Senator Angus King (Independent, Maine) is no stranger to cancer. As he was approaching his 30th birthday in 1973, he was diagnosed with melanoma, a very aggressive skin cancer. He was treated, and survived. He went on to become Governor of Maine. Later, he changed his political direction: in 2012, he ran for a seat keep reading
What goes up may not come down. At least, that’s what a new trend in prostate radiation therapy might lead you to believe. The trend is radiation dose escalation. It is occurring in patients who have a radical prostatectomy but whose clinical factors are considered to be a high risk for recurrence. By clinical factors, keep reading
Every man over a certain age knows about “the little blue pill” or the major brands Viagra, Cialis and Levitra. These medications are part of a class of drugs called PDE5 inhibitors, which are the first effective oral products to treat erectile dysfunction (ED). ED is a problem that commonly occurs as men get older. keep reading
For decades, thousands of men with insignificant PCa have been overtreated with prostatectomies. A new study raises questions about the practice and sheds light on the prostatectomy's decline. keep reading
Let’s start with a short quiz: What is the current preferred strategy to manage low-risk prostate cancer? a) Nerve-sparing robotic prostatectomy b) Focal treatment c) Active Surveillance d) Vitamin E, saw palmetto supplements, and avoid red meat If you answered “c) Active Surveillance,” you are correct. According to a 2017 joint guideline statement from four keep reading
Multifocal prostate cancer In the not-too-distant past, medical schools taught young urologists that all prostate cancer (PCa) is multifocal – scattered throughout the gland. The belief was, “If you find it in one place, it must also be in other places even if undetectably small.” As a result, they carried this belief into their clinical keep reading
“Overtreatment is a cause of preventable harm and waste in healthcare.” This statement opens a published study[i] of physician perspectives on overtreatment. The article is based on a survey of 2,106 doctors. The study authors reported the MDs’ opinions as follows: 6% of overall medical care is unnecessary 0% of prescription medications are unnecessary 1% keep reading
If you have a family history of prostate cancer, or have any reason to be concerned about it, you are not alone. Each year, over 1 million biopsies are performed, and the National Cancer Institute projects 164,690 new cases in 2018. To meet the education and support needs of men and their partners, there are keep reading
September is National Prostate Cancer Awareness Month. It’s the month for wearing sky blue ribbons and bracelets, participating in fundraising walkathons or other activities, and receiving a reminder from the prostate-conscious woman in your life to go get a PSA blood test (if she hasn’t already done so). About 10 years ago, the American Foundation keep reading