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The European Randomized Study of Screening for Prostate Cancer (ERSPC) reported a 20% reduction in prostate cancer deaths and 41% reduction in metastatic disease at diagnosis at 9 years after treatment for prostate cancer. But the ERSPC also said that 48 men would have to be screened and treated to prevent one death from [read more…]
The placebo effect
The Economist this week carried a good report on the placebo effect. Although 95% of alternative therapies convey no scientific benefit, they will still cause some improvement for some patients who believe the treatment can help them. Edzard Ernst studied this at great length and is about to retire. Despite a lack of efficacy the [read more…]
Mid-urethral slings shown to have durable success
Jason Kim, MD and his associates at Virginia Mason Medical Center in Seattle just finished a study examining the durability of the SPARC mid-urethral sling inserted to reduce the symptoms of urge and mixed incontinence in 79 patients. They defined success as one or fewer episodes of incontinence per week or a 70% improvement [read more…]
Active Surveillance for Prostate Cancer is becoming more well-defined
When a man has Gleason 6 prostate cancer of low volume, it is difficult to know if it is safe to do nothing. For many men it is, but which ones? That is a question that is a hot topic lately. It is very common recently to take 12 prostate biopsy specimens [read more…]