This Medical Life

Professor Ken Sikaris explains the 2026 Australian prostate cancer early detection guidelines: new PSA thresholds by age, MRI's role and why free PSA is gone.

A patient with 200 sleep attacks a day helped define narcolepsy in 1880. Di Spillaine and Professor Robert Adams on symptoms, diagnosis and treatment today.

Dr Louise Stone on a decade of research into sexual harassment in medicine, why it persists, and what actually helps a colleague or trainee.

A 1901 case first identified Alzheimer's disease. Dr Daniel Clarke and Dr Gemma Daley on today's presentation, workup and new blood biomarker tests.

This is the story of Bone Sarcoma Part 2. Find Part 1 here.

Bone sarcomas are rare, accounting for 0.2% of all cancer diagnoses, with around 200 cases diagnosed in Australia each year. The three main types differ by age and site: osteosarcoma (around 30 to 35% of cases, often in the arms, legs and pelvis, with peaks in adolescence and again in the seventies and eighties), chondrosarcoma (around 30% of cases, typically in adults over 40), and Ewing sarcoma (around 15% of cases, most common in children). Professor Fiona Maclean, an anatomical pathologist, describes bone sarcoma diagnosis as a pattern-recognition challenge made harder by rarity, noting that tumour type and stage are the two most useful pieces of information for a GP reading a pathology report. A/Professor Richard Boyle, an orthopaedic oncological surgeon, outlines the red flags, including unexplained deep bone pain and night pain, and the diagnostic pathway from X-ray through biopsy to multidisciplinary review. This is the story of Bone Sarcoma Part 1. Useful links: Australia and New Zealand Sarcoma…

The treatment of soft tissue sarcomas is a highly specialised area. The first effective chemotherapy agent against sarcomas was only identified in the 1960s and benefits of adjuvant radiotherapy treatment began in the 1970s. We continue to learn as new agents become available and tailor treatments to each patient. This is the story of Soft Tissue Sarcoma (Part 2). Here is the link to Part 1. Useful links: Australia and New Zealand Sarcoma Association: https://sarcoma.org.au/ Find a sarcoma specialist: https://sarcoma.org.au/pages/about-sarcoma/find-a-sarcoma-specialist Sarcoma guidelines: https://sarcoma.org.au/pages/sarcoma-guidelines Seeking a second opinion: https://sarcoma.org.au/pages/about-sarcoma/seeking-second-opinion Useful patient information: https://sarcoma.org.au/pages/about-sarcoma/patient-and-carer-sarcoma-information Article from the RCPA about reviewing soft tissue tumours and obtaining second opinions: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41390329/ Our Special Guests: Professor Peter Grimison…

Soft tissue sarcomas are tumours that arise from connective tissue, fat, muscle, and blood vessels. They are distinct from epithelial malignancies (carcinomas) in both morphology and behaviour. Unfortunately, due to their rare occurrence, these tumours can be mistaken clinically and pathologically which affects patients management and prognosis. As part of sarcoma awareness month, we are doing a series on soft tissue sarcomas as well as bone sarcoma in conjunction with the Australian & New Zealand Sarcoma Association to raise awareness and help provide education about these diagnoses. This is the story of soft tissue sarcoma (part 1). Useful links: Australia and New Zealand Sarcoma Association: https://sarcoma.org.au/ Find a sarcoma specialist: https://sarcoma.org.au/pages/about-sarcoma/find-a-sarcoma-specialist Sarcoma guidelines: https://sarcoma.org.au/pages/sarcoma-guidelines Seeking a second opinion: https://sarcoma.org.au/pages/about-sarcoma/seeking-second-opinion Useful patient information:…

Ethics, codes of conduct, and challenging decisions are universal constants in medicine. Difficult situations and trying to do the right thing are not always obvious particularly when these decisions involve lots of emotions, family members, and have life and death implications. Ethics, and ethics committees, can help to provide a clear and consensus path for clinicians, patients, and family members. We discuss the role ethics and ethics committees have in modern medicine with our special guest. This is the story of clinical ethics. Useful links: Free critical thinking course through UQ school of philosophy Clinical Ethics Society of Australasia – Great organisation focusing on clinical ethics, with affordable membership and lots of access to resources. They run an excellent ‘ethics intensive’ and yearly symposium as well as other masterclasses throughout the year. Australasian Association of Bioethics and Health Law – Major organisation for ethics and health law. Excellent conference each year. Links to Dr…

