Health Literacy and Prostate Cancer

Background: Prostate cancer is a cause of morbidity and mortality among men globally. This study compared serum Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) and Inosine Monophosphate Dehydrogenase-2 (IMPDH-2) in predicting aggressive prostate cancer. Methods: Sixty-three prostate adenocarcinoma patients were recruited for this quantitative descriptive cross-sectional study. Their serum was assayed for IMPDH-2 and PSA. Serum IMPDH-2 and PSA correlations with Gleason score and ISUP Grade Groups were determined using Spearman's rho and Kendall tau correlation coefficients, respectively. The magnitude of the correlation was assessed by calculating the coefficient of determination for the respective analysis (R2). Similarly, regression analysis and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve were used to assess the ability of the biomarkers to predict aggressive prostate cancer. Levels of statistical significance were set as p < 0.05. Results: The mean age was 68.6 years. The mean serum IMPDH-2 and PSA were 76.2pg/ml and 65.9ng/ml respectively. Serum IMPDH-2 did not predict aggressive prostate cancer; (r = 0.08, p = 0.55 Spearman rho), (τ = 0.03, p = 0.79 Kendal tau). Serum PSA weakly predicted aggressive prostate cancer; (r = 0.30, p = 0.02 Spearman rho), (τ = 0.21, p = 0.04 Kendal tau). It was responsible for 10.1 and 8.8% of Gleason score and ISUP grade group variances respectively. However, it did not significantly outperform IMPDH-2 in predicting the Gleason score (p = 0.53). Conclusion: PSA weakly predicted aggressive prostate cancer but did not statistically significantly outperform IMPDH-2. As such, none is sufficiently accurate in predicting aggressive prostate cancer when used in isolation.

Introduction: Prostate cancer (CaP) is the second most common cancer in men and the fifth most common cancer worldwide. The incidence in Nigeria is rising. Numerous challenges exist that prevent the successful management of these patients in this subregion. Aims and Objectives: This study aimed to report on the modes of presentation and difficulties encountered in managing patients with CaP in our environment with a view to finding solutions to these challenges. Materials and Methods: This was a retrospective study of all CaP patients who were managed in Alex-Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, Nigeria over a 10-year period from 2012 to 2021. Data were collated using a pro forma. Numerical data were summarized as means, median, and standard deviation, whereas categorical data were summarized as frequencies. Statistical significance was pegged at P < 0.05. Results: Seventy-three patients were analysed. The mean age of the patients was 71.48 ± 8.15 years. The three most common presenting complaints were lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTSs) 23 (31.5%), acute urinary retention 9 (12.3%), and LUTS with low back pain 9 (12.3%). The median duration of symptoms was 6.5 months. No difference was noted among educational level, occupation, and stage of CaP, (P=0.222 and P=0.548), respectively. The median total prostate-specific antigen was 85.0 ng/mL. Sixty-seven patients (91.8%) had an abdominopelvic ultrasound scan. Fifty patients (68.5%) had stage 4 disease. Thirty-eight (52.1%) had financial constraints. Forty-nine (67.1%) patients were lost to follow-up. Bilateral orchidectomy was offered to 28 (38.4%) patients. Conclusion: Financial constraint was a huge barrier in the management of CaP patients in this study. Late presentation was common in this study.

Background. Worldwide, men’s health and wellness promotion employ various models and conceptions of masculinity. Masculinities are subjectively experienced and influenced by social differences such as race, class, and sexual orientation. Largely because it threatens men’s gender identity and sexuality, prostate cancer is a prominent and sensitive health issue. How men think, speak about, and represent prostate cancer is affected by their cultural, social, moral, and religious values and beliefs. Methods. Based on data from a larger ethnographic study, this article reports on Francophone and Francophile immigrant men’s experiences and representations of prostate cancer.  Data were collected from interviews with 19 men in the cities of Gonesse and Paris, France, using a tool inspired by (core) social representation theory, and submitted to content analysis. Results. Similar views between the two groups of men suggest that the representation of prostate cancer prevalent in French socie...

This study explored the French media&#39;s presentation of ideas and medical information about prostate cancer (PC) that may influence men&#39;s understanding, attitudes and behavior. A qualitative media content analysis centered on PC information delivered by French professional media. The selected data were produced in the aftermath of the High Health Authority&#39;s decision in 2008 not to recommend systematic screening by prostate specific antigen(PSA) for men over 50. Source was the Media Archives of the French National Library. Content was analyzed from 15 television programs, 14 radio programs, and 55 articles from 35 popular French newspapers (online and printed, weekly and monthly) and 20 magazines. Audio content was narrated into textual form and submitted to manual coding along with the print content. Television and radio content focused on the nature of PC, screening and treatment,and conveyed a gender-centric position linked to male sexuality and virility. Newspapers an...

