Posted on 08/04/2022 9:40:34 PM PDT by ConservativeMind
Men with early, curable stages of prostate cancer are missing opportunities to have their cancer detected because national guidelines and media health campaigns focus on urinary symptoms despite a lack of scientific evidence, say experts.
Over three-quarters (78%) of men diagnosed with the disease survive for over ten years. In England, nearly half of all prostate cancers are picked up at stage three of four (stage four being the latest stage).
Prostate enlargement can cause the urinary problems often included in public health messaging, but evidence suggests that this is rarely due to malignant prostate tumors. Rather, research suggests that the prostate is smaller in cases of prostate cancer. A recent study—the UK PROTECT trial—even went as far as to say that a lack of urinary symptoms may be an indicator of a higher likelihood of cancer.
Testing for prostate cancer involves a blood test known as a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) that is made only by the prostate gland; however, it is not always accurate. PSA density is significantly more accurate than PSA alone.
"Men shouldn't be afraid to speak to their GP about getting tested, and about the value of a PSA test, especially if they have a history of prostate cancer in their family or other risk factors."
The researchers say they are not advocating for an immediate screening program, and acknowledge that changes in messaging could mean more men approaching their GPs for a PSA test. However, they argue that there are ways to reduce the risk of this happening. These include the use of algorithms to assess an individual's risk and whether they need to be referred to a specialist, and for those who are referred, MRI scans could help rule out "indolent" (mild) disease or negative findings, reducing the risks of an unnecessary biopsy.
(Excerpt) Read more at medicalxpress.com ...
“biopsy of 12 cores”
OMG I can’t handle even the thought of that. I’d rather be shot with a Russian Kalibr cruise missile than have that procedure done!
I’m a gal and I wear one during that breast cancer awareness month; people ask what’s it for and when I tell them they have this blank look. I do it for the guys in my family and all guys (non-birthing people)LOL
PSA has gone up the last couple of years so my doctor sent me to a urologist. Waiting the results of his testing. The finger-up-the-butt test was encouraging - no sign of lumps or bumps. Prostate is definitely enlarged, though - I have to take Flomax to pee normally.
That’s interesting. My problem with that is that since my cancer diagnosis, my doctors have recommended that I not take any prostate reduction drugs. The drugs not only reduce the prostate, but they also reduce the PSA. Since the PSA number is important in tracking the cancer progression, it was also important to eliminate any artificial alteration of it.
I did have significant reductions in flow not related to the cancer. I was completely stopped for several months (they called it ‘retention’). I had to use several catheters a day during that time. A REZUM treatment (I called it steam cleaning) fixed that.
In fact, it was a change in my PSA numbers that flagged the change in the cancer. This was confirmed by an MRI and another biopsy. That all led to having the cancer lesion being removed (hopefully). I get it checked in three weeks with another MRI and PSA test.
The Upper Tolerable Limit for zinc is 40 mg a day, and boron is 20 mg a day.
Lycopene doses of 15 or 30 mg a day are used in BPH studies.
I recently stopped taking nettle root extract and pygeum extract, in favor of more zinc (40 mg), lycopene (30 mg), and boron (20 mg) and I am seeing nearly the same BPH benefits I had with nettle root and pygeum, but seeing a definite increase in total urine volume I can hold, which should mean inflammation is currently about the same, but that my prostate could be decreasing in size. I won't get that determined for quite a while (need a scan), but the studies point to apoptosis from those three items, while nettle root and pygeum basically just minimize inflammation by decreasing a hormonal effect, which doesn't do much to destroy the overabundance of dysfunctional prostate cells.
In theory, the minerals and the lycopene should reduce the actual size of the prostate, over time, and not just the resulting inflammation.
Yes, my urologist told me my PSA would be artificially low due to the finasteride. I guess he monitors changes in it rather than the actual number. He also does an aggressive probing to feel for nodules. I will be seeing him for my annual visit in a couple of weeks.
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