Archive for July 13th, 2010

When Doctors Fail To Take Action After PSA Results Reveal The Possibility Of Prostate Cancer

Male patients are likely to possess a bad awareness of prostate cancer, their own risk for the cancer, and the ways in which they can figure out if they have prostate cancer. Many men have minimal, if any, idea of the value of testing for prostate cancer or of the guidelines for when to start testing, how frequently to test, and the meaning of screening test results. However, far too often, physicians diagnose the cancer only after it is past the early stages on account of deficient of screening.

There are several different factors that can lead to a delayed diagnosis. This article will examine the following pattern: the doctor (1) orders a PSA blood test, (2) learns that the patient has a high PSA level, but (3) does not notify the patient, does not refer the patient to a specialist, and fails to get a biopsy to find out whether the elevated PSA is because of prostate cancer. Examine the following case, for example:

In this reported case a man found out he had prostate cancer after he followed up when advised by his internist that he probably had cancer. The issue in this case was that the doctor did not inform the patient that he could have cancer until the third year of raised PSA test results. The year before the patient’s PSA level had risen to 13.6. Two years prior to that it had been at 8.0 During these years the physician did nothing to rule out prostate cancer as the cause of these high readings and did not inform the patient. More testing revealed that by now the patient had metastatic prostate cancer. A prostatectomy was now not a choice. Treating doctors instead advised radiation therapy and hormone therapy. Neither of these would cure the cancer but they might obstruct the cancer’s progress and further spread. The law firm that handled this matter reported that they took the lawsuit to mediation where they achieved a settlement of $600,000.

But not following up after noting abnormal test results brings about a situation in which those patients who do in fact have prostate cancer might not find out they have it until it has spread outside the prostate, restricting the patient’s choices for treatment, and substantially decreasing the possibility that the patient will be able to survive the cancer.

At a minimum a physician who notes abnormal prostate cancer screening results ought to tell the patient of the chance that he may have prostate cancer and refer the patient to a urologist. The physician can also advise diagnostic testing, for example a biopsy so as to figure out if the abnormal screening test results are from prostate cancer.

This claim illustrates a type of mistake that can result in the delayed diagnosis of a patient’s prostate cancer. It happens when the doctor actually follows the guidelines and screens male patients for prostate cancer but does not follow through when the test results are abnormal.

Stars support cancer research

Stars support cancer research
TV stars Kelly Ripa and Kim Kardashian are teaming up to lend their support in finding a cure for ovarian cancer. Ripa and Kardashian currently are appearing in print and television public service announcements promoting “QVC Presents Super Saturday Live,” scheduled to air on the QVC shopping network from 2 to 4 p.m. Saturday, July 31. Net proceeds from the event will benefit the Ovarian Cancer …

Read more on Asbury Park Press

Common SNP in sequence of human genome conferring risk of vascular diseases discovered

Common SNP in sequence of human genome conferring risk of vascular diseases discovered
Scientists at deCODE genetics and academic colleagues from the Netherlands and twelve other countries across Europe and North America today report the discovery of a common single-letter variation (SNP) in the sequence of the human genome conferring risk of a range of vascular diseases. The SNP confers risk of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA), early-onset heart attack, peripheral artery disease …

Read more on News-Medical-Net

Hospital raising money, teaching physicians and community

Hospital raising money, teaching physicians and community
EDINBURG — Doctors Hospital at Renaissance sold close to $19,000 last week at its first Masquerade Fundraising jewelry sale, but only about $4,000 will benefit the hospital’s cancer foundation.

Read more on The Brownsville Herald

Hospital’s breast imaging center celebrates one year of operation

Hospital’s breast imaging center celebrates one year of operation
Happy birthday to one part of the Purcell Municipal Hospital’s services. Digital mammography marks its one year anniversary at PMH. The past year has been hailed a success for the preventative addition to the facility.

Read more on Purcell Register

Hologic to Present at the Canaccord Genuity 30th Annual Growth Conference 2010

Hologic to Present at the Canaccord Genuity 30th Annual Growth Conference 2010
Hologic, Inc. today announced that Glenn Muir, Chief Financial Officer, will present at the Canaccord Genuity 30th Annual Growth Conference 2010 on Wednesday, August 11, 2010 at 1:00 p.m. .

Read more on PR Newswire via Yahoo! Finance

Life Insurance – Women Furious Over Insurer Gene Testing

Thousands of women with family histories of breast and ovarian cancer could pay higher insurance premiums or even be denied cover altogether under new proposals from the insurance industry.

The Association of British Insurers (ABI) is expected to lodge an application for permission for its members to ask women whether they have been tested for the BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations.

The faulty BRCA genes are responsible for about five per cent of the 41,700 new cases of breast cancer and 10 per cent of ovarian cancers diagnosed in Britain each year.

If the insurers are granted permission by the Genetics and Insurance Committee (the organisation that advises the Government on the issue), women who have tested positive could be forced to pay higher premiums. Some companies may even refuse high value life or critical illness insurance.

A notice published on the GIC’s website said, “The Committee expects that the Association of British Insurers will submit in late 2006/2007 four revised and updated applications for the use of adverse results from predictive genetic tests of the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes (breast/ovarian cancer) in helping to determine insurance premiums for life and critical illness insurance.”

At present, the only predictive genetic test the committee has allowed insurance companies to ask about is for Huntington’s Disease. This is because of the lack of environmental influences on its development.

However, across Europe, several countries have banned insurers from using genetic tests to decide premiums. Also, in 2005, a voluntary agreement to avoid using such tests by British insurance companies was extended until 2011.

Under this agreement, insurers can ask potential customers only about genetic testing results for Huntington’s Disease. However, they can only ask for the information for policies that are worth more than £500,000 for life insurance, more than £300,000 for critical illness and more than £30,000 a year for payment protection.

But the association’s genetics working party has indicated that it would like to bring about a change seeking permission to ask about two cancer genes and wants approval by the end of the year.

Approximately one in 850 women in Britain inherits a faulty BRCA1 gene. Those women will have a 14 to 18 per cent chance of developing breast cancer at some point in their lives.

Meanwhile insurers are not allowed to ask prospective policyholders if they have HIV, but they can ask them if they have exposed themselves to the risk of infection through unsafe sex or sharing needles.

An alliance of 45 leading charities, unions, scientists and lawyers have called on the Government to ban this genetic discrimination.

A study carried out by the charity Breakthrough Breast Cancer found 28 per cent of women with a family history of breast cancer said the would be deterred from having a genetic test if insurers had access to the results.

Mammograms and Breast Cancer: A Research Documentary V. 3

Hello, my name is Doctor Calvin Ross and I am a certified X-ray technician and I am very concerned about women continuing to receive annual Mammograms for breast cancer screening. This is video 3 of 3

Lifestyle Changes After Breast Cancer

Lifestyle Changes after Breast Cancer Treatment: Conversations on Survival A group of breast cancer survivors openly discuss what lifestyle changes were continued or changed after treatment. The importance of living in the moment, maintaining a healthy lifestyle, and knowing what is really important in life are all discussed.

When should women begin getting annual mammograms? Beth Israel Medical Center, New York City

Dr. Susan Boolbol, breast cancer surgeon at Beth Israel Medical Center in New York City, discusses annual mammograms and the age at which women should begin screening.