Background: Analyzing students' performance and self-criticism of their roles in promoting health literacy can inform nursing education in a social environment that expects new graduates to be health promoters. Objectives: The pilot study reported here aimed to a) analyze students' understanding of and sensitivity to issues of health literacy, (b) identify students' perceptions of structural, organizational, and political barriers to the promotion of health literacy in social and health care organizations, and (c) document students' suggestions for curriculum changes that would develop their skills and competencies as health-literacy promoters. Design: A qualitative pilot study. Setting: A collaborative undergraduate nursing degree program in the metropolitan area of Toronto, Canada. Participants: Sixteen undergraduate, Year 4 nursing students. Methods: Signed informed consent was obtained from the participants. Participation was unpaid and voluntary. Recruitment was through an email invitation sent by the School of Nursing Student Affairs Coordinator. Three, one-time individual interviews and three focus groups were conducted. All were audio-recorded. Recordings were transcribed, and the transcriptions were coded using the qualitative software ATLAS ti 6.0. The interview data were submitted to thematic analysis. Additional data were gathered from the two-page self-assessments in students' academic portfolios. Results: Sensitivity to health literacy was documented. Students performed best as health promoters in supportive teaching hospitals. Their performance was hindered by clinical settings unsupportive of health education, absence of role models, and insufficient theoretical preparation for health teaching. Students' sensitivity to their clients' diversity reportedly reinforced the interconnection, in multicultural healthcare settings, between health literacy and other social determinants of health and a growing demand for educating future nurses in expanding their role also as health promoters. Conclusions: Students recommended more socially inclusive and experiential learning initiatives related to health teaching to address education gaps in classrooms and practice.

Although men’s health promotion efforts have attracted programmatic and evaluative research, conspicuously absent are gendered insights to men’s health literacy. The current scoping review article shares the findings drawn from 12 published articles addressing men’s health literacy in a range of health and illness contexts. Evident was consensus that approaches tailored to men’s everyday language and delivered in familiar community-based spaces were central to advancing men’s health literacy, and, by extension, the effectiveness of men’s health promotion programs. However, most men’s health literacy studies focussed on medical knowledge of disease contexts including prostate and colon cancers, while diversity was evident regards conceptual frameworks and/or methods and measures for evaluating men’s health literacy. Despite evidence that low levels of health literacy fuel stigma and men’s reticence for health help-seeking, and that tailoring programs to health literacy levels is requ...

Background: The increasing need of older individuals to safely self-manage their chronic illnesses requires that they clearly understand health-related information. Thus, this study examined health literacy as lived by men with prostate cancer (PC), rather than as assessed by professionals. Objectives: This study aimed to describe, analyse, and understand informational strategies of men with PC. The main objective was to describe these strategies according to self-assessed levels of functional health literacy and thus create an inventory of strategy characteristics. Design: The mode´lisation qualitative research design framed this inquiry. Settings: Montreal and Laval, province of Que´bec, Canada. Participants: The purposive sample comprised 15 French-Canadian men aged 61-83, most of whom were enroled in a PC support group. Recruitment and selection was assisted by the support group's chairman and a volunteer recruiter. Selection criteria were medical diagnosis of localised PC, childhood spent in Que´bec, ability to self-assess functional health literacy, effective oral communication in French, no use of psychotropic drugs, and normal time and space orientation. Methods: Data collection involved semi-structured interviews and drawing of genograms and ecomaps. The qualitative-data-analysis software Atlas. ti (Version 4.1 for Windows) was used to code the interview data. Findings were also subjected to content analysis. Six volunteers examined and confirmed the authors' interpretation of the findings. Results: Functional health literacy was cultivated throughout participants' lives and nourished by their social and cultural resources. A history of reading at home, interest in learning, supportive family and elementary school environments developed open-minded, critical-information-seeking older men. The findings did not support any association among formal education, level of health literacy, and ways of dealing with PC-related information. The construction of information networks provided participants with knowledge and with emotional and spiritual support to cope with PC. Men with different levels of health literacy had both unique and similar information strategies.

This paper presents part of the fi ndings of a doctoral study aiming to understand the construction of informational strategies for living and dealing with Prostate Cancer related information according to selfreported levels of functional health literacy. A qualitative modeling design framed the inquiry through the constructivist perspective. Older men recreate modes of living and attitudes toward information according to their social and cultural capital, as well as the intensity of their contact with an informational network. Self-reported levels of functional health literacy seem to be harmonious with distinct informational profi les/ patterns despite diff erences in general literacy or formal education. This study implies a new understanding of functional health literacy and its role, the dynamics of social/informational networks, as well as the needs of redesigning communication strategies.

