cervical cancer vaccine

Here is a question and answer format that seems straight down the middle.
It's 15 US a year to use this very worthwhile site.

Prostate cancer

Listen to a lecture downloaded from McGill by a urologist. First he declared that he was involved with various drug companies. Later he talk about a particular biphosphonate by name - alarm bells for me. How can they possibly think they aren't influenced by these payments. I belive they don't have to declare unless the sum is above 40 odd grand. How would they feel if a judge was receiving money from their in a court case?

Anyway he talked of the a contolled trial which he said had methodological problems but did show a reduction in deaths from prostate cancer. Then he mentioned rather briefly that there was no over all mortality benefit. Then he told us that there was also a reduction in bony metastases. Then he launched into pretty much promoting aggressive treatments for most prostate cancer - the younger the more aggressive of course.

Then I came across this

Symptoms Worsen After Surgery
Now for the question of quality of life. It's certainly possible that a prostatectomycould improve a man's life without prolonging it. Consequently, the Swedish research team sent questionnaires to the 326 men who had symptoms at the start of the study to see how they fared four years later. The percentage of men suffering the following symptoms was consistently higher among the surgically treated, as compared to the untreated: impotence (80% vs 45%), "distress from compromised sexuality" (55% vs 40%), urinary leakage (49% vs 21%), "distress from all urinary symptoms"(27% vs 18%).

He was very keen on the PSA. There will be some double blind trials coming out that may tell us the goods - they will probably make the grey a little clearer. Even though he acknowledges the problems with PSA he is into it - big time.

Does anyone remember radical mastectomies and how long it took to stop surgeons doing them even when the evidence was in that they did major harm with no benefit.

I met a friend of a friend the other day. He has an enlarge prostate and a PSA of 4. What would you do? It may be coming my way this problem as my dad died of it. What will I do?

Here in the BMJ is an impressive review with some interesting rapid response.

Can not put url in for some some reason - go to BMJ and search for

Clinically localised prostate cancer

Protopic and Elidel: Eczema Drugs Have a Cancer Risk

Early this year, the Food and Drug Administration issued a warning about two prescription topical creams for the common skin disease, eczema. Both Elidel and Protopic must now include written material for professionals and patients that warns of a cancer risk based on “information from animal studies, case reports in a small number of patients, and knowledge of how drugs in this class work.”

Though the warning says, “a small number” of people who have used the products “have had cancer (for example, skin or lymphoma),” evidence from the FDA’s own reporting system indicates that this may be an understatement. Pretty alarming for drugs that are applied to the skin, primarily for young children. Doubly so, considering the fact that less than 10% of all serious adverse drug reactions are reported to the FDA.

Incidentalomas???

Cancers That Do Not Kill: Prevalent and Usually Treated Aggressively

If doctors look hard enough, they will find abnormalities. The problem has escalated with improved imaging techniques like ultrasound and scans that allow them to find tiny cancers and precancerous lesions that, in another era, were not seen beyond the autopsy table. Many, if not most, are inconsequential, but no test can definitively sort out the minority that merit treatment. A lot of unnecessary aggressive treatment is the unhappy result.

New Cervical Cancer Vaccine Should Not Be Mandatory

Concerns re placebo used in vaccine trials contained aluminium.

Prostate Cancer - a detailed guide.

Go here

and here

and here

Oncology nurse blog

I am an oncology nurse who loves to write about my odd life. All comments are welcome.
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