OK, real question: after getting the rectal finger wave for years in the military, can I now count on the PSA test to replace the undignified invasive prostate exam?
No. Do both. What the prostate feels like is important too.
Maybe I’m jaded. After four children and my midwife’s hands in undignified places for legitimate reasons, it doesn’t bother me any more.
The PSA is worse than the “probe”. A high reading from a PSA test will probably result in a much more invasive and worthless prostate biopsy.
My urologist put me through two of those (they are very lucrative for him), that he claimed showed some “suspicious cells”. When I refused a third one, he admitted that was reasonable, considering my age and other medical factors.
I knew he wanted the $3,000 fee for the exam, but he admitted if the exam disclosed cancer, treatment might not be advised.