Studies indicated that centers gave older people inaccurate or uneven information, leading to unneeded testing and health issues. Lung cancer screening is only suggested for high-risk patients, yet half of cancer center webpages didn’t highlight possible hazards. Say a postcard comes with a mammogram reminder. Or a primary care doctor recommends a PSA test to check for prostate cancer or instructs him to be examined for lung cancer due to his smoking. Patients seeking to be educated may go online to a cancer center to learn about screening, when, and for whom.
The US Preventive Services Task Force and medical organizations issue guidelines on who should be checked for lung, prostate, and breast cancers and how often. Three studies published in JAMA Internal Medicine found that cancer center websites seldom follow these guidelines. Some sites mentioned the advantages of screening but not the hazards. Some recommend when to start screening but not when to stop, which is essential for older people. Prostate-specific antigen testing, mammograms, colonoscopies, and CT scans are screening tests. Researchers evaluated more than 600 cancer center websites that advocated prostate screening and found that more than a quarter urged all males to be checked. More than 75 percent didn’t indicate an age to quit testing.
New Developments In Cancer Research
Cancer treatment has altered due to research. The latest:
Uterine Cancer.
Cancer of the uterus is rising, particularly among Black women. This will become the third most prevalent form among women, and research suggests it’s more likely to hit Black women and be lethal.
Blood Testing.
New blood tests that check for small fragments of DNA or proteins to diagnose cancer have garnered President Biden’s support. Supporters claim the tests can discover cancers while they’re tiny and treatable, but conclusive research on whether they can reduce cancer deaths has yet to arrive.
RELATED: Top Health Concerns Impacting Black Men & Screening Guidelines
Melanoma.
Participants who ate a lot of fish each week had a higher risk of melanoma, the most dangerous skin cancer. The surprising link between fish consumption and melanoma isn’t apparent, and the study’s principal author advised against removing fish from a balanced diet.
Rectal Cancer.
A tiny study of 18 rectal cancer patients using dostarlimab yielded a remarkable result: the cancer disappeared in every participant, invisible by physical exam, endoscopy, PET scans, or MRI scans. Experts say it’s the first time research resulted in full remission in every cancer patient.
Breast Cancer.
Trastuzumab deruxtecan, a medication that targets cancer cells with laser-like precision, slowed tumor development and extended life in metastatic breast cancer study participants. In a review of over 600 breast cancer facilities, 80 percent of those suggesting screening mammograms were at odds with recommendations. The polls revealed comparable issues on web pages about different cancer checks. The research didn’t examine whether websites said when to quit.
Preventive Services Task Force 2016 recommends screening mammograms every other year for women 50 to 74; it found inadequate evidence of benefits and dangers for those 75 and older. As long as they have a