Lipoprotein (a) (Lp(a)) was discovered in 1963 by a Norwegian geneticist by the name of Kåre Berg who studied particles that carried cholesterol in the blood. He found some patients had an additional protein on the low-density lipoprotein. Studies found that patients with elevated Lp(a) had increased risks of cardiovascular disease. However, the levels were not affected by diet, environmental factors, or medications. The result is that this test was largely ignored for the last few decades. Recent dyslipidaemia guidelines released by the United States and Europe have returned a focus back on to Lp(a). They recommend that patients should have Lp(a) tested once throughout their life to assess their cardiovascular disease risk. The result can help identify which patients are at a higher risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality and who will benefit from lifestyle modification and early intervention. This resource is referenced during the discussion: https://www.lpaclinicalguidance.com/ This is the story of…

Skin has always told stories. For thousands of years, those whose skin behaved differently — scaling, thickening, inflaming — were feared, isolated, and misunderstood. Psoriasis was long lumped together with leprosy, its sufferers cast out rather than cared for. It would take centuries before medicine began to separate these conditions, and longer still before we understood what was really happening beneath the surface. Psoriasis is not an infection, not a curse, not a failure of hygiene. It is the immune system turning on itself, a complex, chronic inflammatory disease that affects not just skin but joints, confidence, and quality of life. It touches roughly 2-3% of the population, and for many it is a lifelong companion. Today we have a clinical dermatologist and a dermatopathologist to help us understand what psoriasis looks like to the clinician, what it reveals under the microscope, and how our understanding of its immunological roots has transformed the way we treat it. This is the story of psoriasis.…

Discover the medical research underpinning The Artful Dodger with its creator and writer, James McNamara

The complex symptomatology of hormonal diseases only started to be recognised in the 19th century as we learned about anatomy and physiology. When Doctor Robert Graves began piecing the hyperthyroid puzzle together when he saw patients with similar symptoms such as anxiousness, nervousness, aggitation, bulging eyes, and rapid/irregular heart rate. He realised this was a previously unknown condition to the medical field. It would not be until the mid-20th century before we had a full understanding of the thyroid and thyroid diseases. Today, we have tests to diagnose and medications to manage. Graves’ disease accounts for 70-80% of all cases of hyperthyroidism. This is the story of Graves’ Disease. Our Guests: Dr Liam Mulcahy who is studying physicians training with a strong interest in neurology. He was written a book called Beyond the White Coat: The Faces Behind Medical Eponyms. Professor Duncan Topliss who is a senior endocrinologist at Alfred Hospital in Melbourne and Professor of Medicine in the…

It has been well established in studies and articles that cholesterol lowering medications have significant heart morbidity and mortality benefits. However, high dosage trials did not show additional survival benefits but had increasing side-effects for patients. Therefore, the maximum dose for statins is not necessarily the best dose for patients. This is the story of statin dosing. Guest: Professor Simon Dimmitt is a Consultant Physician working in General and Cardiovascular Medicine. He is Clinical Professor of Medicine at the University of Western Australia and Adjunct Professor, School of Medicine & Public Health at the University of Newcastle. His website contains Dose Tables and reviews for a modest subscription: Correct Dosing. Listen: This Medical Life podcast is available on all podcasting services and Spotify. Help support us on our donation page. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Crucifixion was a form of punishment, humiliation, and execution. Adopted by the Ancient Romans, crucifixion was used on the State’s worst criminals on lower classes and slaves. As common as it was though, we know very little about how people died on the cross. In this episode, we take a closer look at crucifixion through a medical lens. This image is not historically accurate. It was crafted within the guidelines of Gemini as a stereotypical rendering of crucifixion but our episode gets into the, sadly more brutal, truth. This is the story of crucifixion. Listen: This Medical Life podcast is available on all podcasting services and Spotify. Help support us on our donation page. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Recreational use of steroids and testosterone to enhance image and performance is on the rise. Over the last 70 years, testosterone and testosterone-like substances have been used extensively to enhance performance particularly in elite sports. Nowadays, the use is more widespread and occurs in the general community with far more drugs available to people via the internet. Unfortunately, the evidence users base their drug regimes on range from anecdotal and scant to wrong and dangerous. We discuss the use of testosterone (and other substances) to learn more, identify how we can look after patients who use anabolic steroids, and what risk factors we need to consider. This is the story of anabolic steroids. You can listen to Part One of this series here. Our special guests: Dr Tim Piatkowski is a senior research fellow at the University of Queensland on image and performance enhancing drugs. Dr Mair Underwood is a senior lecturer in the School of Social Sciences at the University of Queensland and is an…

