I think you need to read this article again, and more carefully this time.

Here's from the study...last sentence is most important..

Results

After a median follow-up of 11 years in the core age group, the relative reduction in the risk of death from prostate cancer in the screening group was 21% (rate ratio, 0.79; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.68 to 0.91; P=0.001), and 29% after adjustment for noncompliance. The absolute reduction in mortality in the screening group was 0.10 deaths per 1000 person-years or 1.07 deaths per 1000 men who underwent randomization. The rate ratio for death from prostate cancer during follow-up years 10 and 11 was 0.62 (95% CI, 0.45 to 0.85; P=0.003). To prevent one death from prostate cancer at 11 years of follow-up, 1055 men would need to be invited for screening and 37 cancers would need to be detected. There was no significant between-group difference in all-cause mortality.

"Informed rather than surprised" is not a simple issue. Most men suffer a devastating blow to the quality of their lives when PSA scores mean medical intervention with surgery and radiation, often at a time when they don't have many years left either way. Quality of life does matter, and current methods are too destructive to make this a simple issue.

I was just told last week by my family physician that I had a third increasing PSA with a high velicty between the last two. I have been referred to a urologist on the 19th "for a biopsy." I am 68.

1) I will probably change primaries. "Best practices" say that a physician should fully explain the PSA and its consequences amd get informed consent BEFORE doing any PSAs. He did not do this. In fact, very few physicians (including urologists) understand the reprecussions of the test and it would take at least 20-30 minutes to explain them if he did. My physician conducted the PSA tests without my knowledge. Not a good thing to do, especially since I would have refused them had I been given a choice.

2) The PSA test is very controversial because it has a huge amount of false positives AND a huge amount of false negatives. If you give PSA's to 80-year-old men, you will miss half the prostate cancers and misdiagnose 90% of the remainder. This is a test that makes millions for labs and medical rquipoment people and provides "a steady revenue stream" to urologists. It is just a rotten test whose results you could beat by simply rolling dice. It is actually worse than purely random.

3) I will visit the urologist, but will NOT allow a biopsy. A needle biopsy can only detect two of the four forms of cancer. And of the two types that it can detect, it cannot distinguish between the type that is fast and aggressive (around 95%) of the ones that are fast and aggressive (5%). At 68, I am 22 times more likely to die of something else than of prostate cancer if I have the slow type. About 10% of men who have a 12-point needle biopsy will wear diapers the rest of their life. Over half will be impotent.

4) If you read thjis study closely, what you will see is that NO test, NO biopsy, and NO surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, or any combination thereof, changes the death rate. The ONLY difference is that the for-profit medical industry pockets a huge amount of money and a lot of men dies of a heart attack wearing diapers and impotent.

5) Urologists are noted for proposing that "you just can't tell" so they should do surgery "just to be safe." It is a good racket. They end up with exactly the same number of patients dying as anyone else, so they can't be doing any real harm. The only difference is that the ones they operate on die of something else instead of prostate cancer. It is a zero sum equation. The loser is the patient. The "cancer" scare, the medical profiteering, the unnecessary testing, the unnecessary biopsies, the massive ioverdiagnosis and over-treatment all contribute to a very scary situation for a lot of people. But it just isn't necessary.

More and more men are refusing to allow PSAs in accordance with current medical srandards of care. Of people with abnormal PSA's, more and more are refusing biopsies unless there are symptoms in addition to a high PSA number. And even with people who have biopsy-confirmed prostate cancer, many are now choosing to do nothng at all until the hospice situation arises and the majority of them are not dieing of prostate cancer.

It is to be hoped that all men will heed these findings and be tested regularly.

However, they should face the same difficulties in getting screening and care that women face e.g. beginning covered mammograms at 40 is totally unacceptable. Young women are dying for lack of mammograms which, btw, is a major function of Planned Parenthood.

Even tho Medicare says they will pay for the blood work once a year, I have had to decline the test already this year because they say they will not pay for it (the blood work, that is). That's $179. out of my pocket that they have promised to pay and are backing away from. Also having trouble getting medicare to pay for my diabetic test strips. Promised services are NOT being provided. Retired and on severely limited income, just that one test amount is over 2 months of grocerys in cost. If the cancers or the Doctors don't kill us, it appears our government will......

