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Recent study shows more complications with alternative prostate biopsy method

In the United States, screening tests for prostate cancer are mostly done as biopsies through the rectum, but this procedure comes with a risk of infection. Technical advances are making it possible for doctors to perform a different kind of biopsy procedure in their offices, and a recent study compared the two types.

Careful! Health news headlines can be deceiving

Eye-catching media headlines are intended to snag our attention and can influence whether we decide to read, click on, or tune into a story. When it comes health and medicine, though, it's best to be careful: headlines may be written in a way that is misleading, confusing, or deceptive, so understanding the thinking behind them and focusing on the facts is important.

Preventing preeclampsia may be as simple as taking an aspirin

Preeclampsia is a complication of pregnancy that can cause serious health issues. While it can happen during any pregnancy, certain risk factors increase its likelihood. Now, a statement from the US Preventive Services Task Force supported by a review of research recommends that doctors prescribe a low-dose daily aspirin for those at risk.

Menopause and memory: Know the facts

The number of people in the US with Alzheimer's disease is expected to climb drastically over the coming decades, and two-thirds of those people will be women. Understanding factors that happen earlier in life, and how they impact the brain later, is critical for developing strategies to prevent this public health crisis. Studies are examining the ways menopause affects the brain and how to maintain memory.

Taming the chronic inflammation of psoriasis

Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory condition in which the immune system attacks the skin. It causes painful skin lesions and may also lead to psoriatic arthritis, hypertension, diabetes, chronic kidney disease, or coronary artery disease. Psoriasis treatments include topical steroids, gentle exfoliant lotions, emollients that keep the skin hydrated, ultraviolet light (phototherapy), laser therapies, vitamin A (retinoid creams), and medications (for moderate-to-severe psoriasis). People with psoriasis are encouraged to get vaccinated against COVID-19 with an mRNA vaccine (from either Pfizer or Moderna) as soon as possible, if they haven’t already done so.

If it’s not breast cancer, should you worry?

Most breast lumps are not cancerous. Some 80% of biopsies are negative. But some women develop noncancerous breast conditions that may raise their risk of a future cancer. For women with these conditions, doctors may recommend additional monitoring. This might include additional screenings, or screenings using other technology, such as MRI or breast ultrasound.

Managing prostate cancer while you wait-and-see

Men who follow either active surveillance or watchful waiting for their low-risk prostate cancer diagnosis still need to be engaged with their health while monitoring their cancer for changes. Examples include getting more exercise, losing excess weight, following a healthier diet, and managing stress. These changes may not only improve their long-term cancer outcome, but also help reduce other potentially serious health issues like heart attacks and strokes.

Study: No effect on cognitive functioning from treatments for advanced prostate cancer

Some people being treated for cancer experience problems with memory and thinking, but most of the evidence for these effects comes from women undergoing treatment for breast cancer. A recent study looked at whether men being treated for prostate cancer experienced similar effects.

When is it safe to have sex after a heart attack?

Most men can resume regular sexual activity after a heart attack once they can engage in mild-to-moderate physical activity without issues, such as 10 to 20 minutes of brisk walking or climbing one or two flights of stairs. That means no chest pain, shortness of breath, lightheadedness, or extreme fatigue with exertion.

Laser therapy can counter vaginal symptoms of menopause

The results of a small trial published online in July 2021 by the journal Menopause found that both vaginal estrogen and fractional CO2 laser therapy are effective for postmenopausal symptoms related to skin problems of the vulva and vagina.

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