Conquer Prostate Cancer Now

New 3-D Image Helps Improve Prostate Cancer Treatment Decision Making

Today, I am delighted to welcome Dr. E. David Crawford, Chairman of the Prostate Conditions Education Council, with a guest post on how a new 3-D imaging procedure is helping patients choose the right prostate cancer treatment option.

New 3-D Image Helps Improve Prostate Cancer Treatment Decision Making

by Dr. E. David Crawford

Guy H., a real estate agent and steer roping enthusiast from Texas, had Transrectal Ultrasound (TRUS) guided needle biopsies to determine if he had prostate cancer.  Unfortunately results of the TRUS showed that he did, but the needle samples taken only provide estimates on the tumor’s grade and extent, which is used to classify abnormal cancer cells and how quickly they are likely to grow and spread.  

Like many patients, Guy was concerned about choosing a treatment method that was too conservative, risking the future spread of cancer.  Yet choosing a method that was too aggressive might have put his health at risk due to possible over-treatment. It is a common problem for men diagnosed with prostate cancer and a fine line that patients and doctors walk as they compare watchful waiting to more invasive options, like radiation or prostatectomy.

Because of the risks associated with radiation or prostatectomy, such as urinary incontinence, impotence and other quality of life issues, Guy wanted to access all of his options.  Fortunately new technology is providing higher-quality images of the prostate, helping to improve prostate cancer treatment decisions.

Guy visited the University of Colorado where I was conducting research into a technology that can provide men with a more accurate picture of their prostate cancer diagnosis – the Transperineal 3-D Mapping Biopsy.  

Early-Stage Prostate Cancer - a New Way to Determine if It's Aggressive?

Determining how aggressive a newly diagnosed early-stage prostate cancer might be, until now, has been the Holy Grail of prostate cancer science.

For that reason I was delighted to read a recent announcement that Dana Farber researchers believe they have discovered 4 genetic markers that can determine with 92% accuracy how aggressive a patient's prostate cancer tumor is when diagnosed early. For more about this see the February 5, 2011 edition of Smart About Health (http://smartabouthealth.net/diseases/2011/02/05/new-test-detects-aggressiveness-of-prostate-cancer/comment-page-1/#comment-219446.

 

Quite incredibly this discovery of how aggressive an early-stage prostate cancer might become, far exceeds any accuracy reported until now. However the Dana Farber study has to be reconfirmed and validated before we get too excited about it.

To be valid and reliable, this far-reaching, upbeat conclusion requires a scientific, randomized selection of a large number of patients studied prospectively and "longitudenally," meaning, over 10-15 years. It also needs to be successfully duplicated by other researchers. Once this occurs, this gene marker discovery may become one of the major turning points in modern science! I say that because prostate cancer, like breast cancer, is one of the most prevalent non-skin cancers.

Subject to getting the full report, this news greatly increases the likelihood that active surveillance will become the gold standard for the vast majority of newly diagnosed prostate cancer patients. After all, some 80% of prostate cancer diagnoses occur when men's prostate cancers are confined within the prostate, - which by definition means at an early stage.

We healthcare educators and survivors and the entire medical community need to look out for new evidence to corroborate this study. This is born out by a Wall Street Journal article at WSJ.com, which mentions that the Dana Farber study, for a number of years, folowed 400 men who were subjects in a prior Harvard study. (See http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703960804576120194229203936.html.

Only when fully confirmed, will such an announcement give new hope to hundreds of thousands of men annually, as well as to their wives and partners who love them.

Until further details of this study are verified and replicated, we can only hope that this report is telling it like it is! At the very least, we can see that scientists are at least on the way to making things better for us all.

Digital Rectal Exam Message of NFL Hall of Famer, Mike Haynes

Mike Haynes, an NFL Hall of Famer, is doing a lot of good in showing that a real man like him can be open about the need for an annual digital rectal exam (DRE) to detect if you might have prostate cancer.

As a fellow prostate cancer survivor and author of Conquer Prostate Cancer, I have had several conversations with him. As such I  know he is genuinely concerned in offering his forthright message that men should routinely have their prostates checked out annually through a DRE and PSA testing starting at age 40. This is in keeping with the age standard set by the American Urological Association two years ago. Kudos to CBS 8 (San Diego) for its fine interview with Mike! 
   
