Cancer screening do save lives — even those of men over age 75
August 31st, 2008 Posted in prostate cancer diagnosisNumerous media reports followed a federal task force’s announcement this month that there is insufficient medical evidence to assess the risks and benefits of prostate cancer screening in men younger than 75 and that doctors should stop testing men over age 75.
Eliminating screening also eliminates the possibility for early diagnosis and curative treatment in healthy men.
On a global scale, prostate cancer death rates have decreased in countries where PSA screening and active treatment are typically practiced and have remained stable or increased in countries where screening and active treatment are not practiced.
PSA tests are a powerful marker for the risk of developing prostate cancer and dying from it. Reports of over-diagnosis and over-treatment are exaggerated. More often, prostate cancer is diagnosed too late rather than “too early.”
Tags: Cancer screening, psa