Health Affairs ’ January Issue
This study is believed to be the first population-level analysis of prostate cancer treatment rates in recent years, a time that witnessed changes to both prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening guidelines and treatment protocols.
Also of interest in the January issue:
For Many Served By The Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program, Disparities In Viral Suppression Decreased, 2010-14; Rupali Doshi of the George Washington University and the District of Columbia Department of Health, and coauthors.
Global health: Brazil’s primary health care expansion
The role of governance in improving health is widely recognized as necessary, bu...
Source: Health Affairs Blog - January 9, 2017 Category: Health Management Authors: Lucy Larner Tags: Elsewhere@ Health Affairs Featured Health Affairs journal Source Type: blogs
Cancer Prevention (Or Why Me?)
I have a feeling I am bit cynical these days. This morning I found a post by Dana Farber ' s Insight blog on cancer prevention tips, which caught my cynical eye.I was 19 when I was first diagnosed with cancer. Okay, I admit to smoking some by then but I wasn ' t much of a drinker until I got to college (!!). I was pretty active. I was young. Any bad habits didn ' t have much time to turn into a cancer, or so I think. Then by my second diagnosis, 26 years later, I might have had a few more bad habits but I was pretty active and got check ups, wore sun screen and in good shape. This is my family history of cancer: ...
Source: Caroline's Breast Cancer Blog - January 2, 2017 Category: Cancer & Oncology Tags: aggravation cancer diagnosis cancer prevention frustration Source Type: blogs
Immediate radiation when PSA levels spike after prostate cancer surgery helps reduce risk of recurrence
Following surgery to remove a cancerous prostate gland, some men experience a biochemical recurrence, meaning that prostate-specific antigen (PSA) has become detectable in their blood. Since only the prostate releases PSA, removing the gland should drop this protein to undetectable levels in the body. Detecting PSA could signify that prostate cancer cells are lingering, and forming new tumors before they can be seen with modern imaging technology. PSA isn’t always reliable for cancer screening, but it is a very sensitive marker of new cancer growth after initial treatment.
Doctors usually treat biochemical recurrence by ...
Source: Harvard Health Blog - December 29, 2016 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Charlie Schmidt Tags: Cancer Health Men's Health Prostate Health Source Type: blogs
BRCA-Positive Males at Higher Risk for Prostate and Pancreatic Cancer
Here is a brief description about BRCA gene mutations and the manner in which they predispose to various cancers (see: BRCA mutation):A BRCA mutation is a mutation in either of the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes, which are tumor suppressor genes....Harmful mutations in these genes may produce a hereditary breast-ovarian cancer syndrome in affected persons. Only 5-10% of breast cancer cases in women are attributed to BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations..., but the impact on women with the gene mutation is more profound.Women with harmful mutations in either BRCA1 or BRCA2 have a risk of breast cancer that is about five times the n...
Source: Lab Soft News - December 21, 2016 Category: Laboratory Medicine Authors: Bruce Friedman Tags: Clinical Lab Testing Healthcare Delivery Medical Education Medical Research Preventive Medicine Source Type: blogs
Breaking Down The Final 2018 Letter To Issuers
Editor’s note: The final 2018 Letter To Issuers In The Federally Facilitated Maketplaces, discussed below, was issued in conjunction with the final 2018 Benefit and Payment Parameters rule, discussed here and here.
On December 16, 2016, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released its final 2018 Letter to Issuers in the Federally Facilitated Marketplaces (FFM). CMS releases a letter each year to insurers that offer coverage through the FFM or through state-based marketplaces that use the Healthcare.gov platform (SBM-FP), laying out the ground rule...
Source: Health Affairs Blog - December 19, 2016 Category: Health Management Authors: Timothy Jost Tags: Following the ACA Insurance and Coverage Payment Policy Source Type: blogs
Alzheimer's Care Killing our Parents with “Kindness”
We were proud of the fact that we had managed to honor our promise to never put her in a nursing home; and that, she was still able to continue living with dignity in her own home.By Shira SebbanAlzheimer's Reading Room“Who authorized this patient to be administered morphine?” The hospital geriatrician’s voice was stern as he addressed the staff clustered around my mother’s bed. “She’s for active care, not for palliative care – she’s going home!”Dying from Dementia, Suffering Often UnnecessaryWith the doctor finally on side, I felt like I had won a battle –the battle to stop the morphine, which the hosp...
Source: Alzheimer's Reading Room, The - December 7, 2016 Category: Neurology Tags: care of dementia patients care of dementia patients at home dementia care elderly dementia care help alzheimer's help with dementia care Hospice Care memory care palliative care Source Type: blogs
Is there sex after cancer?
Ten years ago, I first met this patient, newly diagnosed with intermediate-risk prostate cancer. As I walked into the examination room, I was struck by the juxtaposition of his wife, crumpled in a chair and weeping silently, with the patient himself, pacing the 12′-by-4′ room with a look of either anger or frustration. This difference in response between the man and his spouse is not unusual; what was unusual was that he seemed to lack the usual shock that I anticipate seeing in the wake of those three words, “you have cancer,” recently delivered by the physician. What I thought was anger or frustration was...
Source: Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog - December 7, 2016 Category: Journals (General) Authors: < a href="http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/post-author/anne-katz" rel="tag" > Anne Katz, RN, PhD < /a > Tags: Physician Cancer Source Type: blogs
Money in Medicine Report
In late November, a report was released that focused on money in medicine, and the top thirty drugs that were associated with pharmaceutical industry payments to Oregon doctors. Interestingly, the top thirty list did not include many drugs that are known to be household names. For example, the top three drugs – Bydureon, Invokana, and Toujeo – are prescribed for diabetes, a highly prevalent disease in America. Three others on the list are prescribed for multiple sclerosis, a debilitating condition that is incurable and can be hard to live with. Hysingla, an abuse-deterrent hydrocodone pill, is also high on the list.