My best friend just did the very same thing. He is 74. He tried to talk me into going the route he did. I have talked to too many men whose lives are ruined by the treatment, and said no way. Now that my friend has had all of the radiation treatments he has spent months going through horrible side effects. He said if he had it to do over again he would not do it. I have no fear of death. I am not going to let fear talk me into a treatment that virtually always leaves you incontinent and impotent. Life is to be enjoyed not just to stay alive at all costs. There are things far worse than death.

I will take a PSA and a digital exam every year. it is a very small inconvenience to have to deal with. My father is 82 and has stage 4 prostate cancer. Because of his, I will never ever let it get that far. No big deal!

Sort of confusing. PSA is a blood test. That is not the test men don't like. Its the test that follows a positve PSA blood test which is a digital exam. The digital exam is the test men find unconfortable and intursive. The PSA is simple. They take a vile of blood and it is tested at the lab.

My doctor does the finger up the butt thing every year. But she's kinda cute so I really don't mind it.

I'm not sure how I'd react to "You have Prostate Cancer, but your high blood pressure, diabetes, or an enraged Tea Party person will probably kill you before the cancer will, so we're not going to do anything."

I had the misfortune of watching my 69 year old father die five years after he was diagnosed with metastatic prostate cancer. His cancer spread first to his bones, then to his brain. I saw the smartest person I have ever known (PhD Math, career research engineer who could take any engineering problen and reduce it to a solvable mathematical model) reduced to a shell kept comfortable in an IV drug-induced fog.

This was 25 years ago, before the PSA test was used as a screening tool. Otherwise he was incredibly healthy. Up until a year before he died, he ran 6 miles every day. Aside from the cancer, he probably would have lived well into his 80's.

I have three brothers. My older brother was diagnosed with stage 1 prostate cancer at age 57, my youngest brother was diagnosed with stage 1 prostate cancer at age 43. Do you think I would ever consider passing up my annual PSA / DRE exam?

Sounds like the new medical standard is "ignorance is bliss!" Getting the test is no big deal. Determining what to do with the results is something else. But only a loony would say that they'd rather not know they have cancer and therefor they are glad that they don't have to make any decisions. If that's the case, then everyone who doesn't want to know shouldn't waste either there's or taxpayers' money to have the test. But to sit there and say that one is better off not knowing is absurd.

Quite an interesting article I must say! I've been in the medical profession well over 30 years and spent a great portion of that time in the are of Infectious Diseases. I was diagnosed with advanced stage prostate cancer on a routine physical at age 62. I had always said "no" to the PSA screening because I had no family history of prostate cancer.

The ultimate question that comes to mind as a result of reading this article is...IF the PSA screening is a "waste of time", WHY then are the majority of insurance companies denying underwriting on PSA screening results of over 5.0 ng/ml ?? As a professional in the field of medical research, I find it disconcerting to say the least that the 28,000 men who will die each year as a result of prostate cancer are being made to look like an anomaly or an outlier of the research data!

wow Chris, I read your post and I have to disagree, you're a young guy and unless you have other medical issues I think you're making a mistake.

Do prostate exams cause AIDS? I mean it's not too different from what gay men do.

Ultimately, it's the patients decision as to whether, or not to take a PSA test.

"He" can make that decision. When I was about 55, I received a note from my doc that indicated an increased level in my PSA [and I had no other symptoms]. I wanted to always have that included, and because of it, I'm cancer free today. I explored the alternatives, and looked at both sides of the equation, and finally decided to surgically remove the prostate. It's been 15 yrs, and I still have the PSA test done, as my doc seems to encourage it.

Personally, the PSA test saved my life.

Yes, I had not one, but two biopsies...and abnormal cells were found during the 2nd biopsy, and in only one of the 12 needles that are used for each biopsy. So out of a total of 24 needles, only [1] one indicated a cancer. In short, they found the cancer very, very early.

Would I consider the biopsies invasive? Sure, but it was worth the risk. Was is painful? Only the last 6 shots, and the pain [or rather... a progressive level of discomfort with each shot] vanished by the time I had to give them my co-payment by check before I left the doctors office.

