Study: Cancer patients of faith more likely to get intensive treatments 

March 17, 2009

By Liz Szabo, USA TODAY

Strong religious faith can comfort people who are dying of cancer, allowing patients to find meaning in their suffering and easing their passage out of life, experts say. But faith can be a “double-edged sword,” says nurse Carol Taylor, director of the Center for Clinical Bioethics at Georgetown University. Some terminally ill patients latch on to stories of biblical miracles, hoping against hope to be cured, instead of using their little remaining time to make peace with God and loved ones.

Yet even Taylor, who has counseled many dying patients, says she was surprised by the findings of a study in today’s Journal of the American Medical Association, which examined the choices of dying cancer patients who rely strongly on their religious faith to cope with their illness. These patients were three times more likely than others to receive intensive, invasive medical procedures — such as being hooked up to a ventilator or getting cardiopulmonary resuscitation when their hearts stop — even in their last week of life, the study shows. (more…)

Prostate screening

Detecting prostate cancer earlier rather than later

There are two tests utilized to detect prostate cancer before symptoms have developed: the digital rectum exam (DRE) and a blood test often called PSA. The test is called PSA because it attempts to detect a substance produced by the prostate called prostate specific antigen. In the the DRE, a doctor feels the prostate through the rectum to find any particularly hard or lumpy areas. 

The PSA results are analyzed in a lab and reported back to your doctor. It is possible (and frequent) that men will show elevated PSA levels but do not have cancer. In addition, many men with prostate cancer can show relatively normal levels of PSA. The digital rectal exam (DRE) can also miss some cancers; both tests in combination are better in accurately detecting and assessing prostate cancer. (more…)