A new magnetic resonance image (MRI) technique may be able precisely identify the spread of prostate cancer to the lymph nodes. Published in the New England Journal of Medicine reports how MR studies using an iron-oxide-containing contrast agent accurately localized tumor metastases. The imaging agent is being evaluated for FDA approval.

”This technique allows us to clearly distinguish between benign (non-cancerous) and malignant nodes and to construct three-dimensional maps to guide surgical planning, “ says Mukesh Harisinghani, MD, of the Massachusetts General Hospital Radiology Department.

The standard practice in treating prostate cancer is to analyze lymph nodes adjacent to the prostate gland for the presence of cancer. But metastases can appear in nodes beyond the area of analysis. Standard imaging can only identify enlarged nodes, which may or may not contain tumor cells. Some enlarged nodes prove to be benign while very small nodes can harbor metastases.

According to Ralph Weissleder, MD, PhD, director of the Center for Molecular Imaging Research, this technique has the potential to revolutionize cancer staging - the process of determining how far the disease has spread.

For patients with bladder cancer that has invaded the muscle wall, the usual treatment is bladder removal, a difficult and long operation; it also has a negative impact on the patient’s quality of life.

A less invasive treatment option that allows for bladder preservation has shown the same long-term effectiveness as surgically removing the bladder. These findings appear in Urology. Drs’ Donald S. Kaufman, Director of The Claire & John Bertucci Center for Genitourinary Cancers and William U. Shipley, Deputy Head for Clinical Research, and urologists Drs. Alex F. Althausen, Niall M. Heney, W. Scott McDougal, and others pioneered the bladder-sparing approach.

Their current work has led to technical improvements and greater tolerance, establishing bladder preservation as an important alternative to radical surgery. To watch a streaming video from Channel 5 News interview, please click here.

New Treatment Destroys Kidney Tumors

Radiofrequency ablation, a minimally invasive technique that uses a heated needle to destroy malignancy, is proving an effective, long-lasting treatment against kidney cancer in certain patients, researchers report. The treatment is delivered through a thin needle that's guided to the target using CT scan, ultrasound or other imaging techniques. "This study shows, for the first time, that this is a very effective long-term treatment," study author Dr. W. Scott McDougal, chief of urology, Massachusetts General Hospital.