<p><span style="color: #000000;">In this "Ask Me Anything" (AMA) episode, Peter and Bob dive deep into cancer screening, including why it's important, what you need to know about a test, and Peter's approach with patients. They specifically discuss various screening methods, explain important terms like sensitivity and specificity, and how layering and stacking different tests in tandem can improve predictive values. They conclude with a discussion on one of the more exciting screening tools, diffusion-weighted MRI, and how it's changing the cancer screening landscape.</span><span style="color: #333333;"><br /> <br /></span><span style="color: #201f1e;">If you're not a subscriber and listening on a podcast player, you'll only be able to hear a preview of the AMA. If you're a subscriber, you can now listen to this full episode on your <a href="https://peterattiamd.com/members/private-podcast-feed/">private RSS feed</a> or on our website at the <a href="http://peterattiamd.com/ama25">AMA #25 show notes page</a>. If you are not a subscriber, you can learn more about the subscriber benefits <a href="https://peterattiamd.com/subscribe/">here</a>.</span><span style="color: #333333;"><br /> <br /></span><span style="color: #201f1e;">We discuss:</span><span style="color: #333333;"><br /></span></p> <ul> <li><span style="color: #201f1e;">The importance of cancer screening [1:15];</span><span style="color: #333333;"><br /></span></li> <li><span style="color: #201f1e;">Cancer screening terms: sensitivity, specificity, false positives, and false negatives [8:25];</span><span style="color: #333333;"><br /></span></li> <li><span style="color: #201f1e;">Cancer screening terms: positive and negative predictive value [17:00];</span><span style="color: #333333;"><br /></span></li> <li><span style="color: #201f1e;">Improving predictive value by layering tests, and the predictive values of mammograms [25:45];</span><span style="color: #333333;"><br /></span></li> <li><span style="color: #201f1e;">How smoking impacts the predictive value of cancer screening [30:45];</span><span style="color: #333333;"><br /></span></li> <li><span style="color: #201f1e;">Liquid biopsies for ruling out cancer and the blind spots of common cancer screening tests [33:00];</span><span style="color: #333333;"><br /></span></li> <li><span style="color: #201f1e;">The difference between cancer originating from inside versus outside the body [41:15];</span><span style="color: #333333;"><br /></span></li> <li><span style="color: #201f1e;">How diffusion-weighted MRI is changing cancer screening [45:15];</span><span style="color: #333333;"><br /></span></li> <li><span style="color: #201f1e;">Summary of Peter's approach to cancer screening [53:45]; and</span><span style="color: #333333;"><br /></span></li> <li><span style="color: #201f1e;">More.</span></li> </ul> <p>Learn more: https://peterattiamd.com/</p> <p>Show notes page for this episode: <a href="https://peterattiamd.com/ama25">https://peterattiamd.com/ama25</a> </p> <p>Subscribe to receive exclusive subscriber-only content: https://peterattiamd.com/subscribe/</p> <p>Sign up to receive Peter's email newsletter: https://peterattiamd.com/newsletter/</p> <p>Connect with Peter on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram.</p> <p> </p>
Actionable Insights
1. Prioritize Early Cancer Screening
Actively screen for cancer and aim to detect it early, as evidence suggests cancers caught earlier (e.g., when there are tens or hundreds of millions of cells) are significantly easier to treat successfully than those caught later (billions of cells), leading to much higher survival rates.
2. Master Cancer Screening Terminology
Become proficient with terms like sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value to take ownership and better understand the effectiveness of cancer screening tools.
3. Access Full Member Benefits
Become a member at peteratiyahmd.com/subscribe to access complete AMA episodes, comprehensive show notes, a private podcast feed, ‘The Qualies’ (short daily podcasts), and exclusive discount codes for products.
4. Watch Podcast Video Version
For episodes discussing complex concepts like cancer screening, watch the video version (available on the show notes page for subscribers or the first part on YouTube for non-subscribers) to better understand the material, especially when visuals and manipulable spreadsheets are used.
5. Download Member Podcast Feed
If you are already a member, download the member-only podcast feed from peteratiamd.com/members to get full access to AMA episodes and other member content without listening to sneak peeks.
6. Consult Healthcare Professionals
Always seek the assistance of your healthcare professionals for any medical conditions and do not disregard or delay obtaining professional medical advice, as the podcast content is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice.
7. Engage with Podcast & Host
Leave a review for the podcast on your preferred player and follow Peter Attia on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook using the ID ‘peteratiamd’ to stay connected.
8. Be a Voracious Reader
Cultivate a habit of voracious reading, aiming to read a high percentage of the books you acquire, as exemplified by Bob Kaplan who reads about 90% of his extensive collection.
9. Involve Kids in Book Projects
Use books for fun family projects, such as flattening leaves, as a creative and engaging activity for children.