In Part 2, we talked about a new test developed at Washington University in St. Louis that uses biomarkers in urine to screen for kidney cancer. On the other side of the world, researchers at the University of Copenhagen have identified a different biomarker—this one in a simple blood—that may predict a person’s risk of...Continue reading
Category: Policy
Critical Health Care Issues and Obamacare
The Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, is a federal law that has an impact on every American citizen. The bill requires all of us to either have insurance or pay a penalty. If you already have health insurance, Obamacare may substantially change the type of coverage you have, the benefits you receive, and...Continue reading
Yep, There’s a Test for That, Part 2: Kidney Cancer
Kidney cancer is one of the 10 most common cancers for both men and women (although for women, it’s number 10, for men, number 7). More than 60,000 Americans (2/3 are men) are diagnosed with kidney cancer every year, and 14,000 (again, 2/3 are men) will die. The good news is that, caught early, about...
Yep, There’s a Test for That, Part 1: One Drop, Results in 90 Minutes
Remember the expression, “there’s an app for that”? That’s soooo 2014. Sure, apps are still everywhere, but new expression we’ll be hearing a lot in the years to come is, “there’s a test for that.” A new test invented by scientists at the University of Queensland (Australia) uses a single drop of fluid to detect...Continue reading
Prostate Cancer: Taking the Samadi Challenge
To test or not to test. That is the question that has sparked one of the most heated debates in medicine today. What is this? Prostate cancer and the PSA test. If you are a patient, it is like watching a heavyweight boxing match, and we are only half way through the bout. In one...Continue reading
When Sleeping Giants Awake
In the Dune miniseries by David Lynch, a tremor felt in the desert of Arrakis usually meant that a huge, quarter-mile-long sand worm would soon surface and inhale acres of sand and anything on it. But these giant creatures, as dominating as they are, were also the only source of the spice mélange, a substance that increased the vitality,...Continue reading
Sam’s Club Helps Busy Parents Keep Their Health Resolutions
According to a recent study conducted by researchers at the University of Scranton, only 8% of Americans are actually able to keep their New Year’s resolutions.* This can be particularly challenging for busy parents, many of whom make resolutions that are focused on improving their health. In an effort to help families keep their health-related...Continue reading
Playing Politics with HPV–Again
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the vast majority of a number of cancers are attributed to HPV. For girls, these include cancer of the cervix or anus (over 90%), vagina and throat (over 75%). Boys are also just as susceptible to anal and throat cancers, plus HPV causes nearly two...
A Laymen’s Guide to getting Health Insurance on the Marketplace
Whether you plan on enrolling through the Health Insurance Marketplace this year or not there are a few key points everyone should be aware of. These points include the deadline to enroll for 2015 health coverage, the Special Enrollment Period, and the penalties for anyone without coverage. Since the inception of the Affordable Care Act...Continue reading
Prostate and Breast Cancers Are More Similar Than You’d Think
It’s rare to find the words “prostate cancer” and “breast cancer” in the same sentence. After all, one (prostate cancer) affects only men. The other affects mostly women. But despite their differences, the two diseases actually have a lot in common, particularly in the way those diagnosed with either one evaluate their options and make...Continue reading