In sum, it's YOUR DECISION to have, and not to have the PSA test. I'm glad [and alive] that I had mine!!!!!

I'm 53 but was 48 when I was diagnosed with prostate cancer. The diagnosis came after two to three years of increasingly difficulty in urination.

Initially, a rectal exam (examining the prostate by feel through the rectal wall) didn't reveal any abnormalities. With me not responding to initial treatment (treatment for possible low-grade infection, and enlargement), the urologist suggested a PSA (prostatic specific antigen) blood check. He did tell me the idea was the prostate gland produces a specific protein that might increase or become high due to cancer. Zero to four is considered within the normal range, but abnormally quick rises, still within the normal range, might also be cause for concern. He also told me abnormal PSA numbers do not necessarily mean cancer but are one tool toward diagnosis, a flag if you will.

That first reading was 5.17 leading the urologist to suggest a needle biopsy. After a few days for the tissue to be studied, I was informed I did in fact have prostate cancer.

The tumor was graded in a couple of categories and armed with that information the Dr. gave me his advice which was surgical removal of the prostate gland. Radiation was also a consideration but if the radiation were to have failed, tissue destruction would have made it nearly impossible to perform surgery later if needed. I've heard of a cryogenic procedure but this was not available at the time, at least through my facilty. So, at my young age and wanting to give myself the best chance for long life, even if my sex life was affected, I chose to be operated on three weeks later.

The operation was a success and biopsies on the surface of the prostate and in surrounding tissue showed no evidence of spread. The cancer was contained within the gland. Recovery was okay and a couple of months later was doing pretty well. The surgery saved some of the nerves around the prostate so pleasurable sex is still possible although viagra is now important as I'll never get back my complete old self. But that's a small incovenience when compared against having cancer.

I still need yearly PSA checks, the idea being with no prostate gland the PSA check should be 0.0, but should a cancerous prostate cell have escaped and set up shop somewhere else in the body, then the PSA number would be greater than zero. My last check about six-months ago showed a PSA number of 0.02, which is close enough to call my number a zero. It's been a bit over five years since surgery and the Dr. says at this point the chance of the cancer returning are quite small.

So, I'm someone who firmly believes in testing, as long as the Dr. is competent and explains everything. It is only information and I can't see how that is bad as long as the patient and doctor use good sense.

As far as a rectal exam, well that's simple. Yea, it's invasive, I mean how could a finger up the butt not be? But it's quick and painless. Men need to get over the worry or concern about something that's such a non-issue. Five to ten seconds of dignity loss is a small sacrifice in order to save one's life.

The needle biopsy was no fun, but the Dr. was quick and after the first couple of pokes I don't think I felt the rest. The Dr. said my urine might turn a bit red but I don't recall mine looking anything but normal. Other than the initial, short discomfort, the biopsy didn't affect me at all. If a concern I suggest the patient ask their phsyician about the number of folks who respond less than well after a needle biopsy. For me, the needle biopsy confirmed a problem which led to fixing things, a good deal indeed.

I tell you one thing, I wouln't pass off advice from a Dr. as just a way to keep the money flowing in. That thinking might cost a man or woman his or her life. A person just needs to be educated. If less than sure, like has been said before, get another opinion.

I leave by saying don't shy away from the doc and be proactive or active in your health care. A finger up the butt or a blood check is a damn small price to pay in order to be armed with potentially live-saving information.

To Larry MacKinnon.

Your article is almost a mirror image of mine. Our age, what we went through although I was fortunate to have the Robot proceedure which was easier than going to the dentest. My father died 25 years ago from prostate cancer so it was a no brainer for me to make the decision I made. Take the tests, it's not an easy death believe me.

Yes, take the tests. Just came from the article saying women can wait and have pap smears every 5 years. Another ploy from a panel of men telling me what I should or shouldn't do. I don't believe it and will continue to have a pap smear every year...even if insurance doesn't pay for it and the way things are going, Congress will decide that it should only be paid for every 5 years. Anyone see a deadly pattern here?