Hypogonadism is a medical condition where the body does not produce enough testosterone. This can be primary (testicular failure) or secondary (pituitary or other condition). There are a number of conditions that doctors need to be aware of that can cause hypogonadism. This is the story of hypogonadism. Image ref: https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/hypogonadotropic-hypogonadism Our special guests: Professor Duncan Topliss is a senior endocrinologist and Professor of Medicine at Monash University. Professor Ken Sikaris is a chemical pathologist and Director of chemical pathology at Dorevitch pathology. Listen: This Medical Life podcast is available on all podcasting services and Spotify. Help support us on our donation page. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

While testicular cancer is rare, it is the most common cancer in young men aged between 15 and 39 years. Like with every cancer, early detection is the key. Self-examination is important along with seeking medical attention if there are any concerns. Fortunately, overall survival is around 95%. This is the story of testicular cancer. Our special guests: Dr Nari Ahmadi who is a Urologist and coordinator of the Urological Oncology Cancer research at Chris O’Brien Lifehouse. Professor Peter Grimison who is a Medical Oncologist at the Chris O’Brien Lifehouse, VMO at the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, and Clinical Professor at the University of Sydney. Professor Fiona Maclean who an Anatomical Pathologist, Clinical Professor at Macquarie University, and previous President of the Australasian Division of the International Academy of Pathology (IAP). Listen: This Medical Life podcast is available on all podcasting services and Spotify. Help support us on our donation page. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy…

And we’re back – for another year – with more stories, more expert guests, more topics to discuss. Episodes released fortnightly. And we’ve also released an ebook with audio narrated by the masterful voice of Steve Davis for a general audience sharing some of the amazing stories of medicine. Chapter J provided in this episode. Our special guest: In this episode, our special guest is the audiobook itself: Diseased: The A to Z of illnesses, medicine, and important people through history. Link to kindle version: Diseased: The A to Z of illnesses, medicine, and important people through history Link to audiobook: Coming soon. Listen: This Medical Life podcast is available on all podcasting services and Spotify. Help support us on our donation page. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Charles Dicken’s first novel has an adolescent boy named Joe who was overweight and always sleepy. He could fall asleep at any time, even during meals. The novel is known as the Pickwick Papers. Decades later, doctors began to recognise patients with the same symptoms. They called it Pickwickian syndrome. Obstructive sleep apnoea is a common condition in the general community. Risk factors include being overweight, male, and over the age of 50. The difficulty for patients is they may not be aware they suffer from this condition unless a partner tells them they stop breathing during sleep. Fortunately, we have a number of treatment options available for patients who suffer from sleep apnoea. This is the story of sleep apnoea. Our special guests: Dr Saul Gilbert is the managing director of a sleep clinic called The Oasis in Adelaide with 25 years research and clinical experience in sleep psychophysiology. Dr Anuk Kruavit is a respiratory, sleep and general medicine physician with an interest in obstructive…

Willem J Kolff was an intern when he saw a 22 year old man die of kidney failure. He realised that the patient’s life could have been saved if his blood could have been detoxified. Willem set to work and developed the first ever dialysis machine (initially the ‘rotating drum kidney’). While dialysis is a lifesaving treatment, it is one that we hope to avoid for patients. In this episode, we discuss two topics that are the largest contributors to chronic kidney disease: Diabetes, and Hypertension. This is the story of Chronic Kidney Disease (Part 2). Our special guest: Dr Richard Phoon who is the Senior Medical Advisor at Westmead Hospital and has worked full-time as a Nephrologist at Westmead and Blacktown Hospitals since 2007. Useful links: CKD Management in Primary Care handbook (KHA) Link: https://kidney.org.au/health-professionals/ckd-management-handbook Kidney Health 4 Life: Kidney Health 4 Life – Better kidney health, for life Health professional webinar here: Kidney Health 4 Life Healthcare…

One in 10 Australians over the age of 18 years are living with signs of Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) with the number of patients needing treatment for kidney failure has doubled in the last 20 years. Early detection and intervention can slow the progression of CKD by up to 15 years or longer. Our understanding of kidney disease can be traced back to Dr Richard Bright, one of the founding fathers of nephrology. He noted that heating a patient’s urine with kidney disease could form a precipitate – nowadays we’d call this albuminuria (albumin in the urine) and it is a marker of kidney damage. Today, there are a range of conditions that can reduce kidney function, cause kidney damage, and can cause significant morbidity and early mortality in patients. By screening patients, we can reduce the progression of CKD and significantly affect the health of patients in the long term. This is the story of Chronic Kidney Disease (Part 1). Our special guests: Maddie Williams who is a Registered Nurse with Kidney Health…