Background: Analyzing students' performance and self-criticism of their roles in promoting health literacy can inform nursing education in a social environment that expects new graduates to be health promoters. Objectives: The pilot study reported here aimed to a) analyze students' understanding of and sensitivity to issues of health literacy, (b) identify students' perceptions of structural, organizational, and political barriers to the promotion of health literacy in social and health care organizations, and (c) document students' suggestions for curriculum changes that would develop their skills and competencies as health-literacy promoters. Design: A qualitative pilot study. Setting: A collaborative undergraduate nursing degree program in the metropolitan area of Toronto, Canada. Participants: Sixteen undergraduate, Year 4 nursing students. Methods: Signed informed consent was obtained from the participants. Participation was unpaid and voluntary. Recruitment was through an email invitation sent by the School of Nursing Student Affairs Coordinator. Three, one-time individual interviews and three focus groups were conducted. All were audio-recorded. Recordings were transcribed, and the transcriptions were coded using the qualitative software ATLAS ti 6.0. The interview data were submitted to thematic analysis. Additional data were gathered from the two-page self-assessments in students' academic portfolios. Results: Sensitivity to health literacy was documented. Students performed best as health promoters in supportive teaching hospitals. Their performance was hindered by clinical settings unsupportive of health education, absence of role models, and insufficient theoretical preparation for health teaching. Students' sensitivity to their clients' diversity reportedly reinforced the interconnection, in multicultural healthcare settings, between health literacy and other social determinants of health and a growing demand for educating future nurses in expanding their role also as health promoters. Conclusions: Students recommended more socially inclusive and experiential learning initiatives related to health teaching to address education gaps in classrooms and practice.

Recent advances in understanding the mechanisms underlying the development and progression of castration resistant prostate cancer from androgen-sensitive prostate cancer have provided new avenues exploring efficacious therapies in a disease which is the second leading cause of cancer deaths among men in the western world. In the evolution of second generation anti-androgens, enzalutamide, a novel androgen-receptor signaling inhibitor, has emerged targeting multiple steps within the androgenic stimulation pathway. This review discusses what is currently known of the mechanisms surrounding castration resistant prostate cancer development and the current human clinical trials to determine whether enzalutamide presents a new hope for men with advanced prostate cancer. The issues of therapy resistance, withdrawal effects and cross-resistance are briefly touched upon.

Background. Worldwide, men’s health and wellness promotion employ various models and conceptions of masculinity. Masculinities are subjectively experienced and influenced by social differences such as race, class, and sexual orientation. Largely because it threatens men’s gender identity and sexuality, prostate cancer is a prominent and sensitive health issue. How men think, speak about, and represent prostate cancer is affected by their cultural, social, moral, and religious values and beliefs. Methods. Based on data from a larger ethnographic study, this article reports on Francophone and Francophile immigrant men’s experiences and representations of prostate cancer.  Data were collected from interviews with 19 men in the cities of Gonesse and Paris, France, using a tool inspired by (core) social representation theory, and submitted to content analysis. Results. Similar views between the two groups of men suggest that the representation of prostate cancer prevalent in French socie...

This study explored the French media&#39;s presentation of ideas and medical information about prostate cancer (PC) that may influence men&#39;s understanding, attitudes and behavior. A qualitative media content analysis centered on PC information delivered by French professional media. The selected data were produced in the aftermath of the High Health Authority&#39;s decision in 2008 not to recommend systematic screening by prostate specific antigen(PSA) for men over 50. Source was the Media Archives of the French National Library. Content was analyzed from 15 television programs, 14 radio programs, and 55 articles from 35 popular French newspapers (online and printed, weekly and monthly) and 20 magazines. Audio content was narrated into textual form and submitted to manual coding along with the print content. Television and radio content focused on the nature of PC, screening and treatment,and conveyed a gender-centric position linked to male sexuality and virility. Newspapers an...

Introduction: Although cancer is currently considered a serious socio-medical challenge and health education in Poland has been positioned as a public health priority, the impact of popular culture on people's ideas about cancer has been neglected. This study therefore aims to analyse the way popular Polish films portray cancer and the experience of cancer. Material and Methods: Seven popular Polish films featuring cancer were analysed both quantitatively and qualitatively. The main categories included in the coding frame were disease, therapy, patient, physicians/oncologists and psychosocial issuses related to cancer. Results: Polish films fail to provide the audience with basic information about the disease, its diagnoses and treatment and cancer is often represented as a mysterious disease with an unclear cause, an unpredictable and unsuccessful course of treatment, characterised by pain, suffering and inevitable death. Films may therefore instil carcinophobia. Since films accurately reflect problems of daily life faced by cancer patients and their families they have educational potential. Conclusion: Although Polish films reinforce harmful stereotypes about cancer, its treatment, oncological institutions and specialists, cinema has the ability to raise the public's and health professionals' awareness regarding the psychosocial and emotional strains faced by cancer patients and the medical problems related to cancer.

