Tag: Prostate cancer

Would you go over Niagara Falls in a barrel? Get shot out of a circus cannon? Jump a motorcycle over 19 cars? No, because obviously the calculated risks are absurdly high. However, how do you calculate the risks of treatment when it comes to prostate cancer (PCa)? After all, every approach carries some risk of keep reading

Beam radiation has long been a mainstay in the arsenal of weapons against prostate cancer. Over 50 years ago, when more powerful radiation equipment allowed deeper penetration into the body, patients who could not have surgery began to be treated with... keep reading

Unnecessary treatment. Morbidities (side effects). Up to 67% overdiagnosis. These words and phrases come from a published literature review that asks, “What chance do we have to decrease prostate cancer overdiagnosis and overtreatment?” For many, the answer lies in... keep reading

If you have prostate cancer but you also have a coexisting condition like high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease or diabetes, are you a good candidate for a radical (meaning total gland) treatment? It could turn out to be a rougher journey than you bargained on... keep reading

Benign prostatic hyperplasia, or BPH, is an enlargement of the prostate gland that typically begins after age 50 and continues. It is a noncancerous condition, meaning it poses no life-threatening risks and cannot spread to other parts of the body... keep reading

Benign prostatic hyperplasia, or BPH, is an enlargement of the prostate gland that typically begins after age 50 and continues. It is a noncancerous condition, meaning it poses no life-threatening risks and cannot spread to other parts of the body... keep reading

Since the early 1990s, prostate needle biopsy using transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) guidance has been the reigning method for diagnosing prostate cancer. Compared to prior biopsy methods, it was a relative walk in the park. Transrectal ultrasound not only made prostate biopsy less invasive, it also had... keep reading

It’s frustrating when I hear focal therapy described as experimental. There are still many naysayers among urologists and oncologists who insist that focal therapy has not yet demonstrated its merits. To address their skepticism, I turn to international expert Professor Mark Emberton of University College London. Mr. Emberton (see explanation below for why British surgeons keep reading

The Prostate MRI Imaging Study (PROMIS) was a landmark event in terms of demonstrating the superiority of multiparametric MRI (mpMRI) for biopsy guidance vs. conventional TRUS (transrectal ultrasound) guidance. Within a few years, more studies began to appear regarding biparametric MRI (bpMRI)... keep reading

As we observe the spring holidays, I have news that’s better than dyed hardboiled eggs or matzoh balls. It’s about carrots. This root vegetable is so pedestrian that it is overlooked in favor of trendier health foods such as baby kale, pomegranates or cruciferous vegetables. But a new study suggests that the humble snack can protect against prostate cancer... keep reading