The statistics of Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) and Domestic Violence prevalence are staggering. 1 in 6 adult women and 1 in 16 adult men have experience physical or sexual abuse at the hands of their partner. Approximately 2.5 million Australians (13%) experienced abuse during their childhood. However, IPV is a topic that is rarely discussed. As healthcare professionals, we need to change this. A recent study by our guests on this episode, Timelines of psychological, physical and sexual intimate partner violence among a nationally representative sample of Australian women, studied the timeline of psychological, physical, and sexual intimate partner violence. They highlighted that early warning signs of an abusive partner include isolation, controlling behaviour, and intense jealously. We discuss these important findings and other take home messages of this study and how we can apply it to everyday practice. This is the story about intimate partner violence. Our special guests: Dr Elizabeth McLindon is a…

Oral cancer was a fatal disease even into the twentieth century. Patients required extensive surgery and often had a painful recovery or went into palliative care but the result was the same. Modern medicine has thankfully provided much to our understanding, the treatment and management of patients with oral cancer. In recent times, patients have been able to be stratified into two general but distinct categories: the first are older with a strong history of heavy smoking and/or alcohol use; the second are younger and have a history of multiple sexual partners. The distinction is important as the treatment and management are different between the two groups with the second group having a much better prognosis. This is the story of oral cancer. Our special guests: Dr Rebecca Morrow is an anatomical pathologist and deputy head of department at the Royal Adelaide Hospital with SA Pathology. Dr Rowan Valentine is a paediatric and adult Ear, Nose and Throat Surgeon. Listen: This Medical Life podcast is available…

The first medical description of pernicious anaemia is from 1821. It is written by Dr James Combe and describes a previously well 47 year old corn-merchant who presented with pallor, weakness, and neurological symptoms. It would take over a hundred years before we would know how to treat this condition, and another decade after that to understand why the treatment worked. Vitamin B12 is an essential component of our diet and only found in animal products. Deficiency in vitamin B12 can present with fatigue, anaemia (macrocytic), and neurological symptoms. The most at risk from a dietary perspective are vegetarians, vegans, and the elderly. Patients may also have an autoimmune condition (pernicious anaemia) that interferes with gastric parietal cells and intrinsic factor; the way our body can absorb vitamin B12 from our diet. This is the story of vitamin B12. Our special guest: Our special guest is Professor Ken Sikaris who is a chemical pathologist and Director of Chemical Pathology at Dorevitch Pathology.…

One of the most difficult cancers to detect early has been lung cancer. Patients often present with advanced disease that and can often be fatal. In April 2025, a new National Lung Cancer Screening program has been rolled out in Australia to detect asymptomatic patients with a significant smoking history (30 Pack-Year). Suitable patients are eligible for a free low-dose CT (computer tomography) scan on their lungs to identify any potential lesions suspicious for cancer. This is the story of lung cancer screening. Our special guests: A/Professor Nicole Rankin is Head of the Evaluation and Implementation Science Unit in Melbourne School of Population and Global Health (University of Melbourne) and led the team that developed the Australian National Lung Cancer Screening Program Guidelines. Dr Julie Teague is an Anatomical Pathologist with an interest in thoracic and gastrointestinal pathology. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In 1966, the Chief of Urology asked the Chief of Pathology at the Minneapolis VA Hospital to develop a system to communicate the results of prostate cancer to researchers. The Chief of Pathology was Donald Gleason and he developed a system that would revolutionise our understanding of prostate cancer. Today, every prostate cancer worldwide is classified using the Gleason score, named after Donald Gleason. Prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers worldwide and accounts for 15% of all male cancers. Its incidence of prostate cancer is estimated to double by 2040. This is the story of prostate cancer. Our special guests: Professor Fiona Maclean is a Clinical Professor, Anatomical Pathologist, author, past President of the Australasian Division of the International Academy of Pathology (IAP), and advisor in Pathology Artificial Intelligence. Dr Joanna Olphert is a urologist and robotic surgeon involved in genitourinary reconstructive surgery, robotic uro-oncology, and open complex peritoneal surgery. Dr…

