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Amidst all the emotional and misleading media reports and discussions on Internet Lists about the American Cancer Society and their dastardly plan to ‘condemn tens of thousands to a painful death’ as one poster put it, I wonder just how many people have actually read what the ACS has to say to men. I suggest that there are very few, but those who are more interested in facts than hype and spin might like to go along here to read how the ACS answers the question Should I Be Tested For Prostate Cancer?
Here are some the the key points made by the ACS:
1. There are tests to find prostate cancer early. Talk to your doctor about the benefits and risks of prostate cancer testing.
2. Here is what experts know about prostate cancer testing and treatment.
o Testing will find prostate cancer earlier than if no testing is done.
o Testing for prostate cancer is performed with the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test with or without a rectal exam.
o Testing is not perfect. Some men with increased PSA in their blood may not have prostate cancer. And some men with prostate cancer may have a PSA level that is not increased.
o Some men who have cancer may not need to be treated right away.
o The treatments for prostate cancer can lead to side effects.
3. Here is what experts do not know about prostate cancer testing and treatment.
• When testing finds prostate cancer, it is often not clear which men will have the type of prostate cancer that will be a serious threat to their health or cause death.
• When testing finds prostate cancer, it is often not clear which men will have the type of prostate cancer that is not likely to affect their health.
• It is often not known which men will do well with treatment.
• It is often not known which men will do well with no treatment
Does anyone disagree with these sensible statements, all of which seem to me to be correct?
The only thing with which I would disagree in the document is this statement It [prostate cancer] is a common cause of death for men. As the current statistics show it is not a common cause – unless accounting for less than 3% of male deaths makes it a “common cause”.
All the best
Prostate men need enlightening, not frightening
Terry:
The vagueness of the ACS piece doesn't give one much faith in the testing procedure, and even less value on the information once PCa has been identified; even post biopsy (possibly Gleason 6 or less?). It would seem the medical community doesn't really believe what most likely, they, wrote.
Here is a link to the Canadian version of the ACS. It graphically shows the same vagueness without all the unnecessary words...........
http://www.health.gov.on.ca/english/providers/pub/cancer/psa/psa_guide/psa.gif
Aloha Terry,
Just as an aside, I have a good high school friend that is accusing his doctor of removing his prostate by biopsy. He does not remember how many times he has been biopsyed. All biopsy pathology reports have been clean.
For some reason, his PSA continues to be high enough to trigger a biopsy. The PSA is the only thing that appears to be out of whack.
Joe
gp apathy on pc .Adelaide advertiser 31 march following an article the day before . Quote from the urological society of aust recomends screening for men over 40 , The cancer council how ever does not support population screening as they say many prostate cancers will not progress sufficiently to cause harm in the mans life time. Some stats from the article about 16000 men are diagnosed each year and 3000 die .A review in western aust of 5146 men referred for pc biops after psa blood tests fond they were more likely to be diagnosed with cancer .69 % were high grade cancers
There is a difference bedtween population screening and using the PSA test as part of a medical examination which includes a DRE (Digital Rectal Examination)
There is scant evidence that screening the entire male population would signficantly reduce the number of men who die from PCa; there is a good deal of evidence to show that many of the men who would be diagnosed and treated would not benefit from their treatment but would lose a signficant part of their quality of life. Which is why the Australian Cancer association recommend that men be tested with their informed consent and that screening should not be implemented. The Urologist associations world wide have a different point of view, which may be influenced by their financial interests.
The large US study said there was no saving of life: the large Europen study said there was, but a large number of men (the precise estimate is arguable but is probably somewhere between 25 and 85 men) have to be treated over a ten year period to save one life.
There is no certainty to this issue, but men should be fully advised before they start the process of testing.
