Kidney cancer

Temsirolimus and bevacizumab, or sunitinib, or interferon alfa and bevacizumab for patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma (TORAVA): a randomised phase 2 trial Négrier, S. et al. Lancet Oncol. 12, 673–680 (2011)

A combined regimen of the VEGF inhibitor bevacizumab plus the mTOR inhibitor temsirolimus cannot be recommended for first-line treatment of metastatic renal cell carcinoma. Clinical activity was poor, and toxicity-associated problems were frequent, among 88 patients randomized to this combination protocol as part of a multicenter trial in France.

Bladder cancer

A phase I trial of intravesical nanoparticle albumin-bound paclitaxel in the treatment of bacillus Calmette-Guérin refractory nonmuscle invasive bladder cancer McKiernan, J. M. et al. J. Urol. doi:10.1016/j.juro.2011.03.129

The promising results of a pilot study have prompted establishment of a phase II trial of a new drug for recurrent, high-grade, non-muscle-invasive bladder malignancy. The 18 patients who received six weekly intravesical instillations of nanoparticle albumin-bound paclitaxel experienced minimal toxicity. Disease was undetectable after treatment in five patients.

Testicular cancer

Long-term survival after treatment with gemcitabine and oxaliplatin with and without paclitaxel plus secondary surgery in patients with cisplatin-refractory and/or multiply relapsed germ cell tumors Oechsle, K. et al. Eur. Urol. doi:10.1016/j.eururo.2011.06.019

Long-term data from two previously reported phase II trials of chemotherapy for recurrent germ cell tumors have been published. 8 of 76 patients who had received gemcitabine plus oxaliplatin, plus or minus paclitaxel, survived for at least 2 years after treatment (up to almost 5 years). Aggressive secondary surgery was crucial to treatment success for those with a partial response to chemotherapy.

Sexual dysfunction

Cigarette smoking decreases the genital vascularization in young healthy, eumenorrheic women Battaglia, C. et al. J. Sex. Med. 8, 1717–1725 (2011)

Smoking more than 10 cigarettes a day can affect the sexual performance of women. For a study conducted in Italy, 137 women completed a questionnaire and underwent Doppler evaluation of vascular indices. Perfusion of the clitoris and labia, and genital vessel stiffness, were worst in current heavy smokers (more than 10 cigarettes per day), compared with current light smokers (up to 10 cigarettes per day) and nonsmokers.