Category: Prostate Cancer Detection

How many men put off getting a physical because of the digital rectal exam (DRE)? While the DRE has comic value in movie and TV scenes (the doctor snaps on a rubber glove while the man on the table looks like he’d rather walk on hot coals), a question circulating among urologists and primary care doctors is whether it still has screening value... keep reading

When it comes to prostate cancer, your body comes equipped with a kind of check engine light. It’s your PSA blood test. If it comes back abnormally high or rising, it’s a physical uh-oh. Like a check engine light, it doesn’t tell you exactly what the problem is. A doctor’s next step might well be a conventional 12+ core, with its risks of inaccuracy and side effects. What if there were a simpler way to assemble and evaluate vital information in a single step, such as a blood draw? keep reading

The Beatles. Herman’s Hermits. The Who. Gerry and the Pacemakers. The Rolling Stones. These bands and other vocal artists from the United Kingdom brought a fresh new sound to U.S. dominated rock and roll that significantly influenced the sound of popular music. More notably and unforgettably (some might say unforgivingly), they contributed to the wave keep reading

A 58-year old guy walks into his doctor’s office for his annual wellness check. At some point, the doc says, “Let’s talk about a PSA blood test.” Many men may wonder what’s there to talk about? Well, the latest guidelines recommend that men ages 55-69 make individualized decisions by discussing the possible harms and benefits keep reading

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

Vienna is one of the most romantic cities in Europe. It is the home of the Waltz King, Johann Strauss Jr., whose music sends women in gowns and men in tuxes whirling around over 400 balls per year. This City of Beauty is where the snow globe was born, mesmerizing generations of children. Did you keep reading

Why has it taken so long for someone to denounce the digital rectal exam (DRE) as a screening tool? Despite expert opinion against the DRE, many primary care doctors still do a DRE as part of routine annual checkups. The DRE has also been considered an essential monitoring practice for prostate cancer (PCa) patients on keep reading

It’s hard to imagine the imagination of science fiction writers. While many of their literary works are based in our current world, like Michael Crichton’s novel The Andromeda Strain, science fiction works are not bound by past, present or future. In fact, the majority envision scientific or technological advances that don’t yet exist. As a keep reading

Question: What’s every man’s favorite medical exam? Answer: Pretty much anything as long as it’s not the Digital Rectal Exam! I know a lot of men who stoically accept the fact that during their annual physical, their primary care doctor or urologist will perform a routine digital rectal exam (DRE). It’s sometimes jokingly called “the keep reading

Did you know that a LOT of prostate cancer (PCa) is never actually detected while the person was living? Here are some interesting numbers: In men who died of other causes, 21% of autopsies reveal PCa across all ages Over half of men aged 90 or above who die of other causes are found to keep reading