In one of the latest trials, in 78% of the cases, PSA results of men with prostate cancer are negative, assuring those men that they do not have prostate cancer. By failing to detect it, the PSA falsely classifies them as healthy. Consequently, they take no action to protect their prostates, allowing the disease to progress unchecked.
Worse, when you examine correct cancer diagnosis by the PSA, the rate of detection is just over 20%. So, for every one hundred cases of real prostate cancer, the PSA detects only about 20. And, from the study above, for each one of these 20 it also falsely detects a non-existent cancer in a healthy man. Imagine the effect on your life if you were one of those men falsely predicted by the PSA to be suffering from cancer.
In sum, the PSA predicts as many non-existent cancers as it does real cancers, and misses most of the real cancers anyway.
Even If You Have A Tumor
Even if a localized prostate tumor is correctly detected by the PSA, it may not be a big problem. Autopsy studies of old men who die from other causes show that about one man in every three has a malignant tumor of the prostate — a tumor that was not involved in his death, was never treated, and probably did not cause any great health problem during his life.
Prostate tumors are mostly slow growing and can sit there unnoticed and without symptoms for 20 to 30 years. That's probably the reason why there's no controlled evidence showing that PSA detection of cancer has had any effect whatsoever in reducing prostate disease, or in reducing deaths from prostate cancer. As explained above, existing evidence points in exactly the opposite direction.
In sum, the PSA predicts as many non-existent cancers as it does real cancers, and misses most of the real cancers anyway. Despite all this hard evidence, The American Cancer Society (which positions itself as a medical authority, but is not) recommends the PSA, and has been largely responsible for the growth in use of this inaccurate and soul-destroying test. And some uninformed medicine men take it as gospel.
On the other hand, the International Union Against Cancer advises against routine PSA testing. So does the Canadian Task Force on Periodic Health Examinations. The official health authority in the US, the Preventive Services Task Force, came down solidly against the PSA in its Guide to Clinical Preventive Services, and does not recommend its use.
Thumbs down on the PSA, however, doesn't mean you can forget about your prostate. Latest figures show that prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths of American men. You definitely don't want BPH progressing into cancer. And there are ways to prevent it. If you have the beginnings of a waterworks problem, or even the anticipation that you will develop one in the future, read on for the details.
For more information on prostate disorders and their treatment options go to: Prostate Health Supplements
Any man interested in minimizing their chances of invasive prostate cancer --- don't use the above as an excuse to stick your head in the sand. For a more realistic view of the admittedly difficult area of what to do about your potential prostate cancer -- check out the recommendations of the experts on prostate cancer -- the American Urological Association (AUA) and the National Comprehensive Cancer Center (NCCN). They both have recent monographs reviewing the truth about PSA, it's positive and negative characteristics, what to do and when but most of all don't forgo PSA testing -- it can and does give many men very important, life defining information.
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