Category Archives: Prostate Cancer

A Second Look at the European Randomised Study Of
Screening For Prostate Cancer

Last week, The Lancet published 13-year follow-up results from the European Randomised study of Screening for Prostate Cancer (ERSPC), an international trial of PSA testing in seven countries (the Netherlands, Belgium, Sweden, Finland, Italy, Spain, and Switzerland). (Unfortunately, the complete … Continue reading

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Screening For Prostate Cancer

With Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) Screening Questioned, Why Not Hurl Out the Next Unproven Prostate Tests?

The headline in the New York Times story this morning, “New Prostate Cancer Tests Could Reduce False Alarms,” by Andrew Pollack, had me scratching my head. Had I missed something in the story of advances in prostate cancer screening and … Continue reading

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What’s Next for Prostate Cancer Screening and Treatment?

Complex medical stories require time and energy to tell, talk about, and think about. When stories involve yanking a test or practice that is widely used, all hell breaks lose. That’s why I am grateful to appear today on Alaska … Continue reading

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How Buffett’s Cancer is Shaping National Dialogue on Science Friday Today

I will be on Science Friday today, sometime between 3:30 and 4:00 PM EST, with Ira Flatow. In New York, it will be on WNYC, on KQED in San Francisco at their time for the show (a three-hour time change). … Continue reading

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Top 10 Reasons Why Warren Buffett’s
Decision to Treat Prostate Cancer Bugs Me

On April 17th, 81-year-old Warren Buffett told investors that he had very early prostate cancer. The Washington Post headline read: “Warren Buffett Has Prostate Cancer that is ”Not Remotely Life Threatening.’” Within hours, news accounts said that the story unfolded … Continue reading

Posted in Active Surveillance, men's health, Prostate Cancer, Treatment decisions | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 22 Comments

Terminology Matters: Let’s Not Call It “Prostate Cancer”

If ever there was a bombshell at a National Institutes of Health Consensus Development  meeting, it happened today at the panel on active surveillance for prostate cancer.  The Panel said that terminology matters and that men who have PSA screening … Continue reading

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How One Man Faced A Prostate Cancer Diagnosis

The man I will call Paul remembers when he was first diagnosed with prostate cancer about a year ago. It started with a PSA of 4.3 ng/mL on a routine annual physical. A PSA of 4.0 ng/mL is a widely … Continue reading

Posted in Active Surveillance, Patient stories, Physician bias, Prostate Cancer, Treatment decisions | 11 Comments