Try to order A bone density screen in a Medicare patient--just about every diagnosis one can think of that one would think would qualify for the bone density is REJECTED. A physician has to literally lie and enter OSTEOPOROSIS, even he or she does not even know if the patient has osteoporosis, in order to have the test reimbursed by Medicare--this is a both a joke, as well as frustration as one has to try entering other diagnoses--to no avail.

Jason@ My PSA tests started at 3 and increased over the year it might not mean cancer but its a god damn good gauge id be dead today if i didn't do this PSA then the biopsy test in 3 months I was a stage 4 prostrate cancer thanks to my 2 great doctors in San Diego Dr Loren Novak NCMC and Dr Christopher Kane UCSD i had the surgery ands home next day and no complications and now in remission Sure there are side effects including impotence, incontinence and bowel problems. But its a hell of a lot better than being dead so my view is do the PSA every year unless change and if change 6 months and if it goes up biopsy and go from their if you do get prostrate cancer and you can do DA Vinci® surgical robot is the only way to go screw that chemo and radiation The DeVinci surgery i was home less than 12 hrs and never had a problem other than that damn catheter (lol)

My husband was 59 when the first psa test that he had ever had revealed that his prostate was full of cancer. He was an 8 on The Glisan scale. We were told that if he did not have a prostectomy he would be dead from this cancer in about 6 weeks as the biopsy revealed that the tumors were aggressive and fast growing.He had the prostectomy. He lived cancer free for 4 more years then the cancer returned and spread to his bones and his brain.

After a few years of radiation and chemo I lost him to what was originally prostate cancer. HAD WE KNOWN ABOUT THE PSA TEST WE WOULD HAVE STARTED GETTING THEM WHEN HE TURNED 50!!! I don't doubt that he would be alive today. I am so very mad that we didn't know about the psa test. I miss him more than words can say and it was a needless death!!

I was 48 and my Doctor said he wanted bloodwork done, when the nurse came in the room she asked me what screening I was getting and I said "everything", she asked "cancer too?" and I said "sure". 3 days later my Doctor called and said he didn't want the PSA done because typically the insurance companies won't pay for it but he was glad I did, I had a PSA of 15.3 and the biopsy confirmed the most agressive prostate cancer. Stage 1 for Prostate Cancer means that the patient reported no other symptoms and the cancer was discovered by the PSA test. It's a little more complex than that but you get it. The biopsy is absolutely the worse part of it all, not even a complimentary valium or drink but without the biopsy you don't really know where you stand. next comes the bone scan, and that's where it get's serious from a mental perspective, if it's jumped (which Prostate cancer likes to do) to your bones it's a whole new ballgame. Fortunately for me it had not jumped to my bones. I opted for the Robotic surgery and and the largest catheter because I was informed that this produced the best results long term. The second worse part is getting the catheter out, like I said I opted for the larger one because it has shown better recovery from a functional perspective. When it was removed it was kind of like the nurse was starting a lawnmower but, I breathed and lived through it. I can honestly say that I worked hard at recovery but I have it, the only difference between before and after is that I no longer produce any DNA during sex (no muss no fuss). Also if I get drunk (is intoxicated the appropriate word on MSN?) I mean really drunk I have the potential to pee myself a little when laughing (like a woman that's had kids, no sympathy from them lol). So now I get fun drunk when camping and not stupid drunk, I think every one benefits. :) There are a lot of treatment options out there and it will all depend on what you want out of your recovery regardless of your age, but you won't know you need treatment if you don't get a PSA.

Well, you know the issue better than a layperson, but many physicians disagree. And many men die from other causes long before their "cancer" can harm them in any way. Some logically resist giving up the qualty of their lives (and physicians are less than honest with patients about side effects) to embrace an unknown and would rather bank on having not getting ill for another decade--or perhaps never--before doing so.

@Zarnon,

So you are proposing that the lack of difference between all-source death numbers is just a fluke? The choice you are offering is really not a choice of ways to die. Making then sound scary doesn't make you deader. The choice is whether you will have that heart attack playing beach vollyball or have it shopping for Depends.

Don't think this is a baby in the bathwater. There is NO data anywhere that men whop have intervention for prostate cancer live any longer than men who do not. There IS a huge amount of data point to unobtained permission for PSAs, damage to quality of life from both biopsies and destructive interventions, and a huge amount of psychological trauma that simply isn't necessary.

