Testicular Cancer Incidence RisesRenal & Urology NewsIncidence rates of testicular germ cell tumors have been increasing among young Hispanics in the United States, according to research published online ahead of print in Cancer. A team led by Rebecca H. Johnson, M.D., of Seattle Children's Hospital, analyzed data from the National Cancer Institute's Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results Program. The annual incidence of testicular germ cell tumors among Hispanics aged 15-39 years increased significantly from 7.18 cases per 100,000 in 1992 to 11.34 cases per 100,000 in 2010 (a 58 percent increase).

Enzyme May Halt Tumor Growth in Kidney CancerMedical News TodayResearchers in the US have discovered an enzyme called FBP1 - already known to be important for controlling metabolism in cells - plays a surprising role in switching genes on and off in kidney cancer. They suggest the enzyme may be key to halting tumor growth in clear cell renal cell carcinoma, the most common kidney cancer.

Study: Erectile Dysfunction Rate in Young Troops is Way Above AverageNBC NewsOne third of male troops aged 40 and younger revealed to researchers in a new study that they experience erectile dysfunction. The findings, posted online at the Journal of Sexual Medicine, used data from a fall 2013 study of 367 male military personnel. Within that group, the servicemen collectively acknowledged an ED rate of 33 percent, according to the published paper. For civilian guys in the same age range, the ED rate is 7 percent, said report co-author Sherrie Wilcox, a research assistant professor at the University of Southern California.

Gill Performs First Robotic-Assisted Operation in California With New SystemHealth CanalKeck Medical Center of USC urologic surgeon Inderbir Gill has performed the first robotic-assisted procedure in California using the latest, minimally invasive surgical system. The procedure used the new Xi robot that gives surgeons greater dexterity, precision and ability to remove cancerous tissue in all quadrants of the abdomen and chest because of its smaller arms. In addition, surgeons have a larger operating field in which to work, leading to better maneuverability without having to reposition the robot as frequently throughout the procedure.

Medical Errors 3rd Leading Cause of Death, Senators ToldHealthLeaders MediaThe Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's role in quality of care should be greatly expanded to reduce many more types of patient harm, several leading healthcare quality leaders told members of the Senate Subcommittee on Primary Health and Aging. "There's no reason to think what [the CDC] has been able to do around [healthcare-associated infections] they can't do in other areas like venous thromboembolism and medication errors, and they can partner with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration," said Ashish Jha, M.D., founder of the Initiative on Global Health quality at the Harvard School of Public Health.

US Medicare Program Scales Back Hospice Drugs RestrictionsReutersThe Obama administration backed down on restrictions of private insurance coverage for hospice drugs under Medicare, saying the regulations were preventing some terminally ill patients from having access to medicine. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services said it would now require prior approval for coverage of only four categories of drugs: analgesics, anti-nauseants, laxatives and anti-anxiety drugs. In a regulation announced in March, the government had required prior approval for all hospice drugs under the Medicare Part D prescription drug benefit.

ACGME Chief Sees 'Huge' Risk of Error in Proposed Assistant Physician LicensureHealthLeaders MediaMissouri doctors are pushing for a new physician workforce to help solve the state's dire physician shortage. And to put it mildly, Thomas Nasca, M.D., CEO of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education doesn't like the idea one bit. Nasca runs the organization that oversees accreditation of 9,300 U.S. residency programs in the U.S. and another 1,000 international programs that assure a steady supply of doctors.

The Doctor Will Click on You Now, but Can She Feel Your Pain in an E-Visit?BloombergHealth insurers want you to see the doctor, just not in an office or hospital. To cut medical costs and diagnose minor ailments, WellPoint Inc. and Aetna Inc., (AET), among other health insurers, are letting millions of patients get seen online first. In a major expansion of telemedicine, WellPoint this month started offering four million patients the ability to have e-visits with doctors, while Aetna says it will boost online access to eight million people next year from three million now.

Fine-Tune Your Practice With Smart MarketingFiercePracticeManagementYour office schedule is jam-packed, with new patients waiting weeks or months for an appointment. If you don't necessarily need to generate more business, should you invest in marketing your practice? Yes, Keith Borglum, a practice management consultant, appraiser and broker, writes in Medical Economics. Especially as the insurance landscape grows more complex, marketing that connects with the right people can help you earn more money for the same amount of work.