Hemiablation vs. Focal Laser Ablation
When is a little treatment too much treatment? That curiosity was the foundation of a new study out of McGill University Health Center in Montreal.[i] The research team followed 157 patients who had been diagnosed with unilateral prostate cancer (cancer on one side of the gland only) and followed by repeat biopsy for a median keep reading
Statins and Prostate Cancer
As the song goes, “The hip bone is connected to the thigh bone…” but it fails to mention a unique relationship between the liver and the prostate. Although they are very different in their composition and function, they are indirectly connected by a blood-circulated fat, and a drug used to control its levels. The fat keep reading
What Makes A Good Prostate Cancer Screening Test?
At this year’s American Urological Association annual meeting in Orlando, FL, there were numerous courses that offer continuing education credits for physicians. One of the courses was directed by Dr. J. Stephen Jones who, for five years, served as Chair of the Urology Department at the Cleveland Clinic. He is very well respected in the keep reading
Medicine Meets Science Fiction
Here is my favorite definition of medicine: the science and art dealing with the maintenance of health and the prevention, alleviation, or cure of disease. I like that it includes both science, which strives for repeatable data and results, and art, which is less tangible or predictable but which adds “soul” to science. While we keep reading
Imaging to Support the Increase in Active Surveillance
Beyond doubt, the interest in Active Surveillance for prostate cancer (AS, also called Expectant Management) is on the rise. A number of converging factors are driving the increase: Better early detection and diagnosis of low-risk disease Emerging science on which cell lines are unlikely to progress into lethal disease Broader awareness of the risks of keep reading
Doctors and Patients: How We Help Each Other
“One of my pet peeves is over-reliance on science and technology at the expense of a caring doctor-patient relationship.” Abraham Verghese, MD[i] Dr. Abraham Verghese holds a prominent place among my medical heroes because of the way he champions the doctor-patient relationship. Today, medicine seems to be dominated by devices, tests, procedures, reports, records, and economics. keep reading
Third Anniversary of Ruling Against PSA Screening: Has Anything Changed?
It’s been three years since the US Preventive Services Task Force issued a recommendation against routine PSA screening for prostate cancer in otherwise healthy men or men who were not at known risk for the disease. It was controversial then—and not much has changed. A multi-institution team published a research letter in the Journal of keep reading
Prostate Cancer Treatment Trends: Where is Focal Therapy?
The CaPSURE registry (Cancer of the Prostate Strategic Urologic Research Endeavor) is a remarkable ongoing collection of information about prostate cancer patients drawn from 36 clinical sites that participate in this endeavor. Currently, data on more than 13,000 men exists in CaPSURE. While their identities are protected, information on factors such as date of diagnosis, keep reading
Prostate Not Happy? It Could Be Prostatitis
Prostatitis is an inflammation of the prostate gland that affects as many as 50% of men at some point during their lives. It is not a life threatening condition, but chronic prostatitis can make life miserable. The four main symptoms are pain, difficulty urinating, sexual dysfunction, and general health concerns such as fatigue, flu-like feelings, keep reading
