Urology
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Comparative Study
Measuring quality of life in men with prostate cancer using the functional assessment of cancer therapy-prostate instrument.
As the incidence of prostate cancer in the United States exceeds 330,000 in 1997, increasingly more men are faced with treatment choices for which there is no clear approach. At every stage of disease, these treatment choices may involve clinically equivalent modalities that differ in side effects and impact upon quality of life (QOL). Comprehensive, yet efficient, questionnaires are needed to measure QOL in patients with prostate cancer. ⋯ Our findings support use of the FACT-P as a meaningful component of QOL evaluation in men undergoing therapy for prostate cancer.
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Comparative Study
Color Doppler ultrasound criteria to diagnose varicoceles: correlation of a new scoring system with physical examination.
Color Doppler ultrasound (CDU) diagnostic criteria for varicoceles are poorly defined, and the role of CDU in diagnosing varicoceles is controversial. The purpose of this study is to assess the diagnostic accuracy of CDU for varicoceles compared to physical examination. ⋯ Using the proposed new scoring system, CDU has been shown to be a reliable and accurate method of diagnosis for varicoceles compared to the current reference standard physical examination. CDU has the advantages of being able to objectively examine venous plexus and measure blood flow parameters and to be less observer-dependent than physical examination.