Over the last 100 years, numerous types of implants (i.e. ivory, glass, wool) and injections (i.e. epoxy resin, beeswax, paraffin) have been used in an attempt for breast augmentation but the results were poor. In 1962, the first operation using silicone implants was performed and it revolutionised breast surgery. Breast augmentation surgery (cosmetic and reconstructive) is one of the most common cosmetic surgeries in Australia, United States, and the United Kingdom. As one of the most common cosmetic surgeries, it is important for doctors and patients to know about the risks and myths of this procedure. In this episode, we discuss breast augmentation surgery and our discussion includes common complications, risks, and breast implantation illness. This is the story of breast augmentation Our special guest: Our special guest is plastic surgeon Dr Andrew Campbell-Lloyd from ACL Plastic surgery in Adelaide. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The interplay between genetics and medications is important but complex. Pharmacogenomic testing provides doctors with information about how individual patients may respond to certain medications (ie. fast and slow metabolisers). The RCPA recently released guidelines for doctors about requesting patient pharmacogenomic testing before prescribing some medications. These guidelines have identified 35 medications into three pharmacogenomics testing categories: recommend, consider, and no consensus. We discuss this testing with our guest today. This is the story of pharmacogenomics. RCPA guidelines: https://www.rcpa.edu.au/Library/Practising-Pathology/Pharmacogenomic-Indications-in-Australia Our special guest: Our special guest is Professor Luke Hessen who is the manager of the Genetics Department at Douglass Hanly Moir and co-Chair of the RCPA Pharmaogenetic Advisory Group. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In 1924, a surgeon and a pathologist had a conversation about some patients with multiple bowel polyps. The pathologist, Dr Cuthbert Dukes, and the surgeon, Mr JP Lockhart-Mummery, noted that patients had a family history of bowel cancer and could have hundreds of colonic polyps. They, with the help of HRJ Bussey, set up the Polyposis Registry. The registry collected information about these patients and the families from 1918 to 1954. They found that patients developed polyps in childhood, the risk of affected children was 50%, and cancer took 15 years to develop from first diagnosis. This was clearly a familial disease. Today, we know this a Familial Adenomatous Polyposis or FAP. The genetic basis for this condition was identified in the 1980s and 1990s. Professor Sir Walter Bodmer led a team to map the location of the Adenomatous Polyposis Coli (APC) gene involved. This is the story of Familial Adenomatous Polyposis (FAP) Our special guests: Professor Sir Walter Bodmer is a professor of the Cancer and…

** Thanks for downloading this episode. If you'd like to stay in touch with our continuing story, Season 2 continues at This Medical Life, in which Dr Travis Brown continues his exploration of diseases and our approaches to treatment from history to the modern day. Have a look in your podcast app now for This Medical Life, and hit subscribe so you never miss an episode ** The discovery of radiation was a monumental achievement in human history. Marie Curie isolated Radium and Polonium from the mineral pitchblende, and received two Nobel Prizes for this achievement (Physics 1903 and Chemistry 1911). She was clearly a genius, however, not even Marie anticipated the dangers inherent with this material. The interest in Radium exploded and it became a key ingredient in medicine, make-up, and toothpaste. The most notable was for the ‘Undark’ paint that literally glowed. The women workers, now known as the Radium girls, used this paint in the early twentieth century to paint the hands of watches/clocks. The results…

** Thanks for downloading this episode. If you'd like to stay in touch with our continuing story, Season 2 continues at This Medical Life, in which Dr Travis Brown continues his exploration of diseases and our approaches to treatment from history to the modern day. Have a look in your podcast app now for This Medical Life, and hit subscribe so you never miss an episode ** The implications for Healthcare to lose control or access to the IT systems is literally life threatening. The first confirmed fatality occurred when a Ransomware attack unintentionally struck a German University Hospital in September 2020. There have been over 80 public cases of Ransomware attacks occurred in the US targeting Healthcare institutions in 2020. These are on the rise as Healthcare provides an attractive target with dated IT software, time critical data, and private patient information that can be used and leveraged, even if the target reverts to back-ups. With hospitals left in a no-win situation, they will often pay the…

** Thanks for downloading this episode. If you'd like to stay in touch with our continuing story, Season 2 continues at This Medical Life, in which Dr Travis Brown continues his exploration of diseases and our approaches to treatment from history to the modern day. Have a look in your podcast app now for This Medical Life, and hit subscribe so you never miss an episode ** Humans have always had a complex relationship with drugs: some help us; some heal us; and some hurt us. The problem with the drugs of addiction is they can do all of three. However, long term use of these inevitably leads to dependence where, once ceased, will lead to withdraw symptoms. The ‘highs’ and addictiveness combined with the potency of the drugs can have fatal consequences. In this podcast we delve into these Drugs of Addiction (namely Opioids, Amphetamines, Cannabinoids, Cocaine, and Benzodiazepines) to explore their sordid history and discuss how we test for them today. Our special guest: Dr Devika Thomas BSc (Hons), MBBS, M…

