Tag Archives: prostate
MOVEMBER Raising Awareness About Prostate & Testicular Cancer
Despite being an oncologist, I was oblivious about MOVEMBER until an old college buddy enlightened me this month. Each November, men grow mustaches to serve as billboards for men’s health issues. While the general topic of conversation is men’s health, “Mo Bros” have a particular focus on prostate and testicular cancer: http://us.movember.com/mens-health/. Other than non-melanoma skin [...]
Ovarian & Prostate Cancer Screening: A Tale of Two Tests
September is both Ovarian Cancer and Prostate Cancer Awareness Month. Both are life-threatening disease originating from pelvic organs. Screening tests have been evaluated to potentially detect both cancer types early toward the ultimate goal of saving lives. What do we know in 2012 about the impact of CA125 and PSA blood tests? Women who are [...]
Ryan O’Neal’s Cancer: Danger to the Public?
Less than three years after ex-wife, Farrah Fawcett, died of anal cancer that had spread (metastasized) to her liver (http://www.webmd.com/cancer/news/20090623/farrah-fawcett-obit), Ryan O’Neal has announced that he is now dealing with a diagnosis of prostate cancer. On a personal note, my heart goes out to him and his family. As an oncologist and educator, on the [...]
Who is Losing the War on Cancer in 2012?
Despite what you may have heard, cancer is NOT an equal opportunity killer. As we begin National Minority Cancer Awareness Week, April 16-21, 2012, I’d like visitors to http://thecancermd.com/ to remember that single fact. While oncologists try to be positive and hopeful with our patients whenever possible, we also need to be realists, with eyes wide open. The [...]
The Fallacy of “Focal Therapy” for Prostate Cancer
Among the 200,000+ men who are diagnosed with prostate cancer in America each year, tens of thousands will have “low risk” or “very low risk” disease. Prostate cancer is classified as low risk if it can’t be felt on digital rectal exam (DRE) or can only be felt in a portion of one lobe (side) [...]
When is Screening for Breast or Prostate Cancer a Bad Idea?
An article by Gina Kolata on October 29, 2011 in the New York Times online asks when might it be “best not to know about cancer”: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/30/health/cancer-screening-may-be-more-popular-than-useful.html?ref=health. My first reaction was, “Sure I’d like to never have to know about cancer!” Unfortunately, for me as an oncologist who has lost multiple close friends and [...]
VITAMINS, Supplements, and CANCER: A Word to the Wise!
There’s no shortage of sales people extolling the virtues of vitamins and supplements as the gateway to optimum health. Not surprisingly, the world of “health food” supplements is a multimillion dollar industry. Sadly though, the data for the benefit of the vast majority of these vitamins and supplements is non-existent. Slick marketing trumps actual data. [...]
Surgery vs Seeds for Low-Risk Prostate Cancer Treatment?
If I had a dime for every time a man asked me that question…! For men with low-risk prostate cancer, there are usually many excellent options. These patients have prostate cancer that either can’t be felt on digital rectal exam (DRE) or can only be felt in a part of one side (lobe) of the [...]
Sexual Function After Prostate Cancer Treatment? It Depends…
For men who’ve been diagnosed with prostate cancer and their partners, one of the most daunting potential side effects of treatment is erectile dysfunction (ED), or what used to be termed impotence. It’s long been known that erectile function prior to treatment is a strong predictor of function after treatment. A new study published in [...]
Death of Canada’s Jack Layton is Cancer Teaching Moment
I’m not Canadian and my interest in politics nears zero. Nevertheless, the death of prominent Canadian politician, Mr. Jack Layton, this week gives me reason to write. For those like myself who are ignorant to Canadian politics , Mr. Layton was the charismatic leader of that country’s opposition group in Parliament. At one point, he [...]
