A practice refers to a way that something is done.

Practice is also something that is done with the deliberate aim of learning.

Most commonly, practice is the act of repeating something over and over for the purpose of learning and gaining experience, as in the phrase "practice makes perfect". Playing a musical instrument well takes great practice, for example.

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pubmed: 0302-2838

Cancer Control and Functional Outcomes of Salvage Radical Prostatectomy for Radiation-recurrent Prostate Cancer: A Systematic Review of the Literature.
Chade DC, Eastham J, Graefen M, Hu JC, Karnes RJ, Klotz L, Montorsi F, van Poppel H, Scardino PT, Shariat SF Cancer Control and Functional Outcomes of Salvage Radical Prostatectomy for Radiation-recurrent Prostate Cancer: A Systematic Review of the Literature. Eur Urol. 2012 Jan 23; Authors: Chade DC, Eastham J, Graefen M, Hu JC, Karnes RJ, Klotz L, Montorsi F, van Poppel H, Scardino PT, Shariat SF Abstract CONTEXT: Prostate cancer (PCa) recurrence following definitive radiation therapy (RT) remains a vexing challenge for the practicing physician. Salvage radical prostatectomy (SRP) has not been recognized yet as a valuable therapeutic option. OBJECTIVE: We critically analyzed the currently available evidence on SRP as to patient selection, predictive oncologic factors, surgical technique, cancer control, surgical complications, functional outcomes, and comparison to other salvage therapies. EVIDENCE ACQUISITION: A systematic review of the literature was performed in June 2011 using the Medline, Embase, and Web of Science databases, limiting the review to English-language articles published between January 1980 and June 2011. All authors reviewed the list of references and added papers relevant to the topic of the review prior to the analysis. The panel selected 40 articles according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) criteria. EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS: Positive surgical margins in SRP varied from 43% to 70% in earlier publications versus 0-36% in recent publications, and pathologic organ-confined disease (OCD) was found in 22-53% versus 44-73% in earlier versus recent publications. Biochemical recurrence-free probability after SRP ranged from 47% to 82% at 5 yr and from 28% to 53% at 10 yr. Cancer-specific survival (CSS) and overall survival varied from 70% to 83% and 54% to 89% at 10 yr. Pre-SRP prostate-specific antigen value and prostate biopsy Gleason score were the strongest prognostic risk factors for progression-free survival, OCD, and CSS. Open, laparoscopic, and robotic techniques were shown to be feasible in the hands of experienced surgeons. The most frequent complications included anastomotic stricture (7-41%) followed by rectal injury (0-28%). Major complications (modified Clavien classification grade 3-5) varied from 0% to 25%. Most complications were less frequent in more recent series, except for anastomotic stricture. The majority of patients had erectile dysfunction prior to SRP (50-91%) and 80-100% after SRP. Urinary continence ranged from 21% to 90% after surgery. Limitations of this review include the absence of prospective studies and lack of comparative analyses between SRP and other therapies. CONCLUSIONS: In selected patients with confirmed, localized, radiation-recurrent PCa, SRP may effectively promote durable cancer control with acceptable associated surgical morbidity and variable functional recovery. PMID: 22280856 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
A Randomized Prospective Trial to Assess the Impact of Transurethral Resection in Narrow Band Imaging Modality on Non-Muscle-Invasive Bladder Cancer Recurrence.
Naselli A, Introini C, Timossi L, Spina B, Fontana V, Pezzi R, Germinale F, Bertolotto F, Puppo P A Randomized Prospective Trial to Assess the Impact of Transurethral Resection in Narrow Band Imaging Modality on Non-Muscle-Invasive Bladder Cancer Recurrence. Eur Urol. 2012 Jan 20; Authors: Naselli A, Introini C, Timossi L, Spina B, Fontana V, Pezzi R, Germinale F, Bertolotto F, Puppo P Abstract BACKGROUND: Narrow band imaging (NBI) is an optical enhancement technology that filters white light into two bandwidths of illumination centered on 415nm (blue) and 540nm (green). NBI cystoscopy can increase bladder cancer (BCa) visualization and detection at the time of transurethral resection (TUR). NBI may therefore reduce subsequent relapse following TUR. OBJECTIVE: Assess the impact of NBI modality on 1-yr non-muscle-invasive BCa (NMIBC) recurrence risk. