In the last few years, the advice on prostate cancer screening has been very confusing for patients, and front of mind for internists and urologists. It’s a pressing concern because in 2012 there were 28,000 deaths from prostate cancer. However, the best approach to screening is still controversial.
In 2009 and 2012, researchers published key trials on prostate cancer screening, and the results only added to the controversy. A large study done in the United States failed to find a benefit to early prostate cancer detection, whereas a large European study did. However, when I say the European study “did” find a benefit, it wasn’t that reassuring. According to a February issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine, the European study found that for every 1,000 men screened, 37 cases of cancer would need to be detected and treated to prevent one death.
Finally, a Study on the Effects of Diet on Prostate Cancer
by Dr. Josh Fink
It would be a huge step forward if, one day, Doctors could tell a man that what he eats directly impacts the progression of his disease. This information might empower our patients to directly affect their health on a daily basis based on their eating habits.
The “MEAL” study (or Men’s Eating and Living), sponsored by the National Cancer Institute, is designed to test whether a high-vegetable diet will lower risk for prostate cancer progression compared to a “standard” diet. The MEAL study is crucial to our understanding of the possible relation between consumption of food/food groups and the progression of prostate cancer.
Robot-assisted Surgery Got its Start on the Battlefield
by Dr. Warren Bromberg
The original destination for guided robotic surgery was the battlefield: The hope was that expert surgeons could operate on injured soldiers remotely. While these plans have yet to pan out, robotic technology has been adapted for civilian use.
Northern Westchester Hospital now has two such devices, the da Vinci® Surgical System.