Legislation needed to provide coverage for ED treatment after prostatectomy
Men who have developed erectile dysfunction (ED) following surgery for prostate cancer usually do not have insurance coverage for ED treatment even though their insurance policies cover surgery for prostate cancer, according to an analysis presented today at the 103rd Annual Scientific Meeting of the American Urological Association. In contrast, federal law requires that insurance companies which cover mastectomy for breast cancer treatment also cover breast reconstruction.
Erectile dysfunction (ED) is a common side effect of radical prostatectomy, though not always permanent, and almost all men experience some degree of ED following this surgery. The impact of ED on self-esteem and body image to prostate cancer patients can be as detrimental as the loss of a breast can be to a woman. However, the Women’s Health and Cancer Rights Act, passed by Congress in 1998, requires that third-party payers who cover mastectomy for breast cancer also cover the costs of breast reconstruction.
“There is compelling evidence that ED treatment leads to improved quality of life for the man and his partner,” said Ira D. Sharlip, M.D., a spokesman for the AUA. Therefore, as in the case of breast reconstruction for women, the cost of ED treatment should most certainly be covered for men.”
Acid problem common at diabetes diagnosis in kids
When first diagnosed with diabetes, roughly one in four children and teens in the US have a potentially life-threatening condition that makes their blood more acidic than normal, according to a report in the journal Pediatrics.
Known as diabetic ketoacidosis, the condition occurs when insulin levels in the body are so low that virtually no sugar is able to enter cells and provide energy. As a result, the body begins breaking down fat for energy, but this leads to the build-up of acidic chemicals called ketones into the blood. Symptoms include nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, chest pain, rapid shallow breathing, and trouble staying awake. Coma and even death can occur if the problem is not addressed expeditiously.
The key finding is that in the United States close to 30 percent of children with type 1 diabetes and 10 percent of those with type 2 diabetes have potentially life-threatening ketoacidosis at the time of diagnosis. “We expected lower rates, given the recent increase in community recognition of childhood diabetes and improvements in treatment,” lead author Dr. Arleta Rewers told Reuters Health.
Unilever says new milkshake helps control appetite
A new weight loss drink that tastes like a milkshake significantly reduces appetite and could soon join Unilever’s $400 million Slim-Fast weight-loss brand, the company’s researchers said on Wednesday.
A study showed that the drink, which works by trapping gas in foods to make people feel full, worked even better than the company’s Slim-Fast weight-loss drink, they said.
The researchers, who presented their findings at the 2008 European Congress on Obesity, said the company has patented the technology.
Rapid prostate cancer test does not ease anxiety
The stress and anxiety associated with receiving results of a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test for prostate cancer is not relieved by using rapid PSA tests, but men still prefer to have their results quickly, results of a study indicate.
Waiting for PSA results often creates anxiety for patients and their families because of the potential implications, researchers explain. Dr. Simon Wilkinson from Weiss Memorial Hospital, Chicago, Illinois and colleagues investigated whether reporting PSA results within 15 minutes of obtaining the blood sample would cause less anxiety to patients than reporting the results 1 or 4 days later.
Some statins may protect against cancer: study
High-doses of cholesterol-lowering statins that are “lipophilic”—meaning they are soluble in fats—may offer protection against cancer, according to a new study that found a significant reduction in the incidence of cancer in users of these statins.
Examples of lipophilic statins are atorvastatin (Lipitor), simvastatin (Zocor), lovastatin (Mevacor), or fluvastatin (Lescol).
Anti-cancer effects for statins have been proposed, “although original reports had actually suggested the potential opposite, pro-carcinogenic effects of statins,” Dr. Louise Pilote, of McGill University, Montreal, Canada, and colleagues note in the American Journal of Medicine. “Despite massive amounts of data, the issue remains inconclusive.”
Pilote’s team examined the association between lipophilic statin use and cancer occurrence in over 30,000 patients discharged from the hospital after treatment for heart attack in the province of Quebec. The team linked the Quebec hospital discharge summary database to the drugs claims database.
Adopted kids at increased risk for mental problems
US adolescents who were adopted as infants are about twice as likely to have a disruptive behavior disorder as their non-adopted peers, research shows.
“Although most adopted American teens are psychologically healthy, adoptees appear to be at greater risk for some behavior disorders, especially among those domestically placed,” Dr. Margaret A. Keyes told Reuters Health.
Keyes, of the department of psychology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, and colleagues analyzed the mental health of 540 non-adopted adolescents, 514 internationally adopted adolescents and 178 domestically adopted adolescents. All of the adoptees were adopted in infancy.
Nerve block cuts hot flashes after breast cancer
Blocking parts of the nervous system that regulate body temperature can reduce hot flashes and improve sleep in survivors of breast cancer, researchers reported on Thursday.
With the experimental nerve blocker therapy, the average number of hot flashes per week fell from about 80 to just 8. Very severe hot flashes were almost totally abolished and a marked drop in nighttime awakenings was also seen, according to a report in the online issue of the Lancet Oncology.
Hot flashes and sleep dysfunction are common in breast cancer survivors, particularly those who use anti-estrogen agents like tamoxifen. Conventional treatments, such as hormone therapy or herbal remedies, have proven either ineffective or have been linked to important side effects.
China girl’s legs amputated to free her from rubble
Chinese doctors amputated a teenage girl’s crushed legs on Thursday, the only way they could pull her alive from the wreckage of her school three days after an earthquake flattened swathes of the country’s southwest.
Yang Liu was trapped in what appeared to be a doorway by Monday’s massive 7.9 magnitude quake, near the top of a massive pile of bricks and concrete.
Her position likely saved her life.
Obesity tied to risk of psychiatric disorders
Obesity is a well known risk factor for certain physical health problems, but a new study suggests that heavy adults also have higher rates of psychiatric disorders.
Using data from a national health survey of more than 40,000 Americans, researchers found that obese adults were up to twice as likely to suffer from depression, anxiety and other mental health conditions as normal-weight adults.
In addition, even moderately overweight people had elevated rates of anxiety disorders, the study found.