** Thanks for downloading this episode. If you'd like to stay in touch with our continuing story, Season 2 continues at This Medical Life, in which Dr Travis Brown continues his exploration of diseases and our approaches to treatment from history to the modern day. Have a look in your podcast app now for This Medical Life, and hit subscribe so you never miss an episode ** Health data is the most personal official records we will ever have. It can contain everything from the medications we regularly take, all the way through to documenting discussions about some of our most troubling times. It does not get any more personal than our own Health Data. This is part of a series of podcasts we are undertaking on Health Information Technology. We look at Governmental Regulation of Health Data and get a sneak peek at the advances in A.I. embryology. The song quoted was written by Mark Hoppus and Tom Delonge, Blink-182. Our special guests: Andrew Andrews Vice President Data Management Association Australia…

** Thanks for downloading this episode. If you'd like to stay in touch with our continuing story, Season 2 continues at This Medical Life, in which Dr Travis Brown continues his exploration of diseases and our approaches to treatment from history to the modern day. Have a look in your podcast app now for This Medical Life, and hit subscribe so you never miss an episode ** In 1983, Dr Robin Warren and Dr Barry Marshall embarked upon a study to investigate the significance of bacterial found in the stomachs of ulcer patients. This journey would take them over a decade to complete and was riddled with self-doubt, persistent scepticism, and challenging centuries of medical dogma but their persistence ultimately led to the highest accolade in Medicine. Oh, and a bout of bad breath. Helicobacter pylori is a gram-negative bacteria that has evolved with humans. With an estimated worldwide prevalence of up to 50%, this organism has found a survival niche where it is perfectly suited to thrive in the stomach’s highly…

** Thanks for downloading this episode. If you'd like to stay in touch with our continuing story, Season 2 continues at This Medical Life, in which Dr Travis Brown continues his exploration of diseases and our approaches to treatment from history to the modern day. Have a look in your podcast app now for This Medical Life, and hit subscribe so you never miss an episode ** Since ancient times, all manner of diseases have been attributed to the uterus. Theories range from a wandering womb yearning for motherhood to the psychological disorder of hysteria that was contagious. The treatment of women with these 'diseases' were reprehensible and the some of the outcomes were nothing short of tragic. Fortunately, we have come a long way to understanding the plethora of gynaecological conditions and treatments. In this episode, we examine the pathology of endometriosis. What the world needs more of right now, is everyone talking about women's health. Steve Davis and Dr Travis Brown discuss this history from antiquity…

** Thanks for downloading this episode. If you'd like to stay in touch with our continuing story, Season 2 continues at This Medical Life, in which Dr Travis Brown continues his exploration of diseases and our approaches to treatment from history to the modern day. Have a look in your podcast app now for This Medical Life, and hit subscribe so you never miss an episode ** 'You have cancer' It must be the most dreaded sentence in modern society. Our fear of cancer is well founded and for those suffering from Chronic Myeloid Leukaemia (CML), before 1999, there was only a slim chance of survival. Caused by a single translocation called the Philadelphia chromosome, it took only 40 years to go from a chemotherapy resistant and often fatal disease to a manageable condition with an oral tablet. This is a remarkable story of science, persistence and triumph. As Dr Travis Brown says, "When chromosomes were discovered in the late 1800’s, their nature and function was unclear. In 1910, Thomas Hunt Morgan identified the…

** Thanks for downloading this episode. If you'd like to stay in touch with our continuing story, Season 2 continues at This Medical Life, in which Dr Travis Brown continues his exploration of diseases and our approaches to treatment from history to the modern day. Have a look in your podcast app now for This Medical Life, and hit subscribe so you never miss an episode ** Our love affair with alcohol is as old as civilization itself. Every culture and religion have traditions, attitudes and laws that ranges from governing celebrations to issuing punishments. With only have sporadic cases of excessive drinking from historical figures, it becomes apparent that alcohol use disorder and dependency are modern diagnoses. The urgency for testing alcohol intoxication arrived with the increasing popularity of cars that shifted the automobile from a form of transport to a potential weapon. This led to a revolution in public health measures and has saved countless lives. However, it is not until one starts to examine…

