JUNE 30: SCIENCE CODEX.COM: The two recently reported large randomised studies in Europe and the US illustrate that the price to pay for 20% reduction in prostate cancer deaths is high – over-diagnosis and over-treatment are great problems. The answers lie in improving the PSA test or finding biomarkers that effectively separate aggressive cancers from slow-growing ones. READ MORE>
Archive for June, 2009
PROSTATE SCREENING: Big studies showed price of 20% cut in deaths is high
Posted in PROSTATE CANCER, PROSTATE RESEARCH, PSA tests, Screening debate, Treatment debate, tagged 20% reduction in prostate cancer deaths, Biomarkers, cancer research, large randomised studies, over-diagnosis, Over-treatment, prostablog, prostate, PROSTATE CANCER, prostate treatment debate, prostate-specific antigen, PSA, PSA test, SCIENCE CODEX.COM, Screening debate, slow-growing on June 30, 2009| Leave a Comment »
PROSTATE SCREENING: ‘Little if any decrease in the risk of dying from this disease’
Posted in PROSTATE CANCER, PROSTATE RESEARCH, PSA tests, Screening debate, tagged blood test, blood tests, CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians, cancer research, EUREKALERT.COM, France, informed decision, International Prevention Research Institute, Lyon, prostablog, prostate, prostate blog, PROSTATE CANCER, prostate treatment debate, prostate-specific antigen, PSA, PSA test, Screening debate, tragedy of prostate cancer screening on June 30, 2009| Leave a Comment »
JUNE 30: EUREKALERT.COM: The recent release of two large randomised trials suggests that if there is a benefit of screening, it is, at best, small, says a new report in CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians. READ MORE>
In a separate but related editorial, Peter Boyle, Ph.D., D.Sc., of the International Prevention Research Institute, Lyon, France and report co-author Dr Brawley say “the real impact and tragedy of prostate cancer screening is the doubling of the lifetime risk of a diagnosis of prostate cancer with little if any decrease in the risk of dying from this disease.”
They conclude that “men should discuss the now quantifiable risks and benefits of having a PSA test with their physician and then share in making an informed decision,” and that “the weight of the decision should not be thrown into the patient’s lap.”
PROSTATE RESEARCH: Worthwhile study on how lifestyle change avoids cancer recurrence
Posted in Dietary intervention, PROSTATE CANCER, Prostate cancer recovery, PROSTATE RESEARCH, Survival, tagged accelerated functional decline, cancer recurrence, cancer research, cancer survivors, co-morbidities, lifestyle modification, New Prostate Cancer Info-link, prostablog, prostate, prostate blog, PROSTATE CANCER, quality of life, second malignancies on June 28, 2009| Leave a Comment »
JUNE 28: NEW PROSTATE CANCER INFOLINK: A study on the possibility that lifestyle modification will help cancer survivors to avoid the risks that they are at for second malignancies, other co-morbidities, and accelerated functional decline seems worthwhile. READ MORE>
PROSTATE RESEARCH: New report on after effects of salvage brachytherapy
Posted in AFTER EFFECTS, Brachytherapy, Erectile function, Incontinence, PROSTATE CANCER, PROSTATE RESEARCH, Salvage therapy, Treatment debate, tagged bowel and urinary symptoms, Brachytherapy, cancer research, Erectile function, Incontinence, New Prostate Cancer Info-link, prostablog, prostate, prostate blog, PROSTATE CANCER, prostate cancer treatments, prostate treatment, prostate treatment debate, quality of life, salvage brachytherapy, sexual function on June 28, 2009| Leave a Comment »
JUNE 28: NEW PROSTATE CANCER INFOLINK: Those who receive salvage brachytherapy report a worsening of bowel and urinary symptoms followed by some improvement at 2-3 years of follow-up, while sexual function steadily declines over time. READ MORE>
PROSTATE RESEARCH: Long-term antibiotic treatment may change PSA levels
Posted in PROSTATE CANCER, PROSTATE RESEARCH, PROSTATE RISKS, PSA tests, tagged cancer research, elevated PSA values, free/total (f/t) serum PSA levels, long-term antibiotic treatment, New Prostate Cancer Info-link, prostablog, prostate, prostate blog, PROSTATE CANCER, prostate cancer risk, prostate treatment debate, PSA, PSA test, total serum PSA on June 28, 2009| Leave a Comment »
JUNE 28: NEW PROSTATE CANCER INFOLINK: Researchers conclude that total serum PSA and free/total (f/t) serum PSA levels may change with long-term antibiotic treatment in patients with elevated PSA values. However, the f/t PSA ratio rather than the total PSA level appears to be more helpful in suggesting risk for prostate cancer in such patients. READ MORE>
PROSTATE RESEARCH: Finding that vitamin D avoids cancer needs further investigation
Posted in PROSTATE CANCER, PROSTATE RESEARCH, Vitamin D, tagged cancer research, epidemiological, Mike Scott, New Prostate Cancer Info-link, observational, prostablog, prostate, prostate blog, PROSTATE CANCER, Vitamin D, vitamin D deficiency on June 28, 2009| Leave a Comment »
JUNE 28: NEW PROSTATE CANCER INFOLINK: A new review shows vitamin D deficiency may increase risk of cancer – but the findings are based primarily on epidemiological and observational data, with no clinical trial ever done on prostate cancer. READ MORE>
PROSTATE PAUSE: Apology for no postings yesterday – blogger crook
Posted in Prostate blogs, tagged prostablog, prostablog silence, prostate, prostate blog, PROSTATE CANCER, stomach virus on June 27, 2009| Leave a Comment »
Prostablog apologises to regular followers for the silence yesterday: the blogger had a very nasty stomach virus. “Bankrupt at both ends,” was the scatalogical epithet used by my father on such occasions. Full blog service has resumed – although the blogger still can’t eat anything. For those outside NZ, “crook” means sick.