Do I really need to get a PSA screening?

PSA stands for Prostate-sepcific-antigen, and is one of the tests that I’m going to get during my annual physical check up next week. That’s why when I saw this headline the other day, saying that Cancer Society casts more doubt on prostate tests, the first thing that came to mind was the question above. Do I really need to get a PSA screening?

According to Wikipedia:

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the PSA test for annual screening of prostate cancer in men of age 50 and older. PSA levels between 4 and 10 ng/mL (nanograms per milliliter) are considered to be suspicious and should be followed by rectal ultrasound imaging and, if indicated, prostate biopsy.

However, in the yahoo headline news quoted above, we learned that:

The cancer society has not recommended routine screening for most men since the mid-1990s, and that is not changing.
But the organization is urging doctors to talk frankly with their patients about the risks and limitations of the PSA blood test when offering it.

In addition, the report cited that:

Two big studies last year suggested prostate cancer screening doesn’t necessarily save lives, and any benefits can come at a high price.
The widely used PSA test often spots cancers too slow-growing to be deadly.
It can yield false-positive readings that result in unnecessary biopsies.
It can lead to treatments that can cause impotence and incontinence.

Reading through the whole article I thought, hm, it would be better talking to my doctor after this test since I couldn’t digest all these info. That was the reason I was so glad when I saw Dr. Izzy this morning discussing, what’s the best possible screening for prostate cancer on his weekly Sunday Housecall program.

Thanks to Foxnews, here is Dr. Izzy’s video that I’d like to share with y’all:

In case you or your Dad is 50 or older, then please listen carefully to what doctor Izzy said. The bottom line is this:

Talk to your doctor about prostate cancer screening
Get a PSA test but realize the exceptions, the infections and the fact that the number is not always reliable.

In his own practice, Dr. Izzy said:

He doesn’t test anyone with a PSA below 2.5 every year. He tests them every two years.
If it’s 4 or higher he considers it a possibility for prostate cancer and he sends them to Urologist for possible biopsy.

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In the past my PSA level was very low, and with my current condition, I don’t expect to have an elevated PSA level. Now with all these info on hand, at least I got the idea on what to discuss with my doctor when I take the test result to see him next month.

Please remember, the key is: Talk to your doctor.

If you want to find more info, please check this CDC Guide on Prostate Cancer Screening, which I found from the links at the end of yahoo’s article, or you may search for more info yourself.

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