In November - or as it is now more commonly being referred to Movember - millions of men commit to grow moustaches to raise awareness of men s health issues, such as
cancer screening
Colon cancer is the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the US. In 2014, more than 96,000 people developed new cases, and there will be an estimated 50,000 deaths.
It is also one of the most preventable cancers: if all Americans followed recommendations about getting a colonoscopy, the death rate from colorectal cancer (CRC) would plummet. However, current methods, as well as patient fear, are common reasons why people do not undergo this crucial test.
One of the main themes in medicine over the past year or two has been the value (or lack of same) of screening as a tool to prevent early death.
Accepted medical practices have been challenged, as data become available that are not only counterintuitive, but in some cases almost heresy.
Examples include:
Is routine mammography harmful or helpful?
Should the prostate specific antigen (PSA) test be used at all?
Do annual exams save lives?
We have written about these issues frequently- mammography, the PSA test, annual physicals. The above links give a good summary of our take on each of these issues.
Lung cancer is the leading cancer killer in both American men and women, causing more deaths than colon, breast, and pancreatic cancers combined. According to the American Lung Association, almost 160,000 Americans are expected to die from lung cancer in 2014.
Credit must be given to Charles Bankhead, a staff writer at MedPage Today for taking on a very difficult subject whether it makes any sense to perform cancer screens on seniors, and if so, when. While this may conjure up images of death squads or health care rationing, it is actually an important, pragmatic, and timely topic.
The trends in American society both among professionals (doctors) and the lay public are generally in favor of routine cancer screening, most commonly prostate specific antigen (PSA) testing for men and
No medical organization recommends the prostate-specific antigen test for older men, and yet many primary care doctors continue to administer it even to those over age 75. Why?
A constant theme in medicine over the past few years has been questioning whether routine screening for certain diseases is actually helpful.
For the most part, the answer is surprising and counterintuitive no.
Here at ACSH, we have long felt that the public is bombarded with so many messages regarding their health, that sifting out the right answers for themselves can be nearly impossible. In The New York Times today, the editorial Mixed Blessings does a great job