View clinical trials related to Prostate Cancer.
Filter by:Surgery and irradiation for organ confined prostate cancer provide excellent long-term cancer control but they may be accompanied by a risk of side effects that decrease quality of life. Due to the stage migration of prostate cancer, the potential for patients to undergo unnecessary treatment and the risk of treatment related morbidity, has been increased.Alternative strategies that offer the possibility of delaying, obviating or minimizing the impact of treatment maintaining the same oncological long term results have been investigated. Despite pros and cons active surveillance has not gained popularity in men with low risk prostate cancer as only 7% of men with localized prostate cancer remain in active surveillance. Traditionally solid tumors have been treated with radical surgery but selective, organ sparing therapies are now common for tumors of the breast, skin and kidney, resulting in equivalent rates of cancer control, lower morbidity rates and less disfigurement. With this in mind the potential role of focal ablative therapy for localized prostate cancer might be considered. The researchers will investigate the feasibility and the efficacy in term of quality of life and oncologic results of focal therapy by a pilot not randomized prospective study in a patients with localized prostate cancer who meet low risk criteria based on clinical, biopsy and imaging data.
This study will evaluate the accuracy and effectiveness of an experimental tracking device for locating abnormalities during invasive procedures, such as biopsy or ablation, that cannot easily be visualized by usual imaging techniques, such as computed tomography (CT) scans or ultrasound. Some lesions, such as certain liver or kidney tumors, small endocrine abnormalities, and others, may be hard to find or only visible for a few seconds. The new method uses a needle with a miniature tracking device buried inside the metal that tells where the tip of the needle is located, somewhat like a mini GPS, or global positioning system. It uses a very weak magnet to localize the device like a miniature satellite system. This study will explore whether this system can be used in the future to more accurately place the needle in or near the desired location or abnormality. Patients 18 years of age and older who have a lesion that needs to be biopsied or an ablation procedure that requires CT guidance may be eligible for this study. Candidates are screened with a medical history and review of medical records, including imaging studies. Participants undergo the biopsy or ablation procedure as they normally would, with the following exceptions: some stickers are placed on the skin before the procedure and a very weak magnet is placed nearby. The needles used are similar to the ones that would normally be used except that they contain a metal coil or spring buried deep within the needle metal. The procedure involves the following steps: 1. Small 1-cm plastic donuts are place on the skin with tape. 2. A planning CT scan is done. 3. The CT scan is sent to the computer and matched to the patient's body location with the help of a very weak magnet. 4. The needle used for the procedure is placed towards the target tissue or abnormality and the "smart needle" location lights up on the old CT scan. 5. A repeat CT is done as it normally is to look for the location of the needle. 6. After the procedure the CT scans are examined to determine how well the new tool located the needle in the old scan.
The purpose of this protocol is to provide patients with adequate informed consent to understand that screening tests with minimal health risk will be performed to evaluate their eligibility for a research study. The protocol makes it clear that patients initial visit to the intramural clinical program may include screening studies that are not medically necessary for disease management, but are done purely for research purposes. Patients with a known or suspected diagnosis of cancer, HIV infection, skin disorder or immunodeficiency who are being considered for enrollment in a National Cancer Institute intramural clinical research protocol will participate in this consent protocol. It informs patients of screening tests and procedures involving minimal risk that are done for research purposes only, including blood tests, electrocardiogram, standard X-rays (e.g., chest X-ray), bone films, computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and nuclear medicine studies. It explains that other eligibility screens that are more invasive and involve greater risk, such as a biopsy, will require separate consent.