Attention, chocolate lovers: You may not be able to help yourselves. Swiss and British scientists have linked the widespread love of chocolate to a chemical "signature" that may be programmed into our metabolic systems.
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Obesity Hinders Prostate Cancer Detection
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WEDNESDAY, Jan. 11 (HealthDay News) -- Doctors may have more difficulty in detecting prostate cancer in obese men, which could lead to delayed diagnosis and increased risk of death, researchers say. A study led by experts at Duke University Medical Center found that doctors may be 20 percent to 25 percent less likely to identify prostate cancer in obese men. Doctors need to be aware of this and be especially thorough when examining obese men for prostate cancer, the study authors recommended. "Diagnosing prostate cancer is a bit like finding a needle in a haystack. The bigger the haystack you have, the harder it is to find the needle, and in this case, we may be missing cancers in obese men," principal investigator Dr. Stephen Freedland, an assistant professor in Duke''s department of surgery-urology, said in a prepared statement. He and his colleagues reviewed the medical records of 1,400 men who had their prostrates removed after being diagnosed with prostate cancer. The average weight of obese men''s prostate glands was 40 grams, compared to a normal weight of 20 to 30 grams. An enlarged prostate increases the risk that a biopsy will fail to detect cancer, the experts say. In addition, they note that it is more difficult to perform digital rectal exams on obese men compared with thinner men. The study appears in the February issue of the Journal of Urology. More information The American Cancer Society has more about prostate cancer.
Last Updated: Jan. 11, 2006 |