And I ask you, "Cui bono?"

A little education goes a long way! Thank God for PSA's! Saved 2 young fathers in my family.

I agree! I had the digital exam for years and they always said I was fine. PSA was 15.3 & prostate removed in 2010 age 48

chris you sound really mis-informed and scared. It's your choice to do nothing but you cannot justify that plan for everyone, I'd be dead if I listened to you plain and simple, and instead I am playing with my grandkids every Wednesday and life is good. I had a TIA at 42, a Heart Attack at 43, I have six stents, and at 48 they removed my prostate. I am now 50, I go on because of a PSA test. will I live longer than I would have if I had not had the prosate removed, who knows, I could live another 50 years or just another day but I have to operate under the assumption that I could do the 50. I work out now (that was a 5 year plan from the Heart Attack) for two years, I walk up to 8 miles a day. Quality of life is what you make it unless you have a physical disability that prevents you from taking care of yourself.

Eric, I have to disagree with your statement, sounds like you're listening to "old wives tails" or "traditional surgery methods" which are being phased out. Recovery is far different than what you make it and you all have to stop thinking that this is an "old mans" problem. it's not.

Zarnon..I thank you for your post. You are 100% correct in what you wrote. I feel that even though I am not a doctor I know just as much as most doctors do about prostate cancer as I suffered through every minute of my late husbands years of us fighting this horrible monster. I ask every doctor, radioligist, chemo administer, Uroligist, blood transfusion administer,etc. I went on the internet daily exploring any subjuect on prostate cancer that I could find. I read every book on prostate cancer. I suffered with my husband daily. I want to SO BAD to start an awarness program that will get the message out to men about the importance of the p.s.a test. My husband and I held a huge bar-b-que in the parking lot of our restaurant when he was first diagnosed with the cancer. We passed out buttons that said..." hey buddy do you know your psa number"..we had my uncle who was a retired doctor came and talk about this cancer. My husband was a retired longshoreman & our business was across the streets from the docks that he had worked on for 36 years & most of our customers were longshoreman...after that day we had 9 men come in & tell us that they had prsotate cancer but the psa test found it early enough for their survival & had we not had that awareness bar-b-que they would most likely have died eventually from prostate cancer. My husband passed away at age 66. I want the psa test to become comman knowledge as the mammogram is. I want to start The Michael W. Ryan awareness program to equal to The Susan G. Komen awareness program. If we saved 9 men from the needless death of prostate cancer just imagine how many lives would be saved if I could get this type of an awareness program started. I just don't know how to do it, can you give me any idea's on this..thank you, Mrs. Michael W. ryan

My dad is 88 years old and he stage 4 prostate cancer that has metastasized to his seventh rib. His cancer came back after he had undergone radiation and hormonal therapies 12 years ago in 2000.

In 1999, when dad was 76 he was diagnosed with prostate cancer after a PSA of 20 and a biopsy exam. A repeated prostate specific antigen revealed it had increased to 26. The urologist he was seeing at the time wanted to do surgical removal. My dad emphatically said no. We then flew him thousands of miles away to Scripps Green Hospital where a biopsy was done and showed positive on both lobes. HIs gleason score was 6/10. The urologist at Scripps Green recommended combined treatment of total adrogen suppression and radiation therapy. He did not recommend watchful waiting. The doctor said he was between stage 3 and 4 cancer. As a result of these therapies, dad developed diabetes which he's successfully controlled over the years and has been off of Metformin since July 2011. His PSA in August 2000 was 0.2.

I didn't think dad's prostate cancer would come back. Since May 2011, he's had five PSA tests performed: 8.8 (May), 13,0 (July), 9.2 (Sept.) 15.1 (Jan), 12.65 (March). He had a CT scan without barium in June and several x-rays that didn't reveal a problem even though at the time his PSA level was considered high. After the January PSA result, dad saw an oncologist who ordered a CT scan with barium and a bone scan. Without waiting for these imaging results, the oncologist began cancer treatment on dad using Leuprolide 22.5 mg.

