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Study: Annual prostate cancer test doesn't save livesResearchers have found more evidence that annual prostate cancer screening, called PSA test, in men doesn't save lives. Scientists followed 76,000 men for 10 to 13 years and found annual screening for prostate cancer led to more diagnoses but didn't result in less deaths from the disease, according to a new study from the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. Last October, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommended against routine PSA screenings for most men because of similar concerns about the accuracy of screening using a blood test that measures a protein called prostate-specific antigen or PSA. Dr. Otis Brawley, the chief medical officer for the American Cancer Society said the harms of screening are better proved than the benefits,which is why he supports the USPSTF recommendations. A substantial number of men receive unnecessary treatment because of the annual tests,which can lead to harms such as impotence and incontinence and can even lead to premature death, he wrote. FULL POST Fewer U.S. babies being born early, report saysWhen it comes to babies being carried to full term, the United States is improving, according to the most recent March of Dimes report card. This year the U.S. achieved a C grade, a grade higher than the D grade of 2010. Each year, the March of Dimes compares each state's pre-term birth rate with the goal birth rate. The report says 40,000 fewer babies were born prematurely in the U.S. between 2006 and 2009. "We set a goal of 9.6 % by 2020, and it's a realistic goal we can get to and it would be a tremendous accomplishment," says Douglas A. Staples, senior vice president of strategic marketing and communications for the March of Dimes. This year the state of Vermont was the only state to achieve that goal. The current nationwide rate is 12.2 percent. Measles cases at 15 year high in U.S.There have been 220 cases of measles so far this year in the United States, more than triple the usual 60 to 70 cases per year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Europe had more than 26,000 cases reported from January through July of this year, with nine deaths, according to the World Health Organization. So far, no deaths have been reported in the United States this year. The CDC found of the 220 reported U.S. cases 87% of the people infected didn't get the vaccine, while the other 13% were too young to get it. Most of these cases were people who traveled overseas to Western Europe, Africa or Asia. Even though 91.5% of the U.S. population is immunized, those who are not, are putting themselves and others at risk, says Patsy Stinchfield Director of the Infection Disease Department at Children's Hospital and Clinics of Minnesota. Two-doses of the measles vaccine is estimated to be 98-99% effective at preventing the disease and provide lifelong immunity. For those who are unvaccinated and exposed to measles, they can be expected to get measles at a rate on the order of 90% or higher, according to the CDC. Some adults are not vaccinated by choice or because they don't realize they haven't been vaccinated. When it comes to teens and children, 72% aren't immunized because of their parents religious beliefs or personal reasons, according to the CDC. What parents don't realize is that "measles is one of the leading causes of death among young children," says Stinchfield and she adds that measles can be misinterpreted as simply a bad case of the flu. Children can suffer the consequences of severe measles infection for years before they die from the disease. Brain inflammation and neurological problems are far more likely if a child gets measles disease. Encephalitis or inflammation of the brain can lead to permanent neurological problems. Cancer spurred Cain to go 'bigger and bolder'Herman Cain took some hits in Tuesday's CNN Republican presidential debate, but so far the biggest opponent he has ever faced appears to be cancer – a battle he says he has won. In 2006, the former Godfather's Pizza CEO says, he was given a 30% chance of survival against his stage 4 colon cancer. It started when Cain experienced discomfort in his lower belly, according to a letter written earlier this year by one of his physicians, Dr. Martin York of Peachtree Hematology-Oncology Consultants in Atlanta. The results of his colonoscopy showed stage 4 colon cancer that had spread to his liver. According to York's letter, Cain was treated in Atlanta with four cycles of chemotherapy before he underwent surgery to remove the cancer from his liver and colon at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. The liver is one of the most common organs for colon cancer to spread to, says Dr. Cathy Eng, one of Cain's doctors at M. D. Anderson. Following Cain's surgery, he received six more cycles of chemotherapy, finishing his treatment in January of 2007, according to Cain's book "This is Herman Cain." Now more than five