For most their annual prostate cancer screenings is a two part process. First there’s the uncontroversial digital rectal exam or DRE. While you may not look forward to it with undiluted pleasure it has it’s place. Then there’s the blood work that is used to determine the amount of PSA or prostate specific antigen floating around in your blood. The idea is to track how much and how much it’s increased since the last reading to give your urologist clues as to potential prostate cancer problems.
Some would say it’s a no brainer to do the PSA test. Yet since studies have shown recently that this test doesn’t cut down on prostate cancer mortality there has been much debate about whether to even bother with the PSA or not.
Deciding on the proper course of action for you depends on many things like family history, your age, overall health and your race. Those and other factors play a role in that decision.
Then there are quality of life issues to be considered too.
Is knowing better than not knowing? Some would say yes – as what you don’t know might kill you.
Others would say since it’s not going to kill you anyway so why bother? You can live out your life blissfully unaware of what’s going on in your prostate since it won’t matter anyhow. Free from the nagging worries about what the cancer is doing today running through your mind you can enjoy life.
Who’s right?
The problem I’ve got with foregoing the test is you cut down your treatment options. With most cancers the idea is to identify them sooner rather than later so you can catch the disease early. Even if it does mean unnecessary treatment, avoidable anguish and unwanted side affects for some it’s worth knowing.
Besides is making decisions by default, which is really what you’re doing if you don’t avail yourself of PSA results, really the best course? Leaving some with no other options ultimately but to wait to die.
I’m not so sure I can make the case that you aren’t better off with some data, no matter how incomplete or flawed it might be, than none at all.
Yet which way to go really comes down to what is best for you. And what you feel most comfortable with.
But perhaps the big picture suggests rather than debating the merits of PSA testing, maybe it would be best to better prepare everyone for what comes next. Since better and improved ways to monitor what’s happening with your prostate might result in better and improved, not to mention informed treatment decisions.
Doesn’t matter if you’re talking how can you prevent prostate cancer to symptoms of an enlarged prostate, those interested in learning more will find it all at leading men’s health site — ProblemProstate.com.
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