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: Consecutive patients with overt or suspected BCa were included in a prospective study powered to test a 10% difference in 1-yr recurrence risk in favor of cases submitted to NBI TUR. Excluding patients with muscle-invasive BCa, negative pathologic examination, or without follow-up, the study population was composed of 148 subjects randomized from August 2009 to September 2010 to NBI TUR (76 cases) or white light (WL) TUR (72 cases). INTERVENTION: TUR was performed in NBI or standard WL modality. MEASUREMENTS: The 1-yr recurrence risks in NBI or WL TUR groups were compared using odds ratio (OR) point and interval estimates derived from logistic regression modeling. RESULTS AND LIMITATIONS: The 1-yr recurrence-risk was 25 of 76 patients (32.9%) in the NBI and 37 of 72 patients (51.4%) in the WL group (OR=0.62; p=0.0141). Simple and multiple logistic regression analyses provided similar OR points and interval estimates. CONCLUSIONS: TUR performed in the NBI modality reduces the recurrence risk of NMIBC by at least 10% at 1 yr. PMID: 22280855 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Prognostic Role and HER2 Expression of Circulating Tumor Cells in Peripheral Blood of Patients Prior to Radical Cystectomy: A Prospective Study.
Rink M, Chun FK, Dahlem R, Soave A, Minner S, Hansen J, Stoupiec M, Coith C, Kluth LA, Ahyai SA, Friedrich MG, Shariat SF, Fisch M, Pantel K, Riethdorf S Prognostic Role and HER2 Expression of Circulating Tumor Cells in Peripheral Blood of Patients Prior to Radical Cystectomy: A Prospective Study. Eur Urol. 2012 Jan 20; Authors: Rink M, Chun FK, Dahlem R, Soave A, Minner S, Hansen J, Stoupiec M, Coith C, Kluth LA, Ahyai SA, Friedrich MG, Shariat SF, Fisch M, Pantel K, Riethdorf S Abstract BACKGROUND: Preliminary research has suggested the potential prognostic value of circulating tumor cells (CTC) in patients with advanced nonmetastatic urothelial carcinoma of the bladder (UCB). OBJECTIVE: Prospectively analyze the clinical relevance and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) expression of CTC in patients with clinically nonmetastatic UCB. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: Blood samples from 100 consecutive UCB patients treated with radical cystectomy (RC) were investigated for the presence (CellSearch system) of CTC and their HER2 expression status (immunohistochemistry). HER2 expression of the corresponding primary tumors and lymph node metastasis were analyzed using fluorescence in situ hybridization. INTERVENTION: Blood samples were taken preoperatively. Patients underwent RC with lymphadenectomy. MEASUREMENTS: Outcomes were assessed according to CTC status. HER2 expression of CTC was compared with that of the corresponding primary tumor and lymph node metastasis. RESULTS AND LIMITATIONS: CTC were detected in 23 of 100 patients (23%) with nonmetastatic UCB (median: 1; range: 1-100). Presence, number, and HER2 status of CTC were not associated with clinicopathologic features. CTC-positive patients had significantly higher risks of disease recurrence and cancer-specific and overall mortality (p values: ≤0.001). After adjusting for effects of standard clinicopathologic features, CTC positivity remained an independent predictor for all end points (hazard ratios: 4.6, 5.2, and 3.5, respectively; p values ≤0.003). HER2 was strongly positive in CTC from 3 of 22 patients (14%). There was discordance between HER2 expression on CTC and HER2 gene amplification status of the primary tumors in 23% of cases but concordance between CTC, primary tumors, and lymph node metastases in all CTC-positive cases (100%). The study was limited by its sample size. CONCLUSIONS: Preoperative CTC are already detectable in almost a quarter of patients with clinically nonmetastatic UCB treated with RC and were a powerful predictor of early disease recurrence and cancer-specific and overall mortality. Thus CTC may serve as an indication for multimodal therapy. Molecular characterization of CTC may serve as a liquid biopsy to guide individual targeted therapy in future clinical trials. PMID: 22277196 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Clinical, Molecular, and Genetic Correlates of Lymphatic Spre Subscribe to Practices RSS feed