To PSA test or not to PSA test: That is the discussion

Though it seems Americans don’t agree on much, screening for cancer is an exception. Who wouldn’t support preventing or identifying cancer at an early, more treatable stage, when the alternative is pain, toxic therapies, and a shortened life? That may be why people get confused when news headlines don’t reinforce a “just do it” message. A recent example of the disconnect between public perception and medical evidence is screening for prostate cancer using the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test. The United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), a non-governmental expert panel that produces guidelines for primary care providers, proposed new recommendations saying doctors should only order the PSA test for older men after discussing its pros and cons and eliciting preferences for screening. Screening for prostate cancer with the PSA test: The backstory To understand the new draft recommendation requires a brief history of this test. Introduced in the 1980s as a way to follow patients already diagnosed with prostate cancer, it began to be used to screen for new cancers. Given that the PSA is an easy blood test to perform, it was quickly adopted — without waiting for evidence that it actually worked. For many years, the USPSTF said there wasn’t enough information to recommend for or against the PSA test. That changed in 2012 when the USPSTF released a controversial recommendation against screening. It was based in part on a large US study showing no decre...
Source: Harvard Health Blog - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: Cancer Health Managing your health care Men's Health Prostate Health Screening Source Type: blogs