If you’d like to hear Mike’s interview see www.cbs8.com/Global/story.asp?S=13680149 and read the CBS write-up that follows.

Prostate Cancer and the National Football League

Recently prostate cancer awareness was given a boost in an open letter to the National Football League posted yesterday, November 13, 2010.

That letter from Mike Scott, cofounder and president of Prostate Cancer International, was addressed to NFL commissioners, who oversee all professional football leagues in the United States.

Mr.Scott asks the footballl commissioners to consider having all teams wear blue and support National Prostate Cancer Awareness Month in September 2011, they way they support National Breast Cancer Awareness Month every October by wearing pink and related advocacy activities.
 
In response to Mike Scott's letter I would like to share my own open letter affirming his organization's intiiative but taking it a few steps further.

Florida Publishers Association Book Awards Ceremony

Conquer Prostate Cancer: How Medicine, Faith, Love and Sex Can Renew Your Life, recently won the 2010 Florida Publisher's Association President’s Award gold medal for excellence in adult nonfiction. Here's a photo of me at the awards banquet with my contributing author, urologist and robotic surgeon Dr. Robert Carey.

At the ceremony, Dr. Carey said, "Rabbi Ed’s book is the only book on urology that I’ve seen patients read from cover to cover." That’s about the highest compliment I’ve ever received!

Conquer Prostate Cancer has received numerous other accolades and four other major book awards. The book is available from Amazon.com for just $17.05.

Actor Harold Gould, 86, Dies of Prostate Cancer - R.I.P., September 14, 2010

Another great actor, Harold Gould, has died of prostate cancer. He was one of Hollywood's more prominent stars, having co-starred with the late, great Paul Newman and others in numerous feature films and TV sitcoms.

September is National Prostate Cancer Awareness Month

President Barack Obama recently signed a proclamation declaring September as National Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, and it's the perfect time to increase public awareness of prostate cancer, focus on prevention, remind men about the importance of early screening, and support patients, survivors and their families.

Prostate Cancer and Other Health Matters

Prostate cancer and other health concerns are topics I’ll address head-on during August, which is turning out to be a busy month for me in the media.

Recently I pre-recorded a broadcast on coping with prostate cancer. Joining me was a urologist in Maine. As you’ll hear for yourself when you join me, the doc and I agreed on ALMOST everything! That joint interview will be aired on three radio stations in Maine at the end of this month (August) and throughout September. 

Also this month I’m getting ready to video-record a motivational speech which I’ll deliver “live” online on the last Thursday night of August   (Aug. 26th 7 pm). That webinar will give me a chance to present my thoughts on "redesigning your life" for better health. I refer not only not only to prostate issues, but also to weight loss and other widespread health concerns.

All this will happen in time for September as National Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, proclaimed annually by the White House.

Stay tuned for further details at this blog and at my Twitter and Facebook pages.

--Rabbi Ed

Conquer Prostate Cancer Wristbands Now Available

"Conquer Prostate Cancer" wristbands are now available from Us TOO International Prostate Cancer Education and Support Network, the oldest and largest non-profit peer support organization dedicated to assisting men and their families battle a prostate cancer diagnosis. Us Too has recently announced a “Conquer Prostate Cancer” public awareness and fundraising campaign, featuring the wristband, created by fashion designer and cancer survivor Joseph Bruno.

Fashioned from genuine black braided leather, the wristband can be adjusted to fit any size wrist and is detailed with a non-tarnish silver-finish medallion marked with the blue ribbon symbolizing the fight against prostate cancer.

The wristband is available for $25 with all net proceeds going to Us TOO, International.

Prostate Cancer Celebrities: Louis Gossett, Jr.

Prostate cancer is an illness experienced by many actors. Many of them have been increasingly willing to publicly divulge that part of their private lives.

An example is Louis Gossett, Jr. He is a leading American actor, best known for his Oscar-winning role as a tough drill sergeant in "An Officer and a Gentleman." He is just one of several Hollywood "greats" who was  recently diagnosed and treated for this disease, in his case at the age of 73.