Ripped from the Headlines - 2/1/2012
Protons are becoming increasingly popular as a primary treatment for prostate cancer, despite the fact that it costs two to three times as much as conventional therapy and has not been shown to have a better cure rate. The physics of a proton beam is different than that of an x-ray or photon beam, and based on the difference of what is known as a Bragg Peak, many doctors and their patients have hoped that the risk of complications could be reduced. Read more.
AOS physician David Brachman, MD recently appeared on KPNX Channel 12 in Phoenix to discuss the results of a new study on incidence of colon, breast, and prostate cancer. Click here to watch.
Cancer News
Skin Cancer in a Nutshell
Skin cancer is the most common form of human cancer with over 1 million new cases diagnosed annually. The annual rates are also increasng yearly... Read more.
Lifestyle and Cancer Risk
While it is true that fate or genes have much to do with the risk of cancer, a recent study confirms that about 40% of all cancers are caused by things we mostly have the power to change. Read more.
Head and Neck Cancer Mortality Improves with Education
A new study published in the Archives of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery has shown that when a person attains at least some college education, the chance of surviving a cancer of the head and neck significantly improves. This was true regardless of socioeconomic background, race, or gender. Read more.
Childhood Cancer and Radiation Therapy
The welcome announcement of a clinical trial by the Translational Genomic Research Institute (TGen) assisted by Dell to improve care of children with neuroblastoma brings welcome attention to the problem of childhood cancer. Read more.
Prostate Screening Guidelines
In October 2011, the U.S. Preventative Services Task Force released a report suggesting that testing of men with a PSA blood test for prostate cancer should no longer be considered a routine screening test. For years, as prostate cancer specialists, Arizona Oncology Service (AOS) has recommended that men have regular check ups with a digital rectal exam (DRE) and PSA to identify early cancers. We have done so because we recognized that even if the US-PSTF cannot prove that the survival is better for 100,000 men who are screened, we have seen time and time again, that for an individual man whose cancer is found in the early stages we can make a difference with relatively non-invasive cancer treatments. Read more.