PSA is prostate specific antigen, a protein made by prostate cells that shows up in your blood with a PSA blood test. PSA levels increase with prostate cancer, so PSA has been used as a screening test for prostate cancer for many years. A cancer screening test is a test … Read More
Finding a lump is frightening—no matter where it is. Swollen lymph nodes are your body’s way of telling you that something’s wrong. Usually, they’re alerting you to a mild infection or illness. Once your immune system has fought the pesky invader, your lymph nodes will shrink back to their normal … Read More
If your doctor has determined that you’re experiencing prostate cancer symptoms and that your otherwise normal PSA levels are elevated, he likely will order a biopsy of tissue from the prostate gland. Your doctor may elect to biopsy your prostate based on whether or not you have possible symptoms of … Read More
Despite the fact that there are roughly 221,000 new cases of prostate cancer diagnosed in American men each year, many of them have no prostate cancer symptoms. In these asymptomatic men, prostate cancer is often detected during routine screening with tests such as a digital rectal exam, urinalysis, and possibly … Read More
The vast majority of prostate cancers originate in the glandular cells of the prostate and are called adenocarcinomas. Prostate cancer is second only to skin cancer as the most common cancer seen in men in the United States. While most men do not die from prostate cancer, it is the … Read More
The liver doesn’t actually contain nerves, so the organ itself can’t feel pain. Even so, the sensation of liver pain can occur because the layer of tissue that surrounds the organ—it’s called Glisson’s Capsule—does contain nerves. Any diseases affecting the liver that increase its size can result in what feels … Read More
A relatively easy procedure, blue light therapy has successfully treated multiple conditions, including cancer, actinic keratosis (a type of superficial skin cancer), and acne. More commonly known as photodynamic therapy (PDT), blue light therapy works often as well as surgery or radiation therapy. Plus, it doesn’t cause awful side-effects. What … Read More
More than 26,000 people in the United States—approximately 16,000 men and 10,000 women—are diagnosed with stomach cancer every year, according to the American Cancer Society (ACS), and nearly 11,000 die from it. The cancer develops for unknown reasons and can be difficult to diagnose early, because its symptoms mimic those … Read More
Do sounds become muffled when you’ve got a cold? Does your ear feel blocked after a long swim? Sounds like you’re suffering from clogged ear, an annoying condition that can make hearing a challenge. While a clogged ear can indicate an ear infection, it could also be a sign of … Read More
In 2013, actress Angelina Jolie announced that she had both of her breasts removed after genetic testing indicated she was at increased risk of breast cancer. Her announcement came about five years after actress Christina Applegate underwent a double mastectomy after being diagnosed with early-stage cancer in one breast. Media … Read More