** Thanks for downloading this episode. If you'd like to stay in touch with our continuing story, Season 2 continues at This Medical Life, in which Dr Travis Brown continues his exploration of diseases and our approaches to treatment from history to the modern day. Have a look in your podcast app now for This Medical Life, and hit subscribe so you never miss an episode ** Tuberculosis has had many names throughout human history: Phthisis, Robber of youth, the white plague, consumption. It wasn’t until 1865 that Jean Antonine Villemin proved it was an infectious disease and 1882 that Robert Koch identified the causative agent: Mycobacterium tuberculosis (he called it Tubercle bacillus). Via the first ever Pathology Report from Melbourne Hospital (now Royal Melbourne Hospital), we explore this infectious disease that continues to have a devastating impact to this day. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

** Thanks for downloading this episode. If you'd like to stay in touch with our continuing story, Season 2 continues at This Medical Life, in which Dr Travis Brown continues his exploration of diseases and our approaches to treatment from history to the modern day. Have a look in your podcast app now for This Medical Life, and hit subscribe so you never miss an episode ** Sugar is as addictive as nicotine and as toxic as … well, sugar. Diabetes mellitus is the fastest growing chronic disease and the not-so-silent potentially ignorable epidemic sweeping our nation. This is a disease known about since antiquity and often fatal to those afflicted in history. With the discovery of insulin in 1922 and exponential growth in our understanding, we now have the resources to manage and even potentially prevent this disease; but will we choose to do so? The Episode has a special guest collaboration with Dr James Meucke AM “AUSTRALIAN OF THE YEAR”. Wiki: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Muecke LinkedIn and bio:…

** Thanks for downloading this episode. If you'd like to stay in touch with our continuing story, Season 2 continues at This Medical Life, in which Dr Travis Brown continues his exploration of diseases and our approaches to treatment from history to the modern day. Have a look in your podcast app now for This Medical Life, and hit subscribe so you never miss an episode ** In 1958, via the world’s first epidemiological study, Dr Denis Burkitt mapped the incidence of large jaw tumours in young African Children and theorised that the cause was due to a virus. However, he was later to discover that this same virus was responsible for Infectious Mononucleosis (IM) in Western Populations. How could one virus cause such different diseases? The answer was because he was studying the world’s most perfect parasite. This podcast is an interview with Associate Professor David Ellis, MBBS, FRCPA and is eligible for 1 RACGP CPD point – self reporting. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

** Thanks for downloading this episode. If you'd like to stay in touch with our continuing story, Season 2 continues at This Medical Life, in which Dr Travis Brown continues his exploration of diseases and our approaches to treatment from history to the modern day. Have a look in your podcast app now for This Medical Life, and hit subscribe so you never miss an episode ** Chromosomal abnormalities are often incompatible with life. However, there are a few exceptions to this rule and history has shown us that certain paired chromosomes can include a third. These conditions are known today as Down syndrome (Trisomy 21), Edwards’ syndrome (Trisomy 18) and Patau syndrome (Trisomy 13). These syndromes are routinely screen for in pregnancy with NIPT (Non-Invasive Prenatal Testing). This podcast includes an interview discussing the application of NIPT with Professor Graeme Suthers and the path ahead for foetal screening and this section of the podcast is eligible for 1 RACGP CPD point – self reporting. Professor…

** Thanks for downloading this episode. If you'd like to stay in touch with our continuing story, Season 2 continues at This Medical Life, in which Dr Travis Brown continues his exploration of diseases and our approaches to treatment from history to the modern day. Have a look in your podcast app now for This Medical Life, and hit subscribe so you never miss an episode ** The life of Alexander the Great is a landmark moment in history. The son of King Philip II, one of history’s greatest military conquerors, and Olympus, worshipper of Dionysus and political mastermind, Alexander was raised to believe he had direct lineage with the Gods. Much was expected of Alexander and he did not disappoint. However, at the age of 32, he died suddenly of a mystery illness. Through the lens of modern medicine and pathology, we focus on this ‘Great man’ of history and ask: what did he die from? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

** Thanks for downloading this episode. If you'd like to stay in touch with our continuing story, Season 2 continues at This Medical Life, in which Dr Travis Brown continues his exploration of diseases and our approaches to treatment from history to the modern day. Have a look in your podcast app now for This Medical Life, and hit subscribe so you never miss an episode ** On the 11th of September, 2001, 19 terrorists hijacked 4 planes and crashed 2 of them into the Twin Towers of the in New York. Hours later, both Towers collapsed which caused a huge toxic dust plume composed of WTC (World Trade Centre) dust. The heroism and selflessness of the First Responders was on full display but their service came at a cost of their own health. This is a tribute to the First Responders as we examine the pathology and chronic health conditions caused by the WTC dust exposure. The final interview sound bite is of Luis Alvarez, past New York City detective, and First Responder. This episode is in collaboration with…

