One of the most common cancers in men is prostate cancer and when caught early, its treatment can be successful. Annual screenings for men to check for prostate cancer begin about the age 50, higher risk men about 40. However, controversy within the medical field is growing over the latest prostate testing recommendations, and the following is the lowdown on the latest findings.
What is Prostate Cancer?
The prostate is a small gland shaped similar to a walnut. Prostate cancer is also a common cancer found in men, and your treatment is typically dependent on the speed at which the cancer grows and if it has spread throughout the rest of the body. When detected at its early stages and confined to the area of the prostate, treatment is usually successful.
The Latest Findings
Men over the age of forty formerly were advised to get screened for prostate cancer. The latest findings from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force has now recommended men quit getting tested to see if they have prostate cancer. Tests were reviewed and came to the conclusion that the harmful risks in treating prostate cancer far outweighed the benefits. Typical side effects of treatment can be impotence and incontinence. However, it was reported that many patients suffered more serious side effects such as heart attacks and pulmonary embolisms.
Disagreement among Professionals
The American Urological Association expressed outrage in an online statement, mainly because the PSA test is the only available way to check for prostate cancer. Because of the testing over the past twenty years, there has been a significant cancer decline by as much as 39 percent. This is mainly because the more aggressive forms of the disease are detected before they spread to other areas in the body.
The number of patients who have lived beyond ten years past their initial diagnosis has also seen an increase. Urologists fear that because testing is no longer recommended, prostate cancer won’t be detected at its most crucial time and a catastrophe will ensue.
Annual PSA Testing
Since physicians and not urologists are more likely to order the test, the PSA may not be ordered to check for prostate cancer during annual checkups. Studies have shown that the tests have proven to give a false positive and when the cancer has been detected, many feel they are unable to take a wait and see approach on how quickly the cancer will grow.
If there is a false reading, men may be recommended to get a biopsy or some type of other treatment that isn’t even needed which can lead to unwarranted pain and unnecessary infections. Because of this, some physicians prefer to wait until something better comes along. While researching where to get prostate screening in Charlottesville, I found that the tests can be ordered directly from labs online or those who want testing despite the latest recommendations. Once ordered online, a person will be directed to a local lab in their area where blood and urine samples will be collected, depending on the kind of testing being done. The person will be contacted within 48 hours by a doctor to go over their test results from the lab work obtained. This way of testing is relatively cheaper for people who have little or no insurance that would like a PSA test performed.
Prostate cancer is a serious form of cancer that can spread if not caught early. The latest findings are under debate and most are leaving the decision to be tested up to the patient. To ensure that you make the right decision, most patients are advised to speak with a knowledgeable and trusted physician to determine their own specific needs.
Researcher Lisa Coleman shares this information to raise awareness of new health recommendations. People who prefer to go directly to the lab can find out where to get prostate screening in Charlottesville and other locations from Health Testing Centers. Patients are urged to consult with their physician for any interpretation or treatment.