Researchers question rapid adoption of new prostate cancer treatments
Men who have an enlarged prostate often receive recommendations from their doctors to buy Flomax to treat the condition, as long as they do not have signs of prostate cancer.
Men who have an enlarged prostate often receive recommendations from their doctors to buy Flomax to treat the condition, as long as they do not have signs of prostate cancer. The disease is one of the most expensive in the U.S., and is the most common cause of death from cancer among male patients over 75 years of age, according to PubMed Health.
Approximately 180,000 men are diagnosed with the illness each year, necessitating the development of numerous treatments over the years. However, researchers from Brigham and Women's Cancer Center reveal that there may not be sufficient proof of cost-effectiveness for these drugs.
They suggested that newer and more expensive technologies to treat prostate cancer may have been adopted too readily in the U.S., long before they were proven to be effective.
"In an era of limited resources, it is important for us as a society to take stock of how we are spending our money," said lead author Paul Nguyen. "We don't think these patterns are unique to prostate cancer, but used it as an example."
Men who have the disease may benefit from speaking to a trusted physician, who may be able to prescribe effective, established remedies that have been proven to alleviate symptoms. Buying cheap medication from Canada could be a good way for these patients to save money.
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