New prostate probe does it all in 1 shot

StlToday.com ^ | 9-21-06 | Mary Jo Feldstein

[FairWitness]

A local company has developed a scanning system that allows physicians to more accurately detect and treat prostate cancer, a leading cause of death among men.

The new technology, introduced by Envisioneering Medical Technologies of Overland, allows physicians to generate a full 3-D image of the prostate, manipulate the image and take precise biopsies of targeted tissue.

With TargetScan 3D, physicians can obtain a better view of the prostate and more-accurate biopsy results in less time than with traditional equipment, said Robert Mills, the president of Envisioneering.

Several academic medical centers, including Washington University's School of Medicine and New York University's School of Medicine, are studying TargetScan.

- - - TargetScan 3D takes a complete image while remaining stationary, so physicians no longer have to guess if they're taking samples from a variety of locations. TargetScan 3D also displays the image on a screen and maps it out using numerical and alphabetical coordinates.

[FairWitness]

As mentioned in the full article, men have about a one in ten chance of being diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime.

I suspect that all men, as they reach "that age", dread the yearly exam (any of you that don't dread the exam, I don't want to hear about it). I, unfortunately, have gone through the full procedure with the "old" biopsy technology - it isn't any fun! As I read it this new technology won't improve the comfort level, but it should improve the accuracy of diagnosis.

The story in the paper included a picture of the probe, but that was not available online. It looked innocent enough, but still made me shudder to imagine its use.

[taxed2death]

:(.... I guess they still have to "go in through the out door".

[LS]

I went to the company website. It doesn't look too bad, sort of like a suppository that stays put for a few seconds and takes pictures. Better than probing with a finger, I'd think.

[DTogo]

That album cover of the hot nurse with the rubber glove comes to mind...

[HEY4QDEMS]

Better than probing with a finger, I'd think.

Here here!

'Hey Doc, while your up there, see if you can find my dignity'

[FairWitness]

Related article: Prostate Cancer Test Declared Useless By PSA Pioneer. From article: "The PSA test, used to screen men for detecting prostate cancer has been declared all but useless by a pioneer in the procedure. Stanford University School of Medicine professor Dr. Thomas Stamey said "The PSA era is over in the United States." Dr. Stamey and colleagues examined more than 1,300 prostate tissue samples removed by urologists at Stanford over the past 20 years. Researchers divided the data from the samples into four five-year periods between 1983 and 2004. They found a substantial decrease in the connection between PSA levels and the amount of prostate cancer over time. In the first five-year group, 43 percent had a prostate cancer relationship to PSA testing, that relationship dropped to only 2 percent in the most recent group."

How many men have had biopsies, and worse yet, surgeries or other treatments based on this flawed test?

[ThirstyMan]

One in ten are pretty good odds of getting it I'd say. I've also heard that those odds increase the longer you live until you are all but certain to get prostate cancer. I can't quote you a reference on that, but that's what I've heard.

[FairWitness]

I went to the company website. It doesn't look too bad, sort of like a suppository that stays put for a few seconds and takes pictures. Better than probing with a finger, I'd think.

Did you miss the part about taking biopsies? Little pieces of tissue from the prostate? Snip! Snip! I've been there and they done that and it is really very unpleasant.

[ThirstyMan]

"All men will get prostate cancer if they live long enough, said Dr. Stamey,"

Well that was quick. In your cited article the fact is stated!

[WideGlide]

The new technology, introduced by Envisioneering Medical Technologies of Overland, allows physicians to generate a full 3-D image of the prostate, manipulate the image

"No seriously. Who needs their prostate man-ipulated?"

[LS]

I did miss this. As I understood the probe, it used some sort of ultrasound to look for hardness, etc.

[FairWitness]

One in ten are pretty good odds of getting it I'd say. I've also heard that those odds increase the longer you live until you are all but certain to get prostate cancer. I can't quote you a reference on that, but that's what I've heard.

You have heard right. The "good news" is that, while incidence increases with age, progression of the disease generally (not always) slows down enough (from memory, so look it up if you want to be sure, above 75) so that "old age" will get you before the cancer does.

[null and void]

Nice screen name. It, uh, goes well with the photo...

[sheik yerbouty]

Ugh.."the fecal finger of fate."

[F.J. Mitchell]

I must confess that I....sure as hell dread this embarrassing and painful as hell procedure. I believe the doctor is damn near as uncomfortable with it as I am, after all, he has an annal....er, annual physical to endure too.

This new procedure sounds like very good news.

[ThirstyMan]

that picture reveals a HUGE mystery to me

[WideGlide]

You seem to be fairly knowledgeable on the subject.

[F.J. Mitchell]

believe I have heard that too, Thirsty, and also that you become more susceptible to all form of cancer with age.

[Littlejon]

I had a doctor tell me once (as I braced for the inevitable "probe") that:

"Everyone sympathises with the patient, but look at what I have to deal with!"

I replied:

"Yeah, Doc, but you CHOSE to go into this profession, so it's kinda hard to have a lot of sympathy for you!"

[null and void]

*shrug* Back when I was in Scientology, I lived in Hollywood.

Driving down Hollywood Blvd is like touring a sewer in a glass bottomed boat...