Study: Prostate screening does NOT prevent cancer death
Read Time:3 Minute, 55 Second
Several months ago I underwent my annual physical. Part of the physical was a blood test to measure the levels of prostate specific antigens (PSA) in the blood. Mine was elevated, almost an eight, with normal limits being between 1-3. My doctor immediately wanted to send me to a urologist for “further testing.”
Naturally I was concerned, so I immediately did my research, some of which suggested that a PSA at that level meant possible surgery, impotence, incontinence, and other equally horrible side effects of what can be a very painful medical procedure.
Even more research, however, revealed that there was much controversy over the validity and reliability of the PSA as a cancer predictor. It suggested some minor behavior modification, a check for a prostate infection, and another blood test. I elected to do this and on my second test my PSA was barely over a 3 reading. Of course I was much relieved knowing I wouldn’t have to undergo a painful biopsy and the fear of having cancer. But the fact is many, many men have been frightened into unnecessary surgery for a cancer that takes many, many years to grow and for which there is no reliable test.
Fortunately scientists in the UK and Sweden have discovered, following a 20-year study, that the tests are of little to no value. Here is the study as reported by the BBC:
Prostate cancer screening does not save lives, according to a 20-year study, published in the British Medical Journal.
One in four newly diagnosed cancers in UK men is prostate cancer.
Last year, the body which regulates screening in the UK advised against routine screening.
The UK National Screening Committee said this study provided further evidence that the harms outweigh the benefits.
Prostate cancer kills 10,000 people in the UK every year.
While there is no screening program, men over 50 may still request a test.
Screening
This latest study was carried out in Norrkoping in Sweden. It followed 9,026 men who were in their 50s or 60s in 1987.
Nearly 1,500 men were randomly chosen to be screened every three years between 1987 and 1996. The first two tests were performed by digital rectal examination and then by prostate specific antigen testing.
The report concludes: “After 20 years of follow-up, the rate of death from prostate cancer did not differ significantly between men in the screening group and those in the control group.”
The favored method of screening is the prostate specific antigen (PSA) test.
However, around 15% of men with normal PSA levels will have prostate cancer and two-thirds of men with high levels of PSA do not in fact have prostate cancer.
One study has suggested that to prevent one death from prostate cancer you would have to screen 1,410 men and treat 48 of them.
Dr Anne Mackie, programs director of the UK National Screening Committee, said: “This evidence provides further support for the recommendation the Committee made in November not to screen for prostate cancer at this time.
“At the moment the potential harms significantly outweigh the benefits of screening. We will re-assess the evidence for prostate cancer screening against our criteria again in three years, or earlier if new evidence warrants it.”
Dr Sarah Cant, head of policy and campaigns for The Prostate Cancer Charity, said: “Whilst this research suggests that screening men for prostate cancer doesn’t reduce the number of men dying from the disease, this was a relatively small study and not all the screening rounds used the PSA test, which is the most effective test we have at the moment to indicate prostate problems that might be cancer.
“We know from another larger study that screening using the PSA test can reduce mortality rates.
“However, this previous trial showed that screening can lead to many men undergoing unnecessary treatment for a harmless prostate cancer. The Prostate Cancer Charity therefore doesn’t believe there is enough evidence yet to support a screening program.”
This latest study notwithstanding if you have symptoms of prostate cancer, which may not reveal themselves for years, they would include: urinating many times during the night; unable to urinate; burning and pain during urination; blood in the urine; painful ejaculations; and pain in the lower back. If you have any of the above symptoms you should see your physician.
Please let us know what you think by leaving a comment.
Related articles
- New Doubts on Value of Prostate Cancer Screening (webmd.com)
- Prostate testing is ‘doing more harm than good’, warn doctors (dailymail.co.uk)
- 20-year-long study finds prostate cancer screening doesn”t cut death risk (news.bioscholar.com)
Happy
0 %
Sad
0 %
Excited
0 %
Sleepy
0 %
Angry
0 %
Surprise
0 %
0
0
So, detecting prostate cancer early is not a good thing.
As I read the article the tests do NOT detect prostate cancer early which is why they are of no value. When a percentage of those who have normal PSA’s turn out to have cancer and two-thirds who have elevated PSA’s turn out NOT to have cancer I would say there is a problem with the test.
Thanks for posting this MM. It is food for thought to those of us over 50.
Did you actually read the whole article SH? 🙂
This is important information. Cheers to the researchers… I’ve heard several reports outlining that the costs of aggressive screening for prostate cancer significantly outweigh the benefits.
This is a great read and very informative…thank goodness I didn’t let that Doctor shove his hand up my…
LOL Tee! I wish I had read this before I let that doctor …. well you know the rest.