Background. Worldwide, men’s health and wellness promotion employ various models and conceptions of masculinity. Masculinities are subjectively experienced and influenced by social differences such as race, class, and sexual orientation. Largely because it threatens men’s gender identity and sexuality, prostate cancer is a prominent and sensitive health issue. How men think, speak about, and represent prostate cancer is affected by their cultural, social, moral, and religious values and beliefs. Methods. Based on data from a larger ethnographic study, this article reports on Francophone and Francophile immigrant men’s experiences and representations of prostate cancer.  Data were collected from interviews with 19 men in the cities of Gonesse and Paris, France, using a tool inspired by (core) social representation theory, and submitted to content analysis. Results. Similar views between the two groups of men suggest that the representation of prostate cancer prevalent in French socie...

Enzalutamide, previously known as MDV300, is an oral, second-generation androgen receptor (AR) signaling inhibitor or antagonist that was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 2012 for the treatment of metastatic castrate-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) postdocetaxel. Preclinical studies have demonstrated impressive affinity to the AR compared to the first-generation AR inhibitors. The landmark Phase III AFFIRM trial demonstrated improved overall survival benefit compared to placebo in addition to improvement in all tested parameters. Enzalutamide is currently being studied in several trials prechemotherapy and in earlier settings of prostate cancer. This review will discuss the mechanism of action of enzalutamide, its pharmacokinetics, the preclinical and clinical trials that led to its approval, the ongoing clinical trials, its safety and efficacy, as well as patterns of resistance, and discusses its place in therapy within the context of several recently approved agents for mCRPC.

Recently new drugs targeting androgen-dependent axis have been approved for the treatment of castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC)-Zytiga and Xtandi (formerly MDV3100), several other candidates (for example, ARN-509) are in early phases of clinical trials. However despite significant improvement in overall survival with new treatments it is evident that resistance to these drugs develops. One of the approaches to overcome it is combination therapy and from this point of view some potential for drug-drug interactions can limit the application of the drug. We describe here the preclinical development of ONC1-13B, antagonist of androgen receptor, with similar to MDV3100 and ARN-509 mechanism of action. It efficiently inhibits DHT-stimulated PSA expression and proliferation of prostate cancer cells, prevents binding of androgens to the AR ligand-binding domain, androgen-stimulated AR nuclear translocation and coactivator complex formation. In the LnCaP-Z2 xenograft model of prostate cancer ONC1-13B inhibits tumor growth and suppresses PSA expression. The in vivo activity of ONC1-13B is comparable to that of MDV3100 at similar doses, and even higher, calculated per unit of concentration in plasma. Distribution of ONC1-13B to the brain is less than that shown for MDV3100 and ARN-509, decreasing the risk of GABA-related seizure development. Additionally ONC1-13B induces significantly lower in vitro CYP3A activity than for example MDV3100 (known strong CYP3A inducer) or ARN-509 and could be well suited for co-therapy with drugs that are known CYP3A substrates. Thus ONC1-13B is a new promising antiandrogen demonstrating high efficacy in a preclinical model of prostate cancer, with lower potential for seizures and drug-drug interaction.

Background: Many countries have poor patient health education and understanding of prostate diseases. The Kenyan situation has not been adequately documented. Objective: To establish the relationship between sources of health education on prostate diseases and patient health status at presentation to hospital. Methods: A hospital-based census study was conducted using interviewer-administered questionnaire after ethical approval. Patients who presented to a urology clinic for the first time with prostatism were recruited after they provided informed consent. Collected data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 20.0 and statistical significance was set at p≤0.05. Results: A total of 126 patients were recruited from July 2016 to June 2018. The three sources of information were Informal sources such as friends and relatives (81%), the Internet (8.7%), and Health Workers (10.3%). Thirty-two (25.4%) patients had health information on prostate and its diseases. The duration of symptoms ranged from 1 month to 4 years. The difference in the proportions of those who presented within the first year of symptoms was statistically significant (p<0.001) for those whose sources were Health Workers (76.7%), the Internet (72.7%), and Informal sources (43.1%). Conclusion: Health education on prostate diseases is positively correlated with the health status at presentation.

