Tag: biochemical recurrence

Imagine it’s 1995. The PSA blood test has recently been deployed for widespread screening. You’re 73 with a mild heart problem. Your doctor suggests you have a PSA test as part of your annual physical. It comes back at 13.5 ng/mL. After a 6 needle TRUS biopsy (yes, a standard sextant biopsy back then meant keep reading

“We got it all and you’ll never have to worry about prostate cancer again.” Those are the sweetest words for patients with prostate cancer (PCa) who decide to have a radical prostatectomy (RP), meaning surgical removal of the entire gland. “Never again” is the hope and the expectation, and most of the time that prediction keep reading

If you were a kid in the 1960s, you may recall listening to the exciting audio countdown for NASA’s first rocket launches: “Liftoff at T minus 10 seconds. 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, zero…and we have liftoff!” Since then, zero has been dropped from the countdown. In fact, it has keep reading

Dr. Mark Scholz (Prostate Cancer Research Institute) is a respected authority on prostate cancer (PCa). Many patients subscribe to the PCRI youtube channel where he responds to questions his viewers post at his channel. Since he is an oncologist, the questions he’s asked often refer to advanced or metastatic PCa. Sometimes, though, he addresses topics keep reading

The term “biochemical failure” means the presence of a rising PSA after any prostate cancer treatment. In fact, a rising PSA is the gold standard for suspecting prostate cancer recurrence (the cancer has come back). However, a precise, universal standard for defining biochemical failure is difficult because... keep reading

What can you do with leftover lemon peel? According to one food blog, you can use it to “whip up a mouthwatering seasoning, flavoring extract, luster-boosting furniture polish or all-purpose cleaner!” What if you could also use a component of lemon peel called pectin to cure prostate cancer? Sound crazy? Well, a multicenter study out keep reading

The entertainment value of a good suspense movie lies in keeping the audience guessing. Is the bad guy actually dead? Has the evil ghost actually left the haunted house for good? Why is the possessed person’s head still spinning if the demon was actually cast out? Moviegoers who are into such films happily pay for keep reading

If your PSA is unusually high or your digital rectal exam finds an abnormality, how do you know if it’s prostate cancer? Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is now the universally preferred noninvasive method for identifying prostate cancer (PCa) prior to having a biopsy. In the years leading up to this, researchers worked toward agreement over keep reading

If your PSA is unusually high or your digital rectal exam finds an abnormality, how do you know if it’s prostate cancer? Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is now the universally preferred noninvasive method for identifying prostate cancer (PCa) prior to having a biopsy. In the years leading up to this, researchers worked toward agreement over keep reading

The earlier the better. That is the principle behind locating suspected metastasis (spread) of prostate cancer (PCa) anywhere in the body. This includes both soft tissue and bones. The sooner such colonies are identified, treatment plans can be created to extend life... keep reading