Posted on 05/21/2012 4:49:36 PM PDT by tobyhill
A top panel of health experts called the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force says that men should no longer get routine prostate-specific antigen (PSA) tests to screen for prostate cancer. The reason, it says, is that the tests may lead to treatments that do more harm than good.
U.S. panel recommends against PSA tests for screening prostate cancer in men of all ages
More than 33,000 American men die of prostate cancer each year. And, every year, 20 million get the PSA test to detect the disease early. The recommendation is already causing a lot of criticism. Dr. Jon LaPook reported on the issue.
For 20 years, the message has been the same: Get a PSA test every year or two, detect prostate cancer early -- and save your life. Dr. Michael Lefevre helped lead the panel that said the message was wrong.
"The problem is that in contrast to the small benefits, a significant number of men will be harmed by the test and treatments that follow prostate cancer screening," he said to CBS News.
(Excerpt) Read more at cbsnews.com ...
Yea sure. If my dad had went to a doctor and had a PSA test done maybe a year or two earlier he would have been spared dieing from it. I watched him deal with it ten years. He did not receive Chemo till about his last 18 months. BUT his initial prognoses was only three years. The doctors bought him ten more eight and a half with him taking some meds like Casodex I think was the name.
Prostate cancer once it leaves the prostate moves into the pelvic and other areas. Catching it BEFORE it does this means it likely won't progress too that point. They monitored his PSA and they monitored his Pelvic area with a scan about once a year.
A number of 15 or 20 is low and what doctors want to bring it down too if possible. When it hits the hundred level it's time to treat aggressively. But pray tell without the test how would you know? Yes there is the time honored digital testing done in most physicals.
Men who's family members such as father had Prostate Cancer should be tested. But an old shipmate I saw at Wally World right before my dad passed last year convinced me. My old shipmate is my age 54. I told him my dad was dieing of Prostate Cancer. He said they had found it in him a year earlier and got it just in time. He seemed pretty darn glad they did too.
BTW not every Prostate Cancer faces radiation therapy. My dad never got that. They did do surgery {castration} on him upon discovery because scans showed it in the pelvic. That procedure along dropped his PSA too below ten for five years which was two more than they initially gave him to live. He did not regret his surgery and he did not experience the issues other do by having the prostate removed. I trust the doctors on this.
As for mammograms? I have relatives and family friends who would be dead if not for them and one was in her early thirties. Ther is an alternative to them and that is ultrasound. This all sounds like some Insurance Company Cost Containing Campaign to me.
As my doctor tells me, “you’ll have prostate cancer when you die... it just won’t be what kills you
After my dads numbers dropped below ten again and at about the three year mark they told him that too. But you likely misunderstand what the doctors are saying. What they mean is after a certain age other things like stroke, heart attack, etc become the more likely too be the cause of death. My dad died of Prostate Cancer otherwise he was healthy at 83 in all other aspects but that cancer. I thank GOD for the skilled doctors who let him enjoy a lot more years than he would have had untreated.
A polite man would refuse to ask how you know that.
You probably get some visitors from San Diego’s Informed Prostate Cancer Support Group. They’re pretty active all over Southern California, and do a motorcycle ride for the cause annually.
As a survivor of this type of cancer and the subsequent surgery, my opinion is that this is tied in directly to the new socialized healthcare system. Thousands of men will die simply from not following up on an elevated PSA count. This seems to be what the government wants. Some cancers are more virulent than others and are fast moving, others move more slowly. Diagnosis and treatment of encapsulated prostate cancer is the key to long term survival and getting cured. It is a silent, progressive, killer. The oldtimers in my area used to refer to it as the widow maker, because, those men who never got themselves examined, didn’t find out they had the disease until it was too late, and payed the ultimate price. This information is crazy.
As a survivor of this type of cancer and the subsequent surgery, my opinion is that this is tied in directly to the new socialized healthcare system. Thousands of men will die simply from not following up on an elevated PSA count. This seems to be what the government wants. Some cancers are more virulent than others and are fast moving, others move more slowly. Diagnosis and treatment of encapsulated prostate cancer is the key to long term survival and getting cured. It is a silent, progressive, killer. The oldtimers in my area used to refer to it as the widow maker, because, those men who never got themselves examined, didn’t find out they had the disease until it was too late, and payed the ultimate price. This information is crazy.
You do have to determine if the Prostate Cancer is the highly aggressive or the slower but still should be watched closely type. Within a few months most Urologist can tell and treat accordingly. Obviously if it has left the Prostate they would treat immediately. The sooner the treatment the higher the survival rate or in more severe cases the person can add up too a decade or more too their life even with the cancer. I would consider theses type of new reports to be irresponsible and highly biased by insurer funding or political pressures.
Nope, don’t cancel it. Colonoscopy is one of the most highly effective procedures they have to diagnose and prevent pre-malignant polyps. And a negative test outcome is reassuring to your mind. It’s a win-win.
As with any medical care, be sure you are having it at a reputable facility with a reputable doctor. You may want to plan to rest after the procedure, the anesthetic takes a while to wear off. Good luck!
It probably will be a waste of time... at least you hope so! But it is wise to get it checked just in case.
The prep is the worst part and it isn't that bad anymore. You no longer need to drink a gallon of "go-litely" just a ten ounce bottle of Magnesium Citrate (I advise chugging it) and a couple Dulcolax pills.
One warning they will twilight you and the stuff they give you can make you rather...um... chatty.
This pronouncement is another in a long line of softening-up declarations in anticipation of health care rationing. Obama will say who needs a test or proceedure or who does not need a proceedure. Cradle to grave government. Kiss freedom goodby.
Really? Thanks for sharing the info.
Well, all along I was thinking of, it’s only for early detection and no other any complications.
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