Ultrasound Tested As Treatment For Prostate Cancer

An alternative to surgery is being tested as a treatment for prostate cancer in men whose radiation therapy has been unsuccessful.

Baylor College of Medicine and St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital are one of three U.S. sites evaluating the effectiveness of high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) on prostate cancer.

HIFU is administered through a device inserted in the rectum. The instrument focuses ultrasound waves on a small area of the prostate, the walnut-sized gland below the bladder that makes fluid for semen. The ultrasound creates enough heat to kill the cancerous tissue, and treatment continues until the entire prostate has been destroyed. The outpatient procedure can usually be completed within three hours, and the patient can go home after the spinal anesthetic wears off.

"Our research should help determine whether HIFU can treat prostate cancer without causing some of the side effects associated with other options," says principal investigator Dr. Brian Miles, medical director of the Texas Cancer Institute at St. Luke's and associate professor of urology at Baylor.

For cancer that is confined to the prostate, surgery and radiation are standard options. Complete removal of the prostate, known as a radical prostatectomy, can cause incontinence and impotence. Radiation therapy can cause rectal and bladder injuries, difficulty urinating and impotence. For cancer that has spread or metastasized, hormone therapy and chemotherapy are usually recommended. These treatments can also cause impotence, loss of sexual desire, fatigue and osteoporosis, or bone deterioration. For more information call 713-798-8514.

- From St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital and Baylor College of Medicine

Baylor Diet Study Uses Web To Track Participants' Progress

Researchers at the Diet Modification Clinic at Baylor College of Medicine recently launched an interactive, six-week program to exchange information with participants in a diet study.

"People already rely heavily on the Internet as a source of information," says Clinic Director Lynne Scott. "Our study participants can access their information 24 hours a day and, by making diet information more readily available and providing rapid feedback, we think participants will be able to make better lifestyle changes."

The study compares two diets: a high-protein, high-monosaturated fat diet and the American Heart Association Step I Diet. Researchers hope to determine which is more effective at delaying or preventing the onset of diabetes, while also lowering blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels. The goal is to identify the diet that people are most likely to stick with.

Dieters can access diet materials from individualized, password-protected websites. Each will receive an appropriate meal pattern, tips for selecting food when eating out, brand-name food lists and recipes.

Participants must submit food records, record body weight and track their levels of satiety with meals and hunger between meals. After evaluating the food records, Baylor dietitians give feedback about menu choices and serve as motivators.For more information, call 713-798-4431.

- From Baylor College of Medicine

Communicating With Your Doctor About Alternative Therapies

Have you ever thought about trying an alternative therapy? If so, your physician is the best source for information on treatments not traditionally associated with Western medicine.

"I find that 70 to 80 percent of things I see in family practice are stress-induced. I use a lot of `mind/body' therapy, such as relaxation exercises and meditation, guided imagery, hypnosis, yoga, and also the `power of prayer' - support groups such as a patient's church or synagogue," says Dr. Donald Counts, an Austin family practitioner. "Being a Western-trained physician, I use traditional medicine as my first line of therapy, and I use non-traditional medicine also, depending on what's been diagnosed."

Dr. Counts stresses that communicating with your doctor is vital. You may learn about new forms of therapy from your doctor through your discussions, or you may mention to him things you've researched.

"Communication is key. An open dialog is important. Patients need to communicate with their doctors about what kinds of alternative practices they may be using, and those they may have heard about and want to try," says Dr. Counts. "I have a lot of patients who bring me information from the Internet and I let them know what might work and those that should be approached with caution."

TMA recently voted to develop programming to inform and educate its physician members on the pros and cons of the rapidly expanding field of alternative/complementary practices.

- From Texas Medical Association

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©2006 Texas Medical Center

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