Category Archives: Cancer Prevention

Why is a Pill to Prevent Breast Cancer So Hard to Swallow?

Cancer prevention is built around screening. In screening, the hope is to catch cancer at an earlier stage than it would be found otherwise and increase options for treatment and chances of cure. In some cases, screening prevents cancer — … Continue reading

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A New Diagnosis of Colon Cancer

Recently a close relative of mine was diagnosed with advanced colon cancer. The experience has been at once saddening, terrifying and sobering. Why did this happen? How did it happen? Why wasn’t it caught earlier? From an objective perspective, the … Continue reading

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New Mammogram Guidelines — My 2 Cents

In case you didn’t hear, the world ended last week. No, I’m not talking about the film “2012.” I’m talking about the latest guidelines from the United States Preventive Task Force (USPSTF) on breast cancer screening. The guidelines, which came … Continue reading

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When Your Doctor Doesn’t Follow the Guidelines

Recently my wife, who is a cancer doctor, took care of a middle-aged woman with cervical cancer. As someone whose job it is to treat cancer, my wife took at face value that the woman had cervical cancer and focused … Continue reading

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The Case of The Man With An Elevated PSA

A few week ago I tested my second patient in 14 months for prostate cancer (see http://beyondapples.org/2009/07/20/prostate-cancer-screening-the-controversy-continues/).  In many ways, he wasn’t the best candidate. At 72 years of age, he was getting close to the age the United States Preventive … Continue reading

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