Men's Health News Roundup
October 14, 2015

Welcome to the ASMH's News Roundup, a new source of information that focuses on the science and practice of men's health. Every other week we highlight the most notable and important developments in men's health, keeping you informed about this emerging and fast-moving area of practice.

Dennis J. Barbour, JD, Editor

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Welcome to the American Society for Men's Health Men's Health News Roundup, a new membership benefit. On a biweekly basis, the Roundup brings you the latest information you need to know about men's health.

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Martin Miner, MD
President, ASMH

Prostate cells undergo 'reprogramming' to form tumors, study finds

Scientists have gained a key insight into how prostate tumors get their start - not by rewriting the normal DNA code, but by reprogramming the master regulator of genes in prostate cells to drive malignant growth.
AAAS, October 12, 2015
"Condoms are pretty much awful": So why isn't there something better for men?

Three state-of-the-art birth control methods for women  have annual pregnancy rates below   1 in 500 , and the user doesn't have to think about them for years at a time. By contrast, the best option available to men (short of sterilization) has an annual pregnancy rate of about 1 in 6 and has to be rolled onto an erect penis during each sexual encounter. A new generation of researchers would like to change that - but change takes money.   
Salon, October 10, 2015
New study sheds light on emotional side effects of prostate cancer treatment
A new study has shed light on the effects of prostate cancer treatment on a patient's emotions.

Androgen deprivation therapy is commonly used as treatment for prostate cancer. The physical side-effects of the treatment are well known, but less was known about the psychological effects. Lisa Dawn Hamilton, an assistant professor of psychology at Mount Allison University, recently co-authored a study looking at those impacts. "No one was really telling these men that they might have emotional side effects as well. So we were interested in looking at the emotion, so their shifts in mood that they experienced and also, what their partners experienced, but also how it affected their relationships and their sexual lives," says Hamilton.
CTV, October 8, 2015


5 Truths About Male Menopause Every Man Should Know Isn't it time for us to start talking openly about it?

When it comes to aging, women speak freely about menopausal mood swings, thinning hair, hot flashes, exhaustion, weight gain, etc. But women aren't the only ones who have to deal with hormonal changes as they age. Many men suffer from andropause -- frequently referred to as male menopause -- which occurs when their hormone production drops. Huff/Post50 spoke to  Dr. David Borenstein , an integrative medicine doctor, about the reasons why there is less transparency about andropause.
Huffington Post, October 8, 2015
Researchers able to make accurate predictions 70 percent of time in study of twins

Scientists are reporting that they've linked the way genes in certain regions of the human genome work to influence sexual orientation in males.
HealthDay, October 8, 2015

Despite efforts by lawmakers and manufacturers to protect workers and provide safe working environments, the risk of bladder cancer is still rising in certain industries, a new study finds. Most cases of this common form of cancer develop following exposure to carcinogens that are inhaled, ingested or come into contact with the skin, the researchers explained.
HealthDay, October 8, 2015
 
Gay and bisexual men were up to six times more likely than straight men to use indoor tanning devices and to experience skin cancer while lesbian and bisexual women were about half as likely as straight women to do either, researchers found.
"Unfortunately, we weren't able to directly prove a link between indoor tanning and an increased risk of skin cancer," said Dr. Matthew Mansh, who did the research while he was a medical student at Stanford University in California.
Reuters, October 7, 2015

After fat reduction, penis enlargement is the preferred cosmetic procedure of American men.
Independent, October 6, 2015
The length of time of testosterone treatment, as well as number of injections, did not have any effect on prostate cancer after men had been diagnosed.

"Given the slow growth of prostate cancer development, this investigation offers novel and important information to physicians, patients and the general public," said Dr. Jacques Baillargeon, a professor at the University of Texas Medical Branch, in a press release. "This study's findings offer important information regarding the risk-benefit assessment for men with testosterone deficiency who are considering treatment."
UPI, October 5, 2015
International agreement on MRI-scans 'likely to change how we detect prostate cancer'
The standards of how to acquire and report the scans are published in the peer-reviewed journal, European Urology

International radiological bodies* have agreed on a standard for how doctors evaluate MRI to confirm a diagnosis of prostate cancer. This promises to reduce the number of over diagnosis of insignificant cancers by to up to 89%. The new procedure also allows radiologists to identify up to 13% more life-threatening tumors than current procedures. The standards of how to acquire the MR-images and how to report them are published ** in the peer-reviewed journal, European Urology, the journal of the European Association of Urology.
AAAS, October 2, 2015
McMaster gets $5M to test prostate cancer vaccine

Hamilton researchers are attempting to create a prostate cancer vaccine that would use viruses to destroy cancer cells and trigger an immune response. Funded primarily by a $5-million grant from popular fundraiser  Movember and  Prostate Cancer Canada, the vaccine will be manufactured in Hamilton and Ottawa and tested on patients who currently have no other course of treatment.
The Spec, October 1, 2015
"Die young, as late as possible": Movember unveils colourful awareness campaign

A month before thousands of men across the country start to hipsterise in aid of charity Movember has unveiled its latest awareness campaign, and created a challenge to get women more involved in the event. The colourful new campaign has been created by Melbourne based agency Urchin for the charity, which encourages men to get sponsored to grow a moustache, is centred around the theme of  "die young, as late as possible."
Mumbrella, October 1, 2015
Mouse Study Hints at New 'Male Contraceptive'
Discovery could lead to a reversible, non-hormonal form of birth control for men, scientists say

