The Prostate Cancer Screening Predicament

Question: There seems to be some conflicting info out there about prostate exams. Care to clear that up?

Well let me put it this way. If you knew there was a slightly less than perfect test that could detect cancer early enough to save your life would you take 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 you want to catch skin cancer sooner rather than later because it is second only to skin cancer in the number of lives it claims each year.

Unfortunately this is a silent killer that is not typically detected until it is an advanced stage. As you’d expect survival rates drop dramatically at that point. Especially if the cancer is no longer localized in the gland itself. Which again, am I sounding like a broken record, is why you want to catch this as soon as possible.

Getting screened annually also means the cancer will be found while still localized. And there are studies that show you are three times more likely to die if you haven’t been screening and do develop the disease. Those aren’t good odds.

If you’re wondering here’s what the test involves.

Testing involves the PSA and DRE (digital rectal exam). The former measures the amount of Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) in your blood. The later is a physical exploration of the prostate itself to feel for lumps, tenderness or other abnormalities.

What is the norm?

You want to be under a PSA reading of 4 ng/ml. Anything higher than that would suggest the need for further testing to try to get to the cause.

Who should be examined?

The American cancer society offers these guidelines. They recommend an annual PSA and DRE for all men 50 and over. While those with a family history of the disease should start the screening at their 40th birthday. Although anyone with symptoms like increasing frequency of urination, or who find blood in their urine or experience pain when in the bathroom would be advised to get the exam to rule out cancer as the cause of their problems.

Still the process is not perfect. Sometimes men with normal PSA readings are harboring cancer. While others showing an elevated level of PSA are not. As well the DRE may not detect a problem when one exists. Plus the test does not identify aggressive cancers.

Granted it may not be crystal clear that routine when scanning or men who are not higher risk should begin. Because it’s not clear starting earlier reduces the number of deaths. So the best route is to discuss routine screening with your doctor. Recognizing that while not perfect the PSA and DRE are the two exams used to catch prostate problems early. And we both know early detection is the surest path to better outcomes.

It matters not if you’re talking prostate cancer treatment options, how to read PSA scores, or are debating the latest treatment on prostrate cancer. ProblemProstate.com lays it out in plain English so as to make it easy to become better informed about this often misunderstood gland that causes so many problems.

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