May make the most feared disease a little less scary Cancer is scary. Part of the reason—maybe even the main reason—cancer is so scary, is that it seems to come out of nowhere and changes lives in the blink of an eye. We’re feeling fine, but under the surface, hidden within the DNA of our(...)
cancer screening
Cancer Screening Tests to Consider Throughout Life
Posted by Vanessa Wasta | Prevention/ScreeningAt a certain age, you might start to wonder if you should be stepping up your screening for cancer. And then you might start to wonder: what exactly is that age? And what kinds of cancer screening should I consider? While there are some guidelines to these questions, there has to be a lot of(...)
Jul 19, 2017 No comments
What is PSA?
Posted by Vanessa Wasta | Prevention/Screening“PSA, or prostate specific antigen, is an enzyme that normally appears in the ejaculate or central reproduction but when there’s a cancer present, it leaks into the circulation system so you can detect it in the bloodstream, where it becomes a marker of prostate cancer and other prostate diseases,” explains William G. Nelson, M.D., Ph.D.,(...)
Jun 22, 2017 No comments
Why do recommendations for colon cancer and prostate cancer screening tend to start around age 50?
Posted by Vanessa Wasta | Prevention/Screening“If you look at the overall incidence of cancer in the U.S., 80% of all cancers are diagnosed in people older than 60, and 30% of cancers are diagnosed in people older than 80, so in general, more cancers appear in people as they get older,” explains William G. Nelson, M.D., Ph.D., director of the Sidney(...)
Jun 15, 2017 1 comment
Is there any test for prostate cancer that doesn’t depend on a blood test for PSA?
Posted by Vanessa Wasta | Prevention/Screening“There are an increasing collection of tests that sample other aspects of prostate cancer in urine, blood or tissue, including acquired gene defects in the disease and acquired changes that cancers display that normal cells don’t,” says William G. Nelson, M.D., Ph.D., director of the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins. “I would(...)
May 3, 2017 No comments
How can I figure out if prostate cancer screening will help me personally?
Posted by Vanessa Wasta | Prevention/Screening“The best approach is to have a significant conversation with your physician about the risks and benefits of screening. It's shared decision making,” says William G. Nelson, M.D., Ph.D., director of the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins. “People have different attitudes about what they’d like to do with their health. If someone(...)
Apr 20, 2017 1 comment
What you need to know about prostate cancer screening guidelines
Posted by Vanessa Wasta | Prevention/ScreeningProstate-specific antigen (PSA)-based screening for prostate cancer has received mixed reviews from different organizations, says William G. Nelson, M.D., Ph.D., director of the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center. Today, the United States Preventive Services Task Force has posted draft recommendations for prostate screening that encourage men ages 55 - 69 to make individual decisions about(...)
Apr 11, 2017 1 comment
Do You Have a Cancer Screening Buddy?
Posted by Valerie Matthews-Mehl | Issues & PerspectivesI heard a story about actors Martin Short, Steve Martin, and Tom Hanks forming a colonoscopy slumber party of sorts. They get together at one of their homes the day of the bowel prep and bring in a caterer to make them broth and gelatin, play poker all night, and the next day they have(...)
Oct 11, 2013 1 comment
Top Trends in Cancer Research 2011
Posted by Vanessa Wasta | Prevention/Screening, ResearchIt's been a game-changing year in cancer research. Doctors and scientists don't typically like to use those words, but here's why I think this is a turning point. Scientists are churning out the genetic code of cancer cells as quickly as the cost of sequencing technology plummets. Teams of researchers are looking for ways to add the new armory of cancer cell-targeted(...)
Dec 21, 2011 2 comments