Tag: Prostate cancer

PSMA-PET scans have become the most sensitive prostate cancer (PCa) detection for metastasis (cancer that has spread to other parts of the body), including recurrent PCa after treatment. PET uses a radioactive tracer that has been molecularly bonded with a substance readily taken up by prostate specific membrane antigen (PSMA). keep reading

There is universal agreement among prostate cancer (PCa) experts, educators, and support organizations that second opinions matter greatly. This applies to your biopsy slides, imaging results, and recommended treatment options. Authoritative sources offer consistent wisdom. For instance: The American Cancer Society urges all cancer patients to seek at least one other viewpoint. “Getting a second keep reading

Yoga for prostate cancer? It all began with the side effects of radiation treatment for prostate cancer. External beam radiation may be the right treatment for certain patients, but it can have downsides because it affects healthy cells as well as the cancer cells. keep reading

When two people have a loving partnership and one of them is diagnosed with cancer, it’s as if they are both slammed by a semi-truck. Although one is the patient, as a couple they are interdependent. This means that over their history of togetherness, be it short of long, they have developed sensitivities to the keep reading

Everyone who wants to go through a prostate biopsy, raise your hand. What, no takers? Not surprising. Conventional transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) biopsies commonly involve 12-14 needles, and sometimes as many as 24 in a “saturation” biopsy. TRUS biopsies frequently involve pain and risk of infection. There can be side effects like bleeding and even erectile keep reading

The Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) was founded in 1915. It now has over 54,000 members. There are not only radiologists, but also other medical professionals and even medical physicists. At its annual gathering, its huge attendance makes it one of the largest medical conferences in the world... keep reading

No one wants to go through an invasive clinical procedure if they don’t need it. Who wouldn’t prefer to be spared from simple invasions like blood draws or enemas, let alone major surgeries like replacing a heart valve or removing a lung? From the viewpoint of an individual, we’d like to avoid these if we keep reading

Okay, the title of this blog is obviously a trick question. No one—I repeat, NO ONE—looks forward to the prospect of a prostate biopsy. It’s not like standing in front of the freezer section and pondering which flavor of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream you want to bring home and enjoy. TRUS biopsy – UGH! keep reading

I’ve said it before, and I’ll undoubtedly say it again: multiparametric MRI (mpMRI) can avoid unnecessary biopsies. In a previous blog, “A PROMIS is a Promise for Multiparametric MRI,” I cited the results of the PROMIS study in which 576 men initially had an mpMRI scan, then underwent 2 types of needle biopsy (ouch!) so keep reading

Multiparametric MRI (mpMRI) has sparked a revolution in prostate cancer (PCa) detection, diagnosis and image-guided treatments. Transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) does not even begin to compare with the anatomic definition and tissue characterization provided by high-resolution, 3D mpMRI scans. This breakthrough technology has been a godsend for patients in such areas as Avoiding unnecessary needle biopsies keep reading