Doctors Urge Need for ‘Common Sense Oncology

[Magnus1964]

Doctors Urge Need for ‘Common Sense Oncology’

A movement of health care professionals say the toll of many cancer treatments is out of sync with the purported benefits.

cancertodaymag.org/cancer-t...

[Fiddler2004]

What these docs have to say is so true! .... this is why we, as patients, have to stay informed and in charge of our treatments and remain focused as best we can on our life goals and QOL, not the cancer... a balance between staving off the cancer growth and attempting to live life, one day at a time, on our terms. 🙏 Thanks for sharing <3

[AlmostnoHope in reply to Fiddler2004]

I couldn't agree with you more.

[Ian99]

Hi Magnus. Thanks for posting this.

“The majority of studies now are designed to detect improvements in what’s called progression-free survival, which in the absence of living longer, essentially means controlling tumor growth [as measured] on a CT scan for a period of time.”

I can relate to this quote from the article. For the last 2.5 years my CT scan compares have shown no radiographic progression but my PSA continues to rise (now 43). Chemo not yet an option. I am pleased this treatment is in line with contemporary thinking. If you think I should be discussing anything additional with my MO, pls advise.

[treedown]

I noticed no references to specific treatments. As a concept it's great. There's so many Drs doing their own things this just kind of seems like a its in vitro to me.

[GeorgeGlass]

so true!!!

[Derf4223]

My $.02 is that it should be up to the patient and their family as to whether or not a treatment should be used, and when to stop.

[tunybgur]

I must agree here, I would question the value of biopsies where there is clearly 99% certainty of PCa.I had no physical problems although all indicators pointed to PCa.

After a biopsy I no longer enjoyed a full night's sleep and am constantly having accidents. I am up every 2 hours at night with the call of nature, I feel completely washed out....

The MRI and DRE were clearly showing

PCa, was this biopsy really necessary?

[AlmostnoHope in reply to tunybgur]

They won't treat you without a for.al diagnosis which requires a biopsy. It's the guys that are talked into 3 or more biopsies I feel sorry for.

[vintage42]

I think a Gleason score is needed for treatment decisions, and that requires a biopsy.

[j-o-h-n]

Doctors are not magicians........ and magicians are not doctors.......so I'll stick to coin flipping...

Good Luck, Good Health and Good Humor.

j-o-h-n

[Cancer2x in reply to j-o-h-n]

Remember … Although most doctors treat according to validated medical studies, we need to keep in mind that “MD” does NOT stand for “Medical Diety”.

[j-o-h-n in reply to Cancer2x]

So true.................... maybe Muff Diver?

Good Luck, Good Health and Good Humor.

j-o-h-n

[Cancer2x in reply to j-o-h-n]

Only the Gynocologists, methinks.

[Cygnus52]

Much needed. In my several decades as a medical writer/reporter, my most depressing interviews were those I conducted with Big Pharma executives, who very clearly almost always put profits ahead of patients. Prescription drug sales have more than doubled since the 1990s, but you have to put a lot of lipstick on the pig to show any meaningful mortality benefit from this. With 90 per cent of all oncology trials now being funded by those with an enormous vested interest in matching research results with marketing targets, we have an enormous problem.