-treatment. Immediately following …

Induction Of Inflammatory Cytokines And Alteration Of Urothelial Atp, Acetylcholine And Prostaglandin E2 Release By Doxorubicin, Sung-Hung Kang, Russ Chess-Williams, Shailendra Anoopkumar-Dukie, Catherine Mcdermott

Russ Chess-Williams

Intravesical treatment with cytotoxic drugs such as doxorubicin is associated with local adverse effects in bladder cancer patients. Here we investigate the effects of doxorubicin on urothelial release of ATP, acetylcholine and prostaglandin E2, and production of inflammatory cytokines. Urothelial cells were treated with doxorubicin for 1 h at 37 °C. Immediately or 24 h following treatment the level of ATP, acetylcholine and prostaglandin E2 released under basal and stimulated conditions was measured and compared to release from vehicle treated control cultures. The presence of inflammatory cytokines, in culture medium was also assessed 24 h after doxorubicin pre-treatment. Immediately following …

Preliminary Investigations Into Triazole Derived Androgen Receptor Antagonists, Jarrad Altimari, Birunthi Niranjan, Gail Risbridger, Stephanie Schweiker, Anna Lohning, Luke Henderson

Anna Lohning

A range of 1,4-substituted-1,2,3-N-phenyltriazoles were synthesized and evaluated as non-steroidal androgen receptor (AR) antagonists. The motivation for this study was to replace the N-phenyl amide portion of small molecule antiandrogens with a 1,2,3-triazole and determine effects, if any, on biological activity. The synthetic methodology presented herein is robust, high yielding and extremely rapid. Using this methodology a series of 17 N-aryl triazoles were synthesized from commercially available starting materials in less than 3 h. After preliminary biological screening at 20 and 40 lM, the most promising three compounds were found to display IC50 values of 40–50 lM against androgen dependent …

Does Resilience 'Buffer' Against Depression In Prostate Cancer Patients? A Multi-Site Replication Study, Christopher Sharpley, Vicki Bitsika, Addie Wootten, David Christie

Vicki Bitsika

Although psychological resilience has been shown to 'buffer' against depression following major stressors, no studies have reported on this relationship within the prostate cancer (PCa) population, many of whom are at elevated risk of depression, health problems and suicide. To investigate the effects of resilience upon anxiety and depression in the PCa population, postal surveys of 425 PCa patients were collected from two sites: 189 PCa patients at site 1 and 236 at site 2. Background data plus responses to depression and resilience scales were collected. Results indicated that total resilience score was a significant buffer against depression across both …

Targeting Urokinase And The Transferrin Receptor With Novel, Anti-Mitotic N-Alkylisatin Cytotoxin Conjugates Causes Selective Cancer Cell Death And Reduces Tumor Growth, K Vine, V. Indira Chandran, J Locke, L Matesic, J Lee, D Skropeta, J Bremner, M Ranson

Danielle Skropeta

Tumor-specific delivery of ligand-directed prodrugs can increase the therapeutic window of chemotherapeutics by maintaining efficacy whilst decreasing toxic side effects. We have previously described a series of synthetic N-alkylated isatin cytotoxins that destabilize microtubules and induce apoptosis with 10-fold greater potency than conventional anti-mitotics in vitro. Here, we report the characterization, in vitro cytotoxicity and in vivo efficacy of a lead compound, 5,7-dibromo-N-(p-hydroxymethylbenzyl)isatin (N-AI) conjugated via an esterase-labile linker (N-AIE) to two proven targeting ligands, transferrin (Tf) and plasminogen activator inhibitor type 2 (PAI-2/serpinB2). N-AI was released from N-AIE and the targeting ligands Tf/PAI-2 in an esterase-dependent manner at 37 …

Deconstructing Cancer: What Makes A Good-Quality News Story?, Amanda Wilson, Billie Bonevski, Alison Jones, David Henry

Alison L Jones

Objective: To describe an in-depth analysis of the content and quality of stories about new cancer interventions in Australian media. Design and setting: Search of the Media Doctor Australia media-monitoring website for stories about newly reported cancer interventions, including drugs, diagnostic tests, surgery and complementary therapies, that had been collected from June 2004 to June 2009 and rated for quality using a validated rating instrument. A mixed-methods approach was used to analyse data and story content. Data from the website on stories about other new health interventions and procedures were compared. Main outcome measures: Differences in quality scores between cancer-related …

Variability In Anxiety And Depression Over Time Following Diagnosis In Patients With Prostate Cancer, Christoper Sharpley, David Christie, Vicki Bitsika

Vicki Bitsika

To determine the presence and nature of variability in anxiety and depression in patients with prostate cancer (PCa) over 3 years following diagnosis, 442 patients with PCa completed standardized anxiety and depression inventories via survey between 1 and 36 months after receiving their initial diagnosis. Data were analyzed from a series of 3-month cohorts, and results indicated that total scores and incidence of clinically significant anxiety and depression varied over time, but that this variability was restricted to specific subfactors of anxiety and depression. Provision of effective psychological treatment to patients with PCa is discussed.

Incidence And Nature Of Anxiety-Depression Comorbidity In Prostate Cancer Patients, Christoper Sharpley, Vicki Bitsika, David Christie

Vicki Bitsika

Background: The aim of this study was to measure the incidence of anxiety-depression comorbidity among a sample of prostate cancer (PCa) patients and to investigate the total score, factor score and scale item differences across subgroups defined according to the presence of anxiety and/or depression. Methods: 491 PCa patients who had received their initial diagnosis between 1 and 113 months previously completed a survey of background variables, as well as the Zung Self-Rating Anxiety and Depression Scales (SAS, SDS). Results: Incidence of anxiety-depression comorbidity was nearly 16%, and higher than that previously reported in other samples. Although the directional differences …

School-Based Cancer Education Programs: An Opportunity To Affect The National Cancer Problem, Donald Iverson, J Scheer

Don C. Iverson

No abstract provided.

Latina Adolescent Outreach Project, Susan C. Schwartz

Susan C. Schwartz

'Why I Feel Bad': Refinement On The Effects Of Prostate Cancer Upon Lifestyle Questionnaire And An Initial Exploration Of Its Links With Anxiety And Depression Among Prostate Cancer Patients, Christopher Sharpley, Vicki Bitsika, David Christie

Vicki Bitsika

Objective: To psychometrically refine a standardized scale for identifying those lifestyle changes that were most likely to contribute to anxiety and depression among prostate cancer (PCa) patients.

Methods: Three hundred and eighty-one PCa patients who had received their initial diagnosis between one and 96 months completed a survey of background variables, anxiety and depression inventories and the 36-item Effects of Prostate Cancer upon Lifestyle Questionnaire (EPCLQ).

Results: Levels of anxiety (24%) and depression (26%) were similar to those previously reported for PCa patients. The EPCLQ was shown to have satisfactory psychometric properties and significantly predicted anxiety and depression scores and …