A...
Source: Policy and Medicine - December 5, 2016 Category: American Health Authors: Thomas Sullivan - Policy & Medicine Writing Staff Source Type: blogs
The Uncertainty Bomb
By PAUL KECKLEY
I like certainty and routine. I like my daily Tall Dark Roast with no room for cream at 5 am at Starbucks. I like the same restaurants, the same suits and ties and the same TV shows. Holidays throw me off and I get bored quickly when I have down time.
For six years, the healthcare industry in the U.S. has been adjusting to its new normal based on the regulatory framework of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). It became routine to discuss the volume to value, accountable care organizations, bundled payments, Medicaid expansion and Healthcare.gov. We were certain they’d be around for years to come.
Then came th...
Source: The Health Care Blog - November 27, 2016 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: John Irvine Tags: Uncategorized Source Type: blogs
Movember: Stashing prostate and testicular cancer awareness into the limelight
Since 2003, the Movember movement has been raising public awareness of testicular and prostate cancer. The common theme that links cancers of all types is that early detection tends to lead to better outcomes. Because cancer often has no symptoms in its early stages, screening for cancer has been an integral part of primary care routine visits.
I go for an annual physical every year. Do I really need to do self-examinations?
Although routine screening by a health care provider is critical, it does not alleviate the need for self-examinations. In terms of gender-specific cancers, breast cancer is one that receives a great d...
Source: Harvard Health Blog - November 22, 2016 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Paul G. Mathew, MD, FAAN, FAHS Tags: Cancer Health Men's Health Prevention Prostate Health Screening Source Type: blogs
Eleven Years of Thanks: PAF
In 2004, LIVESTRONG demonstrated its commitment to cancer survivors and their families by creating SurvivorCare, now known asLIVESTRONG Cancer Navigation, to help them with their practical, emotional and physical concerns. As we worked to understand what survivors needed the most, we learned that people really needed help with managing finances and understanding insurance. Our search for organizations that were experts in helping individuals navigate the financial aspects of the healthcare system led us to thePatient Advocate Foundation (PAF). PAF has helped people with chronic, life-threatening or debilitating illnesses s...
Source: LIVESTRONG Blog - November 16, 2016 Category: Cancer & Oncology Authors: LIVESTRONG Staff Source Type: blogs
Treatment versus monitoring of prostate cancer: Survival rates the same after 10 years
A pair of recent studies provides useful information to men facing challenging decisions about what to do after being diagnosed with early prostate cancer. Researchers tracked men for 10 years and found that virtually none died of the illness, even if they decided against treating it.
Early prostate tumors confined to the prostate gland often grow slowly and may not need immediate treatment. Instead, these tumors can be monitored and treated only if they begin to progress.
In one of the studies, British researchers randomly assigned 1,643 men with early prostate cancer into three groups: one group had surgery to remove the...
Source: Harvard Health Blog - November 16, 2016 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Charlie Schmidt Tags: Cancer Health Men's Health Prostate Health Source Type: blogs
Metals in Medicine
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An exhibit called “Minerals in Medicine” opened at the NIH Clinical Center last month (see slideshow). The display features a fascinating overview of how dozens of minerals are used to create drugs and medical instruments useful in treating disease and maintaining health. The minerals ranged from commonplace ones like quartz, which is used to make medical instruments, to more exotic ones like huebnerite, a source of the metal tungsten, which is used in radiation shielding.
Inspired by this collection, which is co-sponsored by NIH and the Smithsonian Institution, we highlight here exa...
Source: Biomedical Beat Blog - National Institute of General Medical Sciences - November 14, 2016 Category: Research Authors: Chris Palmer Tags: Chemistry and Biochemistry Cell Biology Cellular Imaging Cellular Processes Cool Images Metals Source Type: blogs
NxThera ’s Rezūm Provides a New Treatment Option for Patients with BPH: Interview with CEO of NxThera
Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), or enlargement of the prostate gland, affects about half of men between the age of 51 and 60 and up to 90% of men over the age of 80. Symptoms include difficulty with initiating urination, weak urine flow, post-void dribbling, and the need to wake up frequently during the night to urinate. Not only are these symptoms bothersome and negatively affect an individual’s quality of life, they may also lead to more serious conditions like bladder stones, urinary tract infections, or bladder and kidney damage. Unfortunately, many people with BPH choose to live with their symptoms due to the li...
Source: Medgadget - November 10, 2016 Category: Medical Equipment Authors: Kenan Raddawi Tags: Exclusive Urology Source Type: blogs
Infant Language Degrading When Applied to Seniors
Dear Carol: My dad was cured of prostate cancer in his 60s but he was left incontinent so he must wear protection. It makes me furious when people who know of his surgery ask me if he now needs diapers. Many of them ask out of fear because they know someone with prostate cancer who needs treatment. I understand their fear but the question has even been whispered in situations where I know Dad might hear them. It’s as if because he had cancer he now has no hearing or no mind. Dad is now in his early 70s. He’s smart and physically fit. He just happens to be a cancer survivor who is incontinent. How do...
Source: Minding Our Elders - November 5, 2016 Category: Geriatrics Authors: Carol Bradley Bursack Source Type: blogs
