Archive for July, 2009

Testosterone Deficiency and Peyronie’s Disease

Wednesday, July 22nd, 2009

The following article details a current study relative to the cause of Peyronie’s Disease and it’s relationship to testosterone leveles. Doctors have not been able of offer any cure short of surgery in the past. This study could lead to possible cure and or preventive treatment.

Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.

As testosterone (T) has been shown to influence wound healing, and serum T declines in the age group at risk for Peyronie’s disease (PD), we explored the possibility that low serum T may be associated with PD. AIM: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between serum T concentrations and features of PD.

Medical records were reviewed for 121 consecutive patients with PD seen over a 2-year period. All patients were assessed for sociodemographic data, medical history, comorbid medical conditions, findings on physical examination, and severity of curvature. Laboratory testing included serum concentrations of total testosterone (TT) and free testosterone (FT). Testosterone deficiency (TD) was defined as TT values less than 300 ng/dL and/or FT less than 1.5 ng/dL.

Prevalence of TD in men with PD and correlation of TT and FT with severity of curvature and plaque size.

Mean patient age was 53.9 +/- 10.6 years (range 28-77). Penile curvature was 50.2 +/- 23.6 degrees (range 10-120). Mean TT was 411.6 +/- 203.6 ng/dL (range 69-877), and mean FT was 1.12 +/- 0.58 ng/dL (range 0.13-5.06). Low T was identified in 29.5% by TT alone and in 74.4% overall. Severity of curvature was greater for men with TD compared with men with normal T (54.3 vs. 37.1 degrees, P = 0.006). Men with low FT had greater penile curvature than men with normal FT (37.5 vs. 55.9 degrees, respectively, P = 0.003). Severity of penile curvature correlated significantly with FT (r = -0.314, P = 0.016) and estradiol/T (r = 0.476, P = 0.0001) but not TT (r = -0.199, P = 0.138).

This pilot study suggests a possibly important relationship between low T and PD. Further prospective studies are needed to confirm this relationship.

Written by:
Moreno SA, Morgentaler A.

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Finding a Doctor | Comments Off

Melanoma – The Warning Signs!

Saturday, July 18th, 2009

Melanoma, the deadly skin cancer, is on the rise. In the United States in 2008, there were estimated 62,480 new cases. In the same year, doctors predicted that 8,420 people would die from this cancer. Melanoma is the #6 most common malignancy in men and #7 most common in women. The ethnicity of melanoma is quite interesting, with 98.2% of cases in white patients, 1.1% in Hispanics, and 0.7% in African Americans.

So, how do you tell if a spot on your skin is a melanoma? There is no sure method. A lot of times, even doctors cannot tell a benign mole from a malignant melanoma, especially when it is still early and small. That is why dermatologists do so many shave biopsies in the office. The piece of skin is then specially stained and looked at under the microscope by pathologists to look for melanoma cells – then and only then can anyone be sure.

However, there are some helpful common sense guidelines. First, you should pay attention to your skin. Any new mole is more suspicious than one that has been around without change for years. Any mole that is very dark or grows quickly in size and thickness should sound off alarm bells. The experts do offer some helpful warning signs to look for – summarized as ABCD as follows: (A) asymmetry, (B) border irregularity, (C) color variation, and (D) diameter greater than 6mm. In men, melanoma occurs most commonly on the trunk, followed by arms, and head and neck areas. In women, it is found most commonly on the legs, followed by arms and then the trunk.

Some people are at particular high risk for developing melanoma. These patients should see a dermatologist at least once a year. High risk factors include family history of melanoma, previous skin cancer, childhood radiation, and dysplastic nevus syndrome. There is now a genetic blood test for a hereditary type of melanoma. You may consider this test for yourself or your family member if: a) you have had 3 separate melanomas, b) 3 or more members of your family have had melanoma, or c) 3 or more members of your family have had melanoma or pancreatic cancer. Unfortunately, because there is no drug proven to prevent melanoma, high risk essentially just means more vigilance and more care to avoid direct sun exposure.

Dr. Mai Brooks is a surgical oncologist/general surgeon, with expertise in early detection and prevention of cancer. More at http://www.drbrooksmd.com, and thecancerexperience.wordpress.com

Tags: , , , , ,
Posted in Finding a Doctor | Comments Off