Medical insight, personal stories and humor from a urologist who has been where you are now.
Non-Cancerous Prostate Biopsy Results: PIN What percent of atypia results in cancer on followup biopsy? PIN: Prostatic Intraepithelial Neoplasm----Most likely no big deal. Think of the actual individual prostate gland cell...the nucleus isn't right. For a cell to be "cancerous" it has to invade tissue. In PIN there is no invasion, just a funny looking nucleus. …
Continue reading "Top Google Search for Prostate Cancer: What is PIN? Another good question!"
What makes my book special ( I think ) is the attention that only a urologist who has been through the prostate cancer process and treatment could make of the voiding issues. That's what urologists do...we are human plumbers. We understand how men void, the difference between obstructive (slow stream) and irritative (frequency, urgency, getting …
Continue reading "Google search for prostate cancer: Fixing obstructive problems? Good question!"
"John, don't let short-term gratification out weigh long-term gain." That's what my mother said to me many times and that is why I am a doctor. It is however not why I am a urologist. "Mom....this is John. I have decided to be a urologist." "Ye Gods John. Do you know what they do." Priceless and …
Continue reading "Good question! Does urgency improve after radiation? Northeast Georgia Urology"
So...A dream I had as a child was a pool with a lap lane. I love to swim and when I was younger , I was actually quite the swimmer. I rarely lost a race in any stroke. There was a boy in Columbus, Georgia who regularly beat me...but no one else. I ruled …
Continue reading "Can you get cancer if you have sex with a man who has prostate cancer?"
Superior test for prostate cancer. That's what she said! Scientists at the University of Surrey identified a protein called EN-2, which is only produced by prostate cancer cells. Studies show a test for the protein detects 60 to 70% of cancers. But the false positive rate - men who are wrongly diagnosed with cancer - …
Continue reading "The number one tweet for March 1 in regards to prostate cancer. Superior test!"
Well...it depends. First of all it will be external beam radiation. I don't know if Proton beam is used for this purpose or not; it would not be seeds because you have to have a prostate there to put them in. My understanding is that the radiation is given specifically to the bed of the where the prostate …
In general after five years of pursuing surveillance most patients are still in the program without progression. You'll see that various studies have various drop out rates, usually with no medical consequence. You'll also notice that some drop out for anxiety issues. The other most common reason for drop out would be a more unfavorable …
Continue reading "How do prostate cancer patients choosing surveillance do?"
I have a friend who is a doctor and has prostate cancer. We made the diagnosis about two years ago and he has elected to do surveillance. His level of sexual activity is improved with the addition of Androgel. He was at his internist's office for a blood pressure check yesterday and the internist was …
Continue reading "Question:I am on prostate cancer surveillance. Can I use testosterone?"
My radiation therapist colleagues often recommend hormone therapy ( although this treatment is often referred to as "hormone therapy" actually they all take away the male hormone testosterone, so it should be "anti-hormone therapy) because they feel it potentiates the effectiveness of the radiation. It is clear that it helps in the unfavorable cancers, the article …
Usually not. But there is a situation where it could be of value. But first an overview of incontinence as it pertains to the male, the sphincter, the bladder, and the body with and without a prostate. The following is an excerpt from my book and explains the caveat about an overactive bladder in the …
Prostate Diaries 