Abiraterone acetate, approved for patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC), blocks androgen byosinthesis. We aimed to describe changes determined by abiraterone in hormones implied in steroid biosynthesis, exploring association between hormonal levels and drug activity. Patients with mCRPC, receiving standard abiraterone + prednisone after docetaxel failure, were studied. We determined serum levels of progesterone, 17OH-progesterone, cortisol, ACTH, DHEA-sulphate, androstenedione, testosterone, sex hormone-binding globulin, aldosterone, plasma renin activity, and cholesterol, baseline and every 12 weeks. For each hormone, association with treatment activity was tested 1) comparing baseline values in responders vs. non-responders; 2) comparing progression-free survival (PFS) of patients with baseline low vs. high values; 3) comparing values after 12 weeks in responders vs. non-responders. Forty-nine patients were analyzed; 26 patients (53.1%) experienced ...

Prostate cancer is the most common type of cancer diagnosed in men worldwide and the second leading cause of death after lung cancer. Testosterone and dihydrotestosterone (DHT) have been known to play an essential role in prostate cancer. Androgen receptor (AR) binding to the ligand allows homodimerization and translocation to the nucleus, which acts as a transcription factor for androgen-responsive genes such as PSA (Prostate-specific antigen). Although many anti-androgens have been established, including Bicalutamide, Flutamide, and Abiraterone, the problem of non-specific cytotoxicity effects and cancer recurrence due to potential drug resistance remains a significant obstacle to establishing effective therapy. Plantago major L. is one of the plants that can choose anticancer therapy because, based on reports, it has anticancer activity through DNA damage in cancer cells. This study focused on the search for the potential phytochemical activity of Plantago major L. as an anti-and...

Prostate cancer studies focus on identification of androgen receptor (AR) regulated genes that are also highly expressed in the prostate. As a promising candidate, STAMP family genes STAMP1/STEAP2, STAMP2/STEAP4 and STEAP3 are involved in apoptosis and the cell cycle in metastatic prostate cancer. Vascular NADPH oxidase generates superoxide and other ROS, which stimulates IkappaB degradation and NF-kB activation by subunits of NADPH oxidases, namely p47phox and p67phox induced by different stimuli such as hydrogen peroxide. Hydrogen peroxide increased the expression levels of p67phox. They also have a role in redox-sensitive genes such as STAMP gene family. Flow cytometry analysis of LNCaP cells was performed using Annexin V staining and apoptotic index charts were drawn. STAMP1 and STAMP2 showed total anti-oxidant capacity versus control with hydrogen peroxide incubation. Using siRNA technology in LNCaP cells expressing mutant p53 silencing of p53 showed significant increase in MDM2 and decrease of caspase 9 mRNA levels at RT-PCR. Silencing of STAMP2, a significant decrease in p47phox was shown but STAMP1 silencing counteracted this effect on Cu/ZnSOD expression.As a conclusion, STAMP proteins have effects on oxidative stress-induced genes with significant and opposite changes.

This study explored the French media&#39;s presentation of ideas and medical information about prostate cancer (PC) that may influence men&#39;s understanding, attitudes and behavior. A qualitative media content analysis centered on PC information delivered by French professional media. The selected data were produced in the aftermath of the High Health Authority&#39;s decision in 2008 not to recommend systematic screening by prostate specific antigen(PSA) for men over 50. Source was the Media Archives of the French National Library. Content was analyzed from 15 television programs, 14 radio programs, and 55 articles from 35 popular French newspapers (online and printed, weekly and monthly) and 20 magazines. Audio content was narrated into textual form and submitted to manual coding along with the print content. Television and radio content focused on the nature of PC, screening and treatment,and conveyed a gender-centric position linked to male sexuality and virility. Newspapers an...

In this section we address the issue of control that may coexist with other needs facing men, from prostate cancer detection through rehabilitation. Being in control relates to both the social enactments of masculinities and to how men understand current trends in health and technology. Control has been discussed as an important signifier of virility in different

The good news for prostate cancer patients currently
undergoing chemotherapy treatments is that, genetic markers
which once seemed the kiss of death may now permit classification
into a group of new prostate cancer treatments! Hospitals should
be made aware that if their prostate cancer patients are PTEN or
p53 mutant, these patients may benefit from therapy blocking
interleukin-6 (IL6)[1]. With our present-day individualized
approach to medicine, standard diagnostic tests can be employed,
such as a cheek swab, to flag patients who are candidates for this
novel treatment. This novel immunotherapy is presently in drug
development and will treat metastasis in the most refractory
prostate cancer patients. What does this novel IL6-based therapy
mean for a prostate cancer patient who is nearing Stage T3 or
T4 (TNM, Tumor/Nodes/Metastasis system [2]) or has already
entered it? It means a fighting chance.