** Thanks for downloading this episode. If you'd like to stay in touch with our continuing story, Season 2 continues at This Medical Life, in which Dr Travis Brown continues his exploration of diseases and our approaches to treatment from history to the modern day. Have a look in your podcast app now for This Medical Life, and hit subscribe so you never miss an episode ** Everyone has a story… Pathology is Medicine. The day-to-day challenges and opportunities in pathology are mixed and varied. Often, very much like the journey of Pathologists into Pathology, the queries can take many different pathways. For example, Pathologists can be asked questions such as: Is this skin malignant? What infection is this? Has her breast cancer spread? Why is he anaemic? What respiratory infection is this? In this episode we reflect both the path into Pathology and why as pathologists we do what we do and why we have got to where we are. Plus we share a few stories from along the way. This podcast includes interviews with:…

** Thanks for downloading this episode. If you'd like to stay in touch with our continuing story, Season 2 continues at This Medical Life, in which Dr Travis Brown continues his exploration of diseases and our approaches to treatment from history to the modern day. Have a look in your podcast app now for This Medical Life, and hit subscribe so you never miss an episode ** Transgender people have a gender identity or gender expression that differs from their sex assigned at birth. Until recently, these people have too often fallen into the ‘too hard’ category when dealing with their health, disease, and illness – and there are many reasons for this. However, it is imperative that we find a satisfactory solution to adhere to one of the core foundations of pathology: to provide the best care to our patients. In this podcast, we explore the challenges Pathology organisations like Clinpath face in order to best serve our trans patients and examine what we know about the biological changes they go through during…

** Thanks for downloading this episode. If you'd like to stay in touch with our continuing story, Season 2 continues at This Medical Life, in which Dr Travis Brown continues his exploration of diseases and our approaches to treatment from history to the modern day. Have a look in your podcast app now for This Medical Life, and hit subscribe so you never miss an episode ** Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral composed of silk-like soft flexible fibres that are resistant to fire, heat, electricity, and chemical damage. Known from antiquity as a miracle product and believed to possess magical powers, there was only one problem; it’s toxic to humans. Inhaled fibres are responsible for diseases including asbestosis (pulmonary fibrosis), lung cancer, and mesothelioma. However, the long latency period between exposure and disease development paved the way for numerous examples of unconscionable conduct from Asbestos manufacturers in modern times. ' This podcast includes an interview with Dr Fergus Whitehead…

** Thanks for downloading this episode. If you'd like to stay in touch with our continuing story, Season 2 continues at This Medical Life, in which Dr Travis Brown continues his exploration of diseases and our approaches to treatment from history to the modern day. Have a look in your podcast app now for This Medical Life, and hit subscribe so you never miss an episode ** In 1920-1930’s, Dr Charles Huggins had an unusual problem: prostatic cancer cells appeared in his metabolic experiments that he was conducting on the Prostate of Dogs. With further experimentation, he was able to demonstrate that Prostate Cancer maintained its normal hormone regulation for which he was awarded the Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine in 1966. Prostate cancer is one of the most common male malignancies but most men will die with it, rather than from it. The role of pathology is to determine how to detect this cancer and identify the clinical significance of the findings. Our interview is with Dr Bradley Webster,…

** Thanks for downloading this episode. If you'd like to stay in touch with our continuing story, Season 2 continues at This Medical Life, in which Dr Travis Brown continues his exploration of diseases and our approaches to treatment from history to the modern day. Have a look in your podcast app now for This Medical Life, and hit subscribe so you never miss an episode ** Inherited bleeding disorders before the modern era were a death sentence. Haemophilia, also known as the Ro yal Disease (specifically Haemophilia B), is an X-linked coagulation disorder that the Heir to the Throne Alexei Romanov inherited in the early 1900’s. However, in 1926 a Finnish physician by the name of Erik von Willebrand identified a family with a bleeding disorder with an Autosomal Dominant pattern of inheritance. This was later named von Willebrand Disease (vWD) is now known to be the most common inherited form of bleeding disease worldwide. This podcast includes an interview with Dr Nicholas Myles regarding our current…