Dad got his first injection in March and will get his second and last one in May and August, respectively. The oncologist said that two months after dad's last injection he'll test his PSA again and if it's above 10 then he'll do further treatment. Though the bone scan showed metastasis, the doctor is not recommending Zometa.

My dad's father lived to his mid-90s. I suspect dad would live many more years, too. Dad is living his life like he didn't have this problem. If my parents' health problems were managed solely by them, they wouldn't be as healthy, I think. As their child, I manage both my parent's wellness and many times it is difficult because they don't quite understand why they have to undergo so many tests and see the doctor on repeat visits.

Each individual's situation is different. For my father, we -- I -- couldn't just do watchful waiting, and we didn't rely just on one doctor's opinion alone.

I agree totally. If I had not had the test done, and had my doctor not been tracking it until it began to rise more quickly to a level that raised concern, I might well be dead by now. I did not have any symptoms at all. None. Zero. Zilch. No urinary issues. No bone pain. No blood in the urine. No nodules found on DRE. Not a clue there was anything wrong until the PSA test gave one. As I result, I had radical surgery after the needle biopsy confirmed a highly aggressive grade of cancer that was on the underside of the prostate, and thus not palpable by the normal DRE. The post-operative pathology report was even worse than the biopsy, and there was penetration of the cancer outside the prostatic capsule, but not in any other areas such as lymph nodes or seminal vesicles. I did one year of anti-androgen therapy post-op as insurance, and my PSA remained undetectable for years.

Seven years later, my PSA began to rise again, and this time there was a palpable nodule in the prostatic bed, which then led to 8 weeks of daily radiation therapy. The therapy appeared to destroy the nodule. But the PSA began to rise not long afterward. I am currently on hormone therapy, and probably will be for the rest of my life, and it is not a walk in the park. However, I am still alive, and still enjoy life almost 9 years later. My PSA is once again undetectable. We keep a close eye on it, and perform regular CT and bone scans as additional precaution. Nobody has any idea how long I will keep going, but I still am around to enjoy the pleasures of life and my family for a while longer, hopefully a long while.

So, if you guys want to roll the dice, and not do a cheap and simple test that MIGHT tell you there is something that bears looking into, then don't complain when you are initially diagnosed with bone metastases, lung cancer or brain cancer stemming from an undiagnosed prostate cancer that might have been caught, and if not cured, at least treated before it got to this point. I know guys who had rising PSA, and got concerned, and got the biopsy, and it proved negative for cancer, but they do sleep better knowing that. I know I would have, but that's not the way it played out.

I know way too many people, who when it comes to their own health, prefer to follow an ignorance is bliss philosophy, and while that may prove true for some, it by no means will for all. It's your choice. It's also your responsibility when your choice doesn't work out. If you have any intelligence, when confronted with a positive cancer finding, you can usually make the right choice for yourself with your doctor's guidance. Getting second opinions is always an option. Think about it.

I want to add my support to men getting annual PSA tests. I will be a one year Prostate Cancer survivor next week and I can attribute it to getting annual PSA tests starting in my early 50s. You need to establish a baseline PSA level and track any increases. Then get a thorough biopsy done if you find a slow upward trend over a 2 or 3 year period. Get a good urologist and make an informed decision, don't leave it to chance. My limited side effects from my da Vinci prostectomy is worth every day that I get up to.

I was diagnosed with PC nearly seven years ago and had my prostate removed. I am now 61 years old and looking towards retirement. I am healthy, strong and cancer free. You will never convince me that I made the wrong decision. I had my prostate removed and now I will die of something other than prostate cancer. Go to healingwell.com and find the prostate cancer blog. It may or may not change your views about having a regular PSA check. I'm glad I had mine.

Congratulations, you are the first idiot to introduce politics into a discussion that should be focused only on health.

No, they won't. And, we'll have to pay for all of these screenings through our insurance premiums, but it's all ok because it's all for men. Every single article I've read about women's health has been filled with nasty and mean comments about how no one should be paying for women's healthcare except for the woman getting the treatment, regardless if she has insurance and pays premiums. Then, it all becomes political, when the article itself has nothing to do with politics. I wonder how fast healthcare in this country would change if it was always men's healthcare under attack. I would love it if I didn't have to pay for prostrate exams and my insurance premiums came down! But, that would NEVER happen.

