The lesser number of PSA tests for prostate cancer means less?

The lesser number of PSA tests for prostate cancer means less? - It used to be that the prostate was cancer detection routine for men over 50.

The positive results to the test antigen (PSA) prostate specific trigger a biopsy and the results would almost inevitably lead to treatment cancer. 

But recently, the detection rate of the APS in the United States has declined - and the number of new cases of prostate cancer has decreased, too. That's according to a pair of studies published together last November in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

The studies could not prove these two trends are causally related; However, the authors think they are. In other words, the decline in the number of new cases likely reflects the decreased detection, instead of a decrease in the number of men who have prostate cancer. 

Like other cancer screenings, such as mammography for breast cancer, the PSA test has been the subject of increasing attention. Experts say too many low-risk tumors flags that can only become harmful to the life of a man. Cancer treatment can expose people to unnecessary risk of impotence, incontinence and other side effects.

Why the numbers are declining 

In 2008, the Working Group Preventive Services Task Force of the United States (USPSTF), an influential group of volunteer medical experts, it ruled against PSA screening in men over 75 Then, in 2012, a recommendation was issued against updating exam for all men, regardless of age, race or family history.

These recommendations are controversial. Although many experts acknowledge the PSA test boundaries, who fear that the abandonment of the total PSA test drive tumor diagnosis at an advanced stage may not be curable. 

One of the recently published revised national PSA detection data collected between 2000 and 2013. The results showed that the detection rate began falling in the 2010 study, but only in men under 75 years and above in the 50-54 and 60-64 age groups. The overall detection rate (for all men alike) fell from 36% to 31%.

The second study found a similar decline in PSA screening rates - 37.8% to 30.8% - as well as a decrease of 22% of new prostate cancer diagnoses. The authors of this study examined data maintained by the National Cancer Institute and found the number of diagnoses per 100,000 men aged 50 and older cases fell from 540.8 in 2008 to 416.2 cases in 2012. largest declines came after the USPSTF recommendations published a screening project updates in October 2011.

"These data are the first national, showing what appears to be an effect on prostate screening and diagnosis of the Working Group recommendations based on the population," said Ahmedin Jemal, DVM, Ph.D., Vice president of research services and health surveillance at the American Cancer Society, and a key author of the first study.

Do not scratch the PSA test for now 

In an accompanying editorial, Dr. David F. Penson, President of urologic surgery at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, warned that the "pendulum" of popular opinion could turn too far from screening. But instead of stopping the complete projection, Penson asked the most intelligent, the most specific detection approaches aimed primarily at women considered at high risk of developing prostate cancer. 

"These new results are an expected consequence of the conclusion of the Working Group that the PSA test is probably more harm than good," said Dr. Marc Garnick, Gorman Brothers professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and editor of the Harvard Knowledge.org prostate.

However, Dr. Garnick also called for better screening, recognizing that the number of men with more advanced prostate cancer now likely to increase. "We also need studies focused on those that offer potentially high risk of more aggressive forms of detection of prostate cancer," he said. "The investigation must determine whether early treatment saves lives or lowers death rates from prostate cancer. Until we have this data, the true effect of lower detection rate remain unknown, and discussions about the PSA test will, without clear answers in sight ". 
By: Charlie Schmidt