Month: February 2024

When you think of Italy, what stands out in your mind? Perhaps it’s landmarks like the Colosseum, Trevi Fountain, or Leaning Tower of Pisa. Maybe you think of designers like Armani, Versace or Zegna. No doubt Ferrari cars spring to mind, as well as the mystique of Venice or the Renaissance wonders of Florence. And keep reading

The last time you were hired for a new job, you were probably concerned about salary, hours, and work satisfaction. Did you think about possible bodily harm that could occur because of the job? Most of us take work-related safety for granted, unless you’re in a field like logging, fishing/hunting, or roofers. Those are the keep reading

“When it comes to prostate cancer (PCa), perhaps the single most important thing a patient should know is the degree to which his PCa is dangerous.” I posted that declaration in a 2020 blog on the Gleason Grade Group system. A precise diagnosis allows treatment to be tailored to the disease, but it appears that keep reading

There was a time when proton beam therapy seemed to be the “Holy Grail” of prostate cancer treatments. In 1990, the Loma Linda University Medical Center became the world’s first hospital-based proton beam treatment center, making this treatment available to all cancer patients. A decade later, the New York Times reported that proton beam had now joined the ranks of other standard PCa treatment options... keep reading

Product warning labels, like most things, change over time. Since the 1850s, the skull and crossbones on a bottle or package has been a clear message that something inside is poisonous. Today, the word “toxic” is widely used to cover all kinds of dangerous chemicals that contaminate our environment... keep reading

Previously, we posted a recommended caution that men of African American descent discuss possible risks of going on Active Surveillance (AS) even when early clinical factors suggested they qualify for AS. Then, the authors of a 2018 paper noted that the observational studies encouraging more use of AS were largely composed of White men, raising the question of whether positive results of those studies should be applied to Black men. After reviewing studies that focused on Black men, they concluded... keep reading

Numerous studies have shown that multiparametric MRI (mpMRI) of the prostate before biopsy improves the detection rate and diagnosis accuracy of targeted biopsies. If you or someone you love is being recommended for a prostate biopsy, here are key points about traditional 12-core TRUS biopsies to keep in mind... keep reading

Here’s hot-off-the-presses news regarding the protective benefit of metformin against a nasty side effect of androgen deprivation therapy (ADT). ADT means cutting off a man’s androgens (male hormones, including testosterone) in order to stop advanced prostate cancer in its tracks. ADT is effective in halting the progression of PCa, but it comes with a price... keep reading

Shared decision-making (SDM) is the new hot ticket for choosing a prostate cancer (PCa) treatment. I posted a 2023 blog about the importance of doctor-patient conversations that enable patients to ask questions and share their concerns, while doctors take on the role of neutral educator and empathic listener. This collaboration helps patients avoid treatment regret keep reading

When multiparametric MRI goes head-to-head against transrectal ultrasound (TRUS), it continues to demonstrate clear seniority in detecting clinically significant prostate cancer. Although conventional grayscale ultrasound can provide better results when combined with additional power using b-mode or Doppler USS, newer technologies continue to be developed. These include... keep reading