A discovery in mice could pave the way to a reversible, non-hormonal form of birth control for men, researchers report. The findings, published online Oct. 1 in the journal Science, add to efforts to develop the elusive "male pill" -- that is, a reliable but temporary form of contraception for men.
HealthDay, October 1, 2015
New prostate cancer treatments could target metabolism

Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed malignancy and second leading cause of cancer-related deaths among men in the U.S. The challenge with prostate cancer is that the standard treatment methods in the advanced stage of the disease lose effectiveness after about one to two years, leading to recurrence and, ultimately, death. A University of Houston researcher and his team are working to change that.
Medical Xpress, September 30, 2015
The UK Just Got Its First Men-Only Mental Health Center

Deeply concerned by the prevalence of male suicide, Alex Eaton, founder of  the Eaton Foundation, decided to take the issue into his own hands. Earlier this month he opened the first male-only mental health center in the country. "It's important to have a male-only center, because men find it hard to talk about their feelings. It's that age-old thing of men being macho," says Eaton. "Having a men's center is a very simple concept. I'm surprised we're the first of its kind."
Vice, September 29, 2015
New global educational initiative helps men identify symptoms of advanced prostate cancer

The survey is the largest of its kind conducted to date in this setting. Commissioned by the International Prostate Cancer Coalition (IPCC) with the support of Bayer HealthCare, the global results from the 10-country International Prostate Cancer Symptoms Survey reaffirm findings from the U.S. arm released earlier this year. The results have shaped a global educational initiative from Bayer called  Men Who Speak Up   ( www.MenWhoSpeakUp.com ), which helps pinpoint the symptoms of advanced prostate cancer and empowers men and their loved ones to have important conversations at the right time and with the right people.
News Medical, September 29, 2015

The American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE) has issued a position statement on the use of testosterone-replacement therapy in response to the US Food and Drug Administration's announcement   earlier this year  regarding cardiovascular effects of testosterone, placing more emphasis on potential benefits and emphasizing the uncertainty about the FDA's advice.

The statement is published  in the September issue of Endocrine Practice  by the AACE Reproductive Endocrinology Scientific Committee, led by Neil Goodman, MD, of the University of Miami, Florida.
Medscape Multispecialty, September 29, 2015
For Black Gay Men, HIV Is a Perfect Storm

Gay men make up only 1.4 percent of the total black population in the U.S., yet they account for an astounding 53 percent of new HIV infections in the black community. And while new HIV infection rates have decreased among black women and injecting drug users, infections continue to rise among black gay and bisexual men. In addition, although gay men are 40 times more likely to get HIV than the general population, that figure rises sharply to 72 times more likely among black gay men.
Advocate, September 28, 2015
White Men Have Less Life Stress, But Are More Prone To Depression Because Of It

When people talk about the black-white health gap, they usually mean that black people have worse health outcomes than white people. And generally, that's true. On basically every measure, from  childbirth to hypertension to HIV transmission rates, the black community fares worse. But there's one area where this gap doesn't hold up: men's mental health.  White men are more likely to face depression associated with stressful life events than black men or women of any race, according to a recently published study in the Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities.
Huffington Post, September 24, 2015
Prostate Cancer: Is It Time to Retire the Gleason Score?

A European group has just published outcomes based on this PGG system,
[2] and it fits nicely. Those many patients with low grades who may not need radical therapy will stand a better chance of notreceiving radical therapy with new low-sounding numbers. And, by the way, how did "watchful waiting" as a good way to handle those prostate "cancers"-which, from histology, seem like they would behave as indolentomas-morph so quickly into "active surveillance"? My guess is that it is very hard to bill a patient, Medicare, or an insurance company for just letting the patient watch and wait.
Medscape Multispecialty, September 24, 2015
Some Prostate Cancer Patients May Not Benefit From Hormone Therapy
Analysis found men with heart disease might live longer when treated with radiation alone

Men with prostate cancer who also have had a heart attack may fare better with radiation therapy alone rather than with the standard treatment of radiation plus hormone therapy, a new analysis suggests.
HealthDay, September 22, 2015
WHY A SOCIETY FOR MEN'S HEALTH?

Men's health is a multidisciplinary area of medical and health care practice, spanning a wide range of medical specialties and health disciplines. Yet, in 2012, no one national professional organization existed to promote men's health in clinical practice. 

The American Society for Men's Health was founded in 2012 in response to that need and is dedicated to the rapidly growing field of men's health. The mission of ASMH is to promote education, research and teaching related to the unique health care needs of males from adolescence to the end of life.  ASMH is dedicated to identifying and promoting collaboration amongst health specialties and disciplines. This mission is accomplished through public and health care provider education, promotion of research, and advocating for public policies that address the unique health care needs of males.


Visit us at  www.ASMHnet.org

The  Men's Health News Roundup  is produced by the American Society for Men's Health and is released every other week.  For more information contact Dennis J. Barbour, Esq. Men's Health News Roundup editor and President/CEO of the Partnership for Male Youth, at  dbarbour@partnershipformaleyouth.org
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