Prostate cancer topics abound in the latest Cancer News Review podcast. Dr. Bill Nelson, director of the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center, discusses Hopkins-led research, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, looking at the genetic similarities of men with a family history of prostate cancer. By looking at their genes, investigators were able to find a genetic marker for prostate cancer risk. Nelson also comments on a study of prostate cancer screening methods that evaluated impact on lives saved and new statistics released by the National Cancer Institute.
Reacting to an opinion piece written about proton beam therapy, Nelson asks the same question of the the more costly therapy: is it better than conventional radiation? He says the answer is not clear. There is a lack of research comparing conventional and proton beam therapy, and still, the therapy is being used for many cancers. Nelson says the field is ready for more research on this topic.
Program notes:
0:19 Genes deficient in some men with prostate cancer
1:07 Does knowledge of this help others with prostate cancer?
2:09 We’ll learn a lot about the disease through genes
2:55 Prostate cancer screening impact
3:54 Study has been criticized
4:53 Need to be a lot smarter about who is screened
5:52 Cancer deaths are decreasing
6:53 Will the rate of decline slow?
7:24 Proton beam radiation therapy
8:27 Field of radiation oncology needs research on this
9:34 End
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: RSS