years later, his doctor says he's still cancer free. Drug fights chemo-related bone loss in older womenAn osteoporosis drug can protect women from potential bone loss due to breast cancer-fighting drugs, according to a new study. Use of the bone drug zoledronic acid, made by the drug company Novartis, was found to be effective only in postmenopausal women. "It's probably not going to work for women who are premenopausal," says lead study author Dr. Adam Brufsky. "You should know about your bone health after getting breast cancer therapy and talk to your doctor about it." Inside Peyton Manning's surgeryThe Indianapolis Colts will be playing without their star quarterback on Sunday, after Peyton Manning underwent surgery for a neck injury on Thursday. Manning had started every game in his 13-year career. Colts president Bill Polian told SI.com Thursday afternoon that doctors believe there's a chance Manning, 35, could return to playing football again this year. Erectile dysfunction: The leading indicator of heart disease in menEditor's note: Dr. Sanjay Gupta explores the signs, tests and lifestyle changes that could make cardiac problems a thing of the past on "The Last Heart Attack," Saturday, August 27, 8 and 11 p.m. ET. Dr. Dean Ornish who designed a diet and lifestyle to reverse heart disease will be live with CNNHealth to answer your questions. He will answer your questions Thursday, August 18, at noon EST. Follow #LastHeartAttack on Twitter and Tweet your questions to @CNNhealth or ask them in the comment section here. What's the leading indicator of heart disease for men? It's a surprising answer that affects at least 30 million men in the United States but most men don't talk about, according to the National Institute of Health. The answer is erectile dysfunction, difficulty maintaining an erection sufficient for sex. "I would say that erectile dysfunction is the canary in the coal mine," says Dr. Terry Mason a urologist and chief medical officer at Cook County Hospitals in Chicago. "When men begin to have erectile dysfunction it's a sign that there's more widespread disease and not just for the heart but throughout all the blood vessels in the body." Unhealthy living may age your brainVascular risk factors such as high blood pressure, smoking, diabetes, and obesity may cause the brain to age faster, possibly 10 years faster, according to a study published Monday in the journal Neurology. Researchers found people with these risks factors had smaller brains and had diminished brain function later in life. "Vascular risk factors affect our brain's and our ability to think even in middle life and we need to focus on treating these things if we are going to have a healthy mind and body," says study author Dr. Charles DeCarli. Eating healthy and exercising are important but if you develop hypertension and if you develop diabetes, the most important thing is to treat them, he adds. Water frogs linked to illness in young kidsFrogs might be cute to look at but they might be hazardous to your children's health, which is why The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is warning parents to keep young kids away from water frogs and their habitats. At least 241 people in the United States were sickened after being infected with Salmonella from African dwarf frogs. More than two-thirds of the ill were under age 10, and 30 percent of those infected were hospitalized, according to the CDC. Health officials say these frogs are not safe pets for children under 5 years old. "People need to be aware that these water frogs as well as other amphibians and reptiles can carry salmonella that can make people sick," says Dr. Casey Barton Behravesh, an epidemiologist at the CDC. "In this particular outbreak there is a unique strain that has been linked with African frogs associated with a single facility," she adds. Study: Bladder cancer patients get 'crummy care'Patients with aggressive non-invasive bladder cancer aren't getting the care they need, according to a study published Monday in the online journal Cancer. Researchers at UCLA's Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center found 99% of patients with high-grade bladder cancer that had not reached the muscle weren't getting the recommended follow-up care. According to medical billing records from 4,545 patients, only one patient got the recommended cancer care says Dr. Karim Chamie, lead author of the study. He says he considered every recommended treatment regimen and was very lenient and inclusive as to how doctors interpreted specific treatment and surveillance options. |
About this blog
Get a behind-the-scenes look at the latest stories from CNN Chief Medical Correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, Senior Medical Correspondent Elizabeth Cohen and the CNN Medical Unit producers. They'll share news and views on health and medical trends - info that will help you take better care of yourself and the people you love. |
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