Prostate cancer studies focus on identification of androgen receptor (AR) regulated genes that are also highly expressed in the prostate. As a promising candidate, STAMP family genes STAMP1/STEAP2, STAMP2/STEAP4 and STEAP3 are involved in apoptosis and the cell cycle in metastatic prostate cancer. Vascular NADPH oxidase generates superoxide and other ROS, which stimulates IkappaB degradation and NF-kB activation by subunits of NADPH oxidases, namely p47phox and p67phox induced by different stimuli such as hydrogen peroxide. Hydrogen peroxide increased the expression levels of p67phox. They also have a role in redox-sensitive genes such as STAMP gene family. Flow cytometry analysis of LNCaP cells was performed using Annexin V staining and apoptotic index charts were drawn. STAMP1 and STAMP2 showed total anti-oxidant capacity versus control with hydrogen peroxide incubation. Using siRNA technology in LNCaP cells expressing mutant p53 silencing of p53 showed significant increase in MDM...

Prostate cancer studies focus on identification of androgen receptor (AR) regulated genes that are also highly expressed in the prostate. As a promising candidate, STAMP family genes STAMP1/STEAP2, STAMP2/STEAP4 and STEAP3 are involved in apoptosisand the cell cycle in metastatic prostate cancer. Vascular NADPH oxidase generates superoxide and other ROS, which stimulates IkappaB degradation and NF-kB activation by subunits of NADPH oxidases, namely p47phox and p67phox induced by different stimuli such as hydrogen peroxide. Hydrogen peroxide increased the expression levels of p67phox. They also have a role in redox-sensitive genes such as STAMP gene family. Flow cytometry analysis of LNCaP cells was performed using Annexin V staining and apoptotic index charts were drawn. STAMP1 and STAMP2 showed total anti-oxidant capacity versus control with hydrogen peroxide incubation. Using siRNA technology in LNCaP cells expressing mutant p53 silencing of p53 showed significant increase in MDM2...

Prostate Cancer is now the second biggest cause of cancer mortality in the UK. Media coverage has been rising, with some attributing to a rise in the cases diagnosed and treated in the NHS down to the "Fry and Turnbull effect". Our understanding of prostate cancer has increased tremendously in the past decades, with advances in molecular biology and genomics driving the way to new treatments and diagnostics. This Special Edition of Translational Andrology and Urology 2019: Prostate Cancer Biology and Genomics aims to review the current state of prostate cancer genomics, proteomics, diagnostics and treatment.

This study explored the French media&#39;s presentation of ideas and medical information about prostate cancer (PC) that may influence men&#39;s understanding, attitudes and behavior. A qualitative media content analysis centered on PC information delivered by French professional media. The selected data were produced in the aftermath of the High Health Authority&#39;s decision in 2008 not to recommend systematic screening by prostate specific antigen(PSA) for men over 50. Source was the Media Archives of the French National Library. Content was analyzed from 15 television programs, 14 radio programs, and 55 articles from 35 popular French newspapers (online and printed, weekly and monthly) and 20 magazines. Audio content was narrated into textual form and submitted to manual coding along with the print content. Television and radio content focused on the nature of PC, screening and treatment,and conveyed a gender-centric position linked to male sexuality and virility. Newspapers an...

Background: Everyman has a prostate; but every prostate doesn"t have to make a man"s life miserable. The prostate gland is the "powerhouse" of every man. Data from the Ghana Health Service shows that 3052 cases of cervical cancer were recorded in 2015 out of which 1556 died, representing 51 percent, breast cancer also recorded 2260 cases with 1021 deaths, representing 45 percent, prostate cancer has 912 cases being recorded with 680 deaths, representing 75 percent. This paper discusses the prostate cancer situation in Ghana compared to top gynecological cancers such as Breast and Cervical Cancer. Method: A review of the cancer mortality and incidence rate were conducted using search engines such as Google, PubMed with keywords such as prostate cancer, Breast and Cervical cancer. Result: The fatality rate result appears outrageous for prostate cancer in Ghanaian men toppling Breast and Cervical cancer with only 25% of men diagnosed with the disease survived in Ghana annually. Conclusion: Urgent National attention should be paid to the fatality rate in Ghana on prostate cancer. Awareness and national screening programs should be initiated early as possible with government support towards men"s Health.

