Veterans Badly
Mistreated for Prostate Cancer at VA Hospital, Reports NY Times
92 of 116 cancer
treatments were botched during a six year period at Philadelphia unit
Dr. Gary D.
Kao is responsible for most of the errors, investigators say. (NY
Times Photo)
June 22, 2009 - For
patients with prostate cancer, it is a common surgical procedure: a
doctor implants dozens of radioactive seeds to attack the disease. But
when Dr. Gary D. Kao treated one patient at the veterans hospital in
Philadelphia, his aim was more than a little off, says the lead in a
New York Times report on Sunday, June 21.
Most of the seeds, 40
in all, landed in the patients healthy bladder, not the prostate, the
report says.
It was a serious
mistake, and under federal rules, regulators investigated. But Dr. Kao,
with their consent, made his mistake all but disappear.
Walt Bogdanich, the
Times Reporter, writes, Had the government responded more aggressively,
it might have uncovered a rogue cancer unit at the hospital, one that
operated with virtually no outside scrutiny and botched 92 of 116 cancer
treatments over a span of more than six years
Read more at the Times
on the horrible care provided U.S. veterans. It is also a warning for
all men considering prostate cancer treatment.
Click Here.
Seed implants, also called brachytherapy,
are small radioactive pellets, each about the size of a grain of
rice. The seeds are inserted into the prostate through small
needles during a brief outpatient procedure.
'Quality of the seed implant is a critical ingredient
for achieving a better outcome'
January 31, 2007 - More than ninety percent of men
who receive appropriate radiation dose levels with permanent radiation
seed implants to treat their prostate cancer are cured of their cancer
eight years after diagnosis, according to a new study.
Read more...
Prostate Cancer
The prostate is the gland below a man's
bladder that produces fluid for semen. Prostate cancer is the
third most common cause of death from cancer in men of all ages.
It is rare in men younger than 40.
Levels of a substance called prostate
specific antigen (PSA) is often high in men with prostate
cancer. However, PSA can also be high with other
prostate conditions. Since the PSA test became common, most
prostate cancers are found before they cause symptoms. Symptoms
of prostate cancer may include
>> Problems passing urine, such as pain,
difficulty starting or stopping the stream, or dribbling
>> Low back pain
>> Pain with ejaculation
Prostate cancer treatment often depends
on the stage of the cancer. How fast the cancer grows and how
different it is from surrounding tissue helps determine the
stage. Treatment may include surgery, radiation therapy,
chemotherapy or control of hormones that affect the cancer.
