4 ms·

This is highly controversial in the field and is looking like a bad recommendation from the task force. A study has shown that metastatic prostate cancer has in

This is highly controversial in the field and is looking like a bad recommendation from the task force. A study has shown that metastatic prostate cancer has increased as a result of this. Men should get a PSA test in their 40s. https://www.cancernetwork.com/view/increasing-rate-prostate-cancer-metastases-diagnosis-older-men https://www.cancernetwork.com/view/increasing-rate-prostate-...

minerjoe 6y ago
One of my mentors, age 67 got recently diagnosed with prostate cancer due to a PSA test. No symptomes. His doctor (from the VA), recommended radiation treatement. The treatement fried the nerves in his legs and he now has much trouble in life and doesn't trust a thing they say.
- abalone 6y ago
  I’m sorry to hear that. However we should be careful not to draw general conclusions from anecdotes.
- thaumasiotes 6y ago
  He got radiation treatment (for prostate!) at 67? That's very odd -- radiation treatment is not recommended for a patient who would be expected to live for more than 10 years in the absence of the cancer.
  - dunbr 6y ago
    While there other treatment options. Radiation therapy is a very common treatment to patients of all ages and isn’t odd at all.
    - thaumasiotes 6y ago
      Radiation therapy for prostate cancer is in fact odd for a patient expected to live to see the side effects. Standard treatment is nothing for a small tumor, surgery for an advanced tumor when the patient has 10+ years of life expectancy, radiation for an advanced tumor when the patient has short life expectancy.
      - abalone 6y ago
        In fact you are a bit wrong. Surgery and radiation are routinely considered as options for treating the same type of tumor. It is more common to do surgery in younger patients but it is incorrect to say radiation is “not recommended” in these cases. And 67 is not young. Source: UCSF Prostate Cancer team (#4 ranked by US News & World report)
- sizzle 6y ago
  Did they get second and third professional opinion? You need to do your due diligence with these diagnostic tests in my experience as a patient, it falls on our shoulders to make an informed decision on carrying out invasive preventive procedures (risk - lifelong side effects vs reward - preventing cancerous tissue growth, etc.). Otherwise you can end up in a situation where you regret not taking action sooner when things have taken a turn for the worst e.g. terminal illness that could have been prevented if caught earlier e.g. metastasizing cancer cells
Someone 6y ago
I don’t know what the right amount of testing is, but proponents of less testing argue that its downsides are worse than its benefits, not that testing doesn’t prevent cancer. I don’t see how the reference you give addresses that.

minerjoe 6y ago

One of my mentors, age 67 got recently diagnosed with prostate cancer due to a PSA test. No symptomes. His doctor (from the VA), recommended radiation treatement. The treatement fried the nerves in his legs and he now has much trouble in life and doesn't trust a thing they say.

abalone 6y ago
I’m sorry to hear that. However we should be careful not to draw general conclusions from anecdotes.
thaumasiotes 6y ago
He got radiation treatment (for prostate!) at 67? That's very odd -- radiation treatment is not recommended for a patient who would be expected to live for more than 10 years in the absence of the cancer.
- dunbr 6y ago
  While there other treatment options. Radiation therapy is a very common treatment to patients of all ages and isn’t odd at all.
  - thaumasiotes 6y ago
    Radiation therapy for prostate cancer is in fact odd for a patient expected to live to see the side effects. Standard treatment is nothing for a small tumor, surgery for an advanced tumor when the patient has 10+ years of life expectancy, radiation for an advanced tumor when the patient has short life expectancy.
    - abalone 6y ago
      In fact you are a bit wrong. Surgery and radiation are routinely considered as options for treating the same type of tumor. It is more common to do surgery in younger patients but it is incorrect to say radiation is “not recommended” in these cases. And 67 is not young. Source: UCSF Prostate Cancer team (#4 ranked by US News & World report)
sizzle 6y ago
Did they get second and third professional opinion? You need to do your due diligence with these diagnostic tests in my experience as a patient, it falls on our shoulders to make an informed decision on carrying out invasive preventive procedures (risk - lifelong side effects vs reward - preventing cancerous tissue growth, etc.). Otherwise you can end up in a situation where you regret not taking action sooner when things have taken a turn for the worst e.g. terminal illness that could have been prevented if caught earlier e.g. metastasizing cancer cells

Someone 6y ago

I don’t know what the right amount of testing is, but proponents of less testing argue that its downsides are worse than its benefits, not that testing doesn’t prevent cancer. I don’t see how the reference you give addresses that.