Beg to differ. The right-wingers have been dragging politics into issues that should be related to personal health for months and years.

@Ourdoc

We could have dne without your not so smart remark!

@Ourdoc

I don't know where you get your info from. I AM A RIGHT WINGER and politics has nothing to do with this. Let's keep government out of healthcare as well as your stupid ideology.

Thats right, keep government out of health care. Medicare & Medicaid. i really DONT THINK YOU WANT TO GET RID OF MEDICARE & MEDICAID DO WE NOW?????????

This is life and ultimately possibly death. It does not equate. Not a matter of getting pregnant and not wanting it. Thumbs up renaus.

Agree with your question and I think some of the people that answered you misunderstood the intention of it. The answer is yes. Male screenings could be attacked next. On the same darn page of MSNBC, there is an article saying that cervical cancer screening should now only be done every 5 years and there will be a tradeoff with women dying...said like it is not even a problem. This was stated by a government panel of mostly men that may become insurance gospel going forward into 2014 insurance changes. However, regarding male exams, they recommend "now" that they be done yearly. But when will that change? Or will it, since these things seem to be made by men for men?? Don't get me wrong. I am for health screenings no matter of sex, age, or orientation. However, it seems that insurance companies and those politicians that are lobbied by them are out to reduce life-saving procedures for women and men may be next.

Ourdoc,

It is the current administration that is attacking pre-screening for women. In an article in the same section on msnbc.com, mammograms and pap smears are all being attacked and it appears they will eventually only be permitted every 3-5 years. Tell men to get their PSA cancer screening every 3-5 years as well and let's see what our mostly middle aged congressmen as well as our president will do. I would expect a huge uproar from these men.

I watched my dad die from prostate cancer at the age of 80. He was originally diagnosed ten years earlier at the age of 70. With a Gleason score of 7 he opted for radiation.The radiation failed early and he was administered hormone treatment. That treatment also failed, and the cancer slowly spead through out his body before killing him in 2009. Three months after I buried my father I was diagnosed with prostate cancer.I can still recall my father telling me "Boy Make Sure That You Get Your Prostate Checked Regularly". That message resonated in my mind and it was one reason that my cancer was detected early. I opted for surgery and dont regret it. I cant roll the dice on my life. Yes I had to deal with some horrendous side effects but I am still here and cancer free today.

Sorry, I was so riled up--I should have made it clear that all men and women should have regular health screenings and consult with their family physician on a regular basis. What I'm upset about is that some (anonymous, unconnected, bought and paid for) panel is trying to make our individual and singular healthcare decisions for us (men and women alike), and that's the last thing any of us should want. We are all individuals and each of us has specific singular needs. All of us should be proactive regarding our healthcare.

I agree 100%! I earlier commented on how I wouldn't want to to pay for men's healthcare, but really, I all I want is to be able to make my own choices with my doctor, and not be worried that some politician doesn't like me getting a preventive exam simply because I'm a woman. Everyone out there has different medical needs because no one is the same inside and has different issues.

My urologist is a mild-mannered doctor about 70 years old. Educated in Nebraska, many years of experience and keeps up to date almost religiously. Your description of the biopsy brings back unpleasant memories of when he went where no man had gone before. He said not to worry unless I begin liking it. The tool he used to implant the 24k gold markers for the radiation oncologist was just as evil.

wow, you absolutely do not have a clue what you're talking about. Radiation is awful, I had them cut it out, no rads at all and full functionality regained after.The robotic surgery is incredible!

not just a second opinion but you really need a non-patient with you at all times preferably a family member. I can tell you that during that time of my life thought process and information storage goes out the window. People would tell me they talked to me and I didn't remember, I was too caught up in the emotion as you describe. Very important to have someone watching your back...

You must have had a bad MD so now your not getting it a PSA Check by a MD you can trust if not

good luck it can change fast trust me

you shouldn't be mocking you're one of the lucky ones

can you have sex on this type of therapy?

Congrats the only way to go

Salomi@ All I can say it worked for me its a article about regular prostate screening to reduce deaths