Day: September 10, 2026

Should I or shouldn’t I? That’s the question that men face when it comes to being screened for prostate cancer. According to the National Health Institute statistics, 11.6 percent of men will have prostate cancer at some point in their lives. As with all cancers, prevention and early detection is key. Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) testing has been an area of controversy in the medical community. This test measures the levels of PSA in the blood. The higher the level of PSA, the bigger the chance there is of having prostate cancer.

The United States Preventative Services Task Force has advised against PSA testing for prostate cancer because of concerns that it can lead to over-treatment. They also argue that it’s not an effective screening method. A review published in the Annals of Internal Medicine is calling that guideline into question as they are presenting new evidence that PSA testing does, in fact, lower the risk of mortality from prostate cancer.

They analyzed two major studies that argue against PSA screening using a new mathematical model. They measured the results against a control group of men who received no screening. With the new mathematical model, they showed that the screening reduced the risk of mortality by 25 to 32 percent. They are now saying that the guidelines about PSA screening should go under review considering the new findings.

One of the senior researchers, Ruth Etzioni, states that, even if the guidelines get revised, the decision about PSA screening will continue to be an individual one for men as the other factors that argue against PSA screening will still exist.

Source:
Tsodikov A, et al. “Reconciling the Effects of Screening on Prostate Cancer Mortality in the ERSPC and PLCO Trials.” Annals of Internal Medicine. doi: 10.7326/M16-2586

Sleeping beside someone who snores can be a challenge. The sounds of snoring is unmistakable – the often loud, harsh, or hoarse noise that vibrates well into the night could be a sign of sleep apnea. Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a condition where a person’s breathing frequently pauses during sleep. One of the most noticeable symptoms of OSA is snoring – loudly. Other symptoms may include feeling tired after a full night’s sleep, sleep deprivation, insomnia, as well as weight gain and fatigue.

One of the most common methods used to diagnose sleep apnea is a sleep study, which may require an overnight stay at a sleep center. The sleep study monitors eye movement, muscle activity, heart rate, sleep state, airflow, and blood oxygen levels.  

The treatment of choice for OSA is the continuous positive airway pressure device otherwise known as CPAP. CPAP is a mask that fits over the nose and/or mouth and gently blows air into the airway to help keep it open during sleep. Treatment may vary depending on the severity of the sleep apnea. Milder cases may be addressed with lifestyle changes such as:

• Losing weight

• Avoiding alcohol

• Quit smoking

• Exercise

• Sleeping on your side

Even though snoring is a huge indicator, not everyone with OSA snores.  Speak to a health care provider to find out if CPAP or other treatments will work for you. Adopting healthy sleep habits is always a good idea such as sleeping in a dark, cool room and going to bed at the same time each night.