APPRAISAL OF INTERVENTIONS--PROSTATE CARCINOMA

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DESCRIPTION (Applicant's Description): Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed solid tumor in men. Despite improvements in early detection, many patients progress based on a rising serum prostate specific antigen. Conventional therapies may slow progression but rarely cure advanced or progressive disease. To improve outcome, many men look to alternative or unconventional approaches which they learn about from the lay press, the internet and other non medical sources. Since the interventions are outside mainstream medicine, few physicians are aware of these options nor prepared to offer patient counseling. Because of growing interest in alternative medicine, a conference for patients and physicians which critically reviews unconven-tional strategies is both necessary and timely. The goals of this conference are (1) to critically evaluate the existing data supporting the potential impact of unconventional alternative strategies as they relate generally to malignancy or specifically to prostate cancer, (2) to improve awareness among physicians about existing alternative interventions so that physicians are able to counsel their patients and individuals can decide whether to incorporate an intervention, and (3) to identify potential pilot studies and other research opportunities which would further knowledge about the potential value of unconventional interventions. This will be accomplished by a 15 minute presentation on each of 14 topics involving interventions which can be divided into diet, food supplements and extracts, vitamins, minerals, herbs and animal extracts. Following each talk, a moderator will direct questions to the speaker to critically appraise the topic in order to leave the audience with the answers to three questions: (1) does the existing information support incorporating an intervention now while awaiting more definitive scientific studies, and if not, (2) is the information sufficiently provocative that pilot studies should be initiated and should patients actively enroll, or (3) is the information so limited, vague, or lacking any objective data that further basic studies are needed before consideration is given to their use? Written questions from the audience will be solicited in writing and relayed to the speaker providing that they will help answer the above questions. Each of the presenters will provide the moderator with their talk including anecdotal cases so that optimal questions can be prepared before the conference.