Analysis bolsters expulsive therapy's cost-effectiveness
January 15th 2013Patients who receive medical expulsive therapy as initial management for renal colic incur significantly lower episode-related expenditures than those undergoing early endoscopic stone removal, but are significantly more likely to have return visits to the emergency department, report researchers from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.
Prostate Ca incidence, mortality declining, report says
January 14th 2013Overall cancer death rates have continued to decline in the U.S. among both men and women, among all major racial and ethnic groups, and for all of the most common cancer sites, including prostate cancer, a recent national report shows.
Updated Partin tables may offer improved accuracy
January 9th 2013The third and most recent update of the Partin tables takes into account an updated Gleason scoring system and may be more accurate for contemporary patients diagnosed with prostate cancer, researchers from Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore report.
Bladder cancer genetic variant identified
January 9th 2013Patients who have inherited a specific common genetic variant develop bladder cancer tumors that strongly express a protein known as prostate stem cell antigen (PSCA), which is also expressed in many prostate and pancreatic tumors, say researchers from the National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD.
WTC workers show higher incidence of prostate Ca
January 4th 2013Among rescue and recovery workers exposed to dust, debris, and fumes following the World Trade Center terrorist attack, there was an increased incidence of prostate and thyroid cancers and multiple myeloma, although it is not clear how big a factor medical screening and non-WTC risk factors contributed to these increases, according to a recent study.
Studies examine recent prostate Ca screening trends
January 4th 2013Two new studies shed light on recent trends in prostate cancer screening.One study found that prostate cancer screening in men older than 74 years of age is overused, while another documented a decline in prostate and other preventive cancer screenings over the last 10 years, possibly due to disagreement over current screening guidelines.
The argument to continue prostate cancer screening, early detection
January 1st 2013In May 2012, the United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommended against PSA testing in all men based upon a flawed analysis that overestimated the harms and underestimated the benefits of testing (Ann Intern Med 2012; 157:137-8).
Expulsive therapy less costly than surgery for renal colic
December 31st 2012Medical expulsive therapy for the initial management of uncomplicated acute renal colic, with eventual uretereoscopy if needed, is associated with less resource utilization and lower 6-week costs than early surgery, say researchers from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.
American Urological Association initiative seeks boost in graduate medical education funding
December 31st 2012Despite the continuing pressure in Washington to slash federal spending, efforts are under way to prevent cuts, and to even support increases, in graduate medical education funding in order to prevent serious shortages of physicians at a time when increased numbers of patients will be seeking care.