Question: There seems to be some conflicting info out there about prostate exams. Care to clear that up?
Well let me ask you this? If you knew about a slightly imperfect test that could detect cancer in time to save your life would you want it or not?
Most would still be interested in being tested. Even if the test didn't return results that were 100% accurate. Yet some additional guidelines may be helpful.
If you're wondering why screening like this is important it's because you want to detect problems early.
First, only skin cancer takes more lives each year. So prostate cancer is something you want to catch sooner rather than later.
Yet too often this silent killer goes undetected in men until it reaches an advanced stage. At that point the survival rate plummets. Especially if the cancer has spread to tissue outside the prostate gland. So like most cancers early detection is critical. It's presents you with the best chance at long term survivability.
Also there are studies that indicate patients diagnosed with prostate cancer who had regular annual blood tests tended to less aggressive forms of this cancer. They had less aggressive tumors that stayed localized when identified compared to non screened patients. In fact the PSA screened had a three fold reduction in deaths as compared to those who did not undergo annual screening.
What's involved in the test?
It's a two step process. One is the blood work that measures the amount of the Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) you've got. The other part is a physical examination of the prostate itself or DRE.
What is the norm?
Think 4. You want the PSA to come back 4 ng/ml and your doctor can get into the technical aspects of that. But a higher reading likely signals the need to dig deeper to figure out why.
Who should get the exam?
Here basically are the guidelines from the American Cancer Society. Those with symptoms should be checked right away. Those with a family history or in the ethnic groups more prone to developing prostate issues should start at age 40. Everyone else would be wise to consider annual screening from 50 on.
Just keep in mind, like most preemptive medical testing, the process isn't perfect. In that some men with normal PSA scores have cancer. Others with elevated levels do not. And some tumors may not be found with the DRE exam. Plus there is nothing to separate the more aggressive from less aggressive forms at this point.
Anyway, while it remains unclear whether a routine scan of those who are not at higher risk saves lives, the best thing to do is discuss your options with your doctor. Keeping in the mind the fact that these tests, while not perfect, are still the best way we've got for catching this cancer early. And early detection is the key to better outcomes. - 31370
Well let me ask you this? If you knew about a slightly imperfect test that could detect cancer in time to save your life would you want it or not?
Most would still be interested in being tested. Even if the test didn't return results that were 100% accurate. Yet some additional guidelines may be helpful.
If you're wondering why screening like this is important it's because you want to detect problems early.
First, only skin cancer takes more lives each year. So prostate cancer is something you want to catch sooner rather than later.
Yet too often this silent killer goes undetected in men until it reaches an advanced stage. At that point the survival rate plummets. Especially if the cancer has spread to tissue outside the prostate gland. So like most cancers early detection is critical. It's presents you with the best chance at long term survivability.
Also there are studies that indicate patients diagnosed with prostate cancer who had regular annual blood tests tended to less aggressive forms of this cancer. They had less aggressive tumors that stayed localized when identified compared to non screened patients. In fact the PSA screened had a three fold reduction in deaths as compared to those who did not undergo annual screening.
What's involved in the test?
It's a two step process. One is the blood work that measures the amount of the Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) you've got. The other part is a physical examination of the prostate itself or DRE.
What is the norm?
Think 4. You want the PSA to come back 4 ng/ml and your doctor can get into the technical aspects of that. But a higher reading likely signals the need to dig deeper to figure out why.
Who should get the exam?
Here basically are the guidelines from the American Cancer Society. Those with symptoms should be checked right away. Those with a family history or in the ethnic groups more prone to developing prostate issues should start at age 40. Everyone else would be wise to consider annual screening from 50 on.
Just keep in mind, like most preemptive medical testing, the process isn't perfect. In that some men with normal PSA scores have cancer. Others with elevated levels do not. And some tumors may not be found with the DRE exam. Plus there is nothing to separate the more aggressive from less aggressive forms at this point.
Anyway, while it remains unclear whether a routine scan of those who are not at higher risk saves lives, the best thing to do is discuss your options with your doctor. Keeping in the mind the fact that these tests, while not perfect, are still the best way we've got for catching this cancer early. And early detection is the key to better outcomes. - 31370
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