World Cancer Day is an annual occasion on the global calendar that the entire world bands together in the fight against the global cancer epidemic. It takes place every year on 4 February. The day aims to save millions of preventable deaths each year by raising awareness and education about cancer, and pressing governments and individuals across the world to take action against the disease. In Ghana, though the statistics of cancers varies due to lack of well-defined national cancer registry to collate national figures. The few statistics available which is made public appears alarming with a high mortality rate. Though tremendous progress has been made with breast cancer, the mortality rate is not something to take away. The number of men dying from prostate cancer is outrageous based on figures available. Though advances in the diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer are paying off, increased funding could benefit prostate cancer. Recently, the Ghana News Agency

Aim: Prostate cancer is more aggressive in men of African descent than men of other races. There are lots of
disparities in prostate cancer yet most men in the black communities are not aware of the disease let alone go in
for screening programs. In Ghana, it is stated that the county has reached the global prostate limit. This review
explores the trend and focus of cancer of the prostate research activities in Ghana as one of the ancestral nations
for black men. It seeks to locate the place of the Ghanaian research environment in the global progress on prostate
cancer disparities. Method: Extensive Literature was reviewed mainly through a Pub med search with the terms
"prostate cancer “and "Ghana", as well as from internet, Ghanaian newspapers and hard copies of journal pages.
Result: The countries largest men’s charity, men’s health foundation Ghana states that 1 in 5 Ghanaian men will
get prostate cancer in their lifetime. Prostate cancer in Ghanaian men is on the rise with little or no governmental
effort to fight it. Conclusion: The global focus on prostate cancer disparities in black men calls for more efforts
from Africa, in all areas of research, along with international collaborations for capacity building. Prostate NGO’s
in Ghana needs serious funding in other to help fight the disease in Ghana.

The Maiden edition of the Ghana's 40UNDER40 Achievers Award has allowed some of us to review our journey in life to where we are currently. This program has given me a new opportunity and as I compiled pictures of my prostate cancer pathway: screening, Publications and awareness from 2011 to 2017. This document is a chronology of events that happened to my prostate cancer journey which is completely different from what I previously presented to your outfits for the Nomination. The program has helped me to realize the immersed contributions and impact I have made to the body of prostate cancer in Ghana and Africa. I never took these contributions seriously when people tell me; until this program. In conclusion; the program has allowed me to assess myself and the impact I made to the body of prostate cancer in Ghana, Africa and the world at large with prostate cancer and black race.

At the KENAMP Lodge, men shared their experiences with the disease.  I heard men talk about making the most of precious time, having more fun, building memories with their families, and doing the things they had always wanted to do. They spoke about the satisfaction they felt from doing things, big and small, which made them and their families proud. They recognized how priceless good health is, and simply couldn’t understand how men would let ignorance, apathy or fear of a simple test or of treatment, get in the way of looking after their health - even though several of them admitted they had done exactly that before they were diagnosed. The very clear message coming from them to other men was not to stick your head in the sand in a misguided attempt to ignore prostate cancer, but to get informed about it for yourself and to join the fight to beat it for everybody.

Prostate cancer studies focus on identification of androgen receptor (AR) regulated genes that are also highly expressed in the prostate. As a promising candidate, STAMP family genes STAMP1/STEAP2, STAMP2/STEAP4 and STEAP3 are involved in apoptosis and the cell cycle in metastatic prostate cancer. Vascular NADPH oxidase generates superoxide and other ROS, which stimulates IkappaB degradation and NF-kB activation by subunits of NADPH oxidases, namely p47phox and p67phox induced by different stimuli such as hydrogen peroxide. Hydrogen peroxide increased the expression levels of p67phox. They also have a role in redox-sensitive genes such as STAMP gene family. Flow cytometry analysis of LNCaP cells was performed using Annexin V staining and apoptotic index charts were drawn. STAMP1 and STAMP2 showed total anti-oxidant capacity versus control with hydrogen peroxide incubation. Using siRNA technology in LNCaP cells expressing mutant p53 silencing of p53 showed significant increase in MDM2 and decrease of caspase 9 mRNA levels at RT-PCR. Silencing of STAMP2, a significant decrease in p47phox was shown but STAMP1 silencing counteracted this effect on Cu/ZnSOD expression.As a conclusion, STAMP proteins have effects on oxidative stress-induced genes with significant and opposite changes.

and as a factor in men's perception of their bodies and assessment of the emotional and physiological care they receive. For men, losing control is seen as a negative experience, which may lead to negative experiences of preventative methods or care (Courtenay, 2000). Control is also a powerful metaphor for how current medicine, through increasingly technological interventions in the body, is being shaped by technoscience . This "virile" [our emphasis] biomedical agenda should be tempered by a t t e n t i o n t o w h a t s o m e c a l l " s u b j e c t i v e variables," which we call "social or cultural factors". These factors include how men experience different types of masculinities and how these experiences and values inform men's attitudes toward health . Social/cultural factors are relevant to every aspect of health and disease, and taking them into account will open professionals' perception to the complexity and richness of gender-related experiences of health practices.

