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People in state high-risk insurance plans often feel left behind
The federal health law set up new plans that are cheaper and more comprehensive than the older ones run by states but consumers need to go without insurance for six months to qualify.
Prostate Cancer
Annual prostate screening does not reduce risk of death – study
Men who underwent annual prostate cancer screening with prostate-specific antigen testing and digital rectal examination had a 12 percent higher incidence of prostate cancer than men in the control group but the same rate of death from the disease.
Prostate cancer screening test should not be routine — panel
The influential U.S. Preventive Services Task Force finds that routine PSA testing does men more harm than good.
Do the elderly get too many medical tests?
Are older patients being over tested? There is little evidence the elderly benefit from colon, breast and prostate cancer screening — and considerable risk.
Tracking the rise of robotic surgery for prostate cancer
Robotic prostatectomy proliferated quickly, but what it means for patients and the health care system, is still a matter of study and debate.
Watchful waiting: When treatment can wait
Sometimes, delaying treatment while regularly monitoring the progress of a disease — a strategy called “watchful waiting” — may be better than starting treatment right away.
Doctors dispute benefits of early diagnosis
Screening tests that diagnose illnesses early may actually cause more harm than good, a team of Dartmouth medical researchers argue in a new book. Michelle Andrews interview the authors.
Men with low-risk prostate cancer usually get treatment, despite side effects
For men with prostate cancer that grows slowly, the treatments may cause more harm than good.
FDA approves Dendreon’s prostate cancer treatment
The treatment is an novel immune therapy in which a patient’s immune cells are stimulated to attack prostate cancer cells more aggressively.
Health stories in the news
FDA weighs Seattle company’s cancer vaccine. Officials investigate reports of H1N1 vaccine side effects. Con artists take advantage of confusion over health reform.
Evidence-Based Medicine: Hard For Some To Swallow
People don’t always want to do what the data say to do.
Free Prostate Cancer Screening
Virginia Mason in partnership with ZERO: The Project to End Prostate Cancer and KOMO4, will host a mobile free prostate cancer testing program Thursday, July 9 in Seattle and Friday, July 10 in Issaquah from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Drive Against Prostate Cancer screening is free, confidential and does not require an appointment or [...]
Health News Round-up
In the news: Finding cheaper healthcare abroad … Bargaining for cheaper care at home … New studies cast doubt on value of common cancer test for men.
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