Antiandrogens that block androgen action through the androgen receptor, often in conjunction with chemical or surgical castration, have been widely used for the treatment of advanced prostate cancer. Although this treatment produces a significant clinical response in most of the patients, the majority of the responders eventually develop recurrences termed castration-resistant prostate cancer. In addition, clinically available androgen receptor antagonists have been shown to possess agonist activity, resulting in an increase in serum prostate-specific antigen levels, which is known as the antiandrogen withdrawal syndrome. Recent studies have demonstrated that new types of androgen receptor signaling inhibitors improve survival in men with castration-resistant prostate cancer. Moreover, other drugs may have the potential of not inducing androgen withdrawal response. This article reviews the characteristics of classical and recent androgen receptor antagonists as well as their clinical efficacy in prostate cancer patients. Novel experimental compounds that may more specifically and effectively target androgens and/or androgen receptor signals in hormone-naive and possibly castration- resistant prostate cancer cells are also discussed.

Black men are more likely to get prostate cancer than other men. We don’t know why, but it might be linked to genes. In the UK, about 1 in 4 Black men will get prostate cancer at some point in their lives. Ghana has also exceeded the global prostate limit.
It’s really important that Ghanaian men know about this. We’ve been looking at how we can explain this risk in a clear way that men can relate to – this will help Men’s Health Foundation Ghana raise awareness of prostate cancer and help men understand their risk. We’ve worked out that 1 in 5 Ghanaian men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer at some point in their lives. Here we explain how we’ve worked this out.
The 1 in 5 lifetime risk statistic was worked out using information about men recorded as Ghanaian men.

Finding methods to improve the delivery of educational materials by the practicing nurse is imperative in the current health care arena. Time, energy, and effectiveness are all aspects that are critical as the health care provider attempts to meet the growing needs of the compromised client. Low functional health literacy is one public health problem that impacts the nurse's ability to effectively provide health instruction in a timely, organized manner. This article presents a pilot research project used to investigate the mastery of educational information by clients in a West Texas area. The research project is used as the foundation for discussion of several interesting facets resulting from the initial research. Ideas are presented as a direction for implementation for practice within the health care community. Low health literacy is a grave challenge, which currently is not understood nor considered by the nurse at the bedside. Practicing health care providers need the opportunity to carefully and specifically investigate the role of health care literacy in producing positive client outcomes.

Prostate Cancer -Diagnostic and Therapeutic Advances 38 cultural contexts and as a factor in men's perception of their bodies and assessment of the emotional and physiological care they receive. For men, losing control is seen as a negative experience, which may lead to negative experiences of preventative methods or care . Control is also a powerful metaphor for how current medicine, through increasingly technological interventions in the body, is being shaped by technoscience . This "virile" [our emphasis] biomedical agenda should be tempered by attention to what some call "subjective variables," which we call "social or cultural factors". These factors include how men experience different types of masculinities and how these experiences and values inform men's attitudes toward health . Social/cultural factors are relevant to every aspect of health and disease, and taking them into account will open professionals' perception to the complexity and richness of gender-related experiences of health practices.

s u m m a r y Background: Analyzing students' performance and self-criticism of their roles in promoting health literacy can inform nursing education in a social environment that expects new graduates to be health promoters. Objectives: The pilot study reported here aimed to a) analyze students' understanding of and sensitivity to issues of health literacy, (b) identify students' perceptions of structural, organizational, and political barriers to the promotion of health literacy in social and health care organizations, and (c) document students' suggestions for curriculum changes that would develop their skills and competencies as health-literacy promoters. Design: A qualitative pilot study. Setting: A collaborative undergraduate nursing degree program in the metropolitan area of Toronto, Canada. Participants: Sixteen undergraduate, Year 4 nursing students. Methods: Signed informed consent was obtained from the participants. Participation was unpaid and voluntary. Recruitment was through an email invitation sent by the School of Nursing Student Affairs Coordinator. Three, one-time individual interviews and three focus groups were conducted. All were audio-recorded. Recordings were transcribed, and the transcriptions were coded using the qualitative software ATLAS ti 6.0. The interview data were submitted to thematic analysis. Additional data were gathered from the two-page self-assessments in students' academic portfolios. Results: Sensitivity to health literacy was documented. Students performed best as health promoters in supportive teaching hospitals. Their performance was hindered by clinical settings unsupportive of health education, absence of role models, and insufficient theoretical preparation for health teaching. Students' sensitivity to their clients' diversity reportedly reinforced the interconnection, in multicultural healthcare settings, between health literacy and other social determinants of health and a growing demand for educating future nurses in expanding their role also as health promoters. Conclusions: Students recommended more socially inclusive and experiential learning initiatives related to health teaching to address education gaps in classrooms and practice.

Background: The increasing need of older individuals to safely self-manage their chronic illnesses requires that they clearly understand health-related information. Thus, this study examined health literacy as lived by men with prostate cancer (PC), rather than as assessed by professionals.