Prostate Screening Controversy

Jan 11, 2006 - A huge new study casts doubt on the effectiveness of standard screening tests for prostate cancer. The study of 72,000 men at V.A. hospitals in New England found that men who'd been screened for prostate cancer had no greater chance of surviving than men who are not screened! The finding is troubling and makes a tough decision even tougher.
 
The study adds fuel to an ongoing debate over whether or not men should get tested for prostate cancer and risk having an unnecessary biopsy. The two test methods available are PSA blood test and the digital rectal exam.
 
Las Vegas urologist Christopher Minott says the PSA test has been less accurate than doctors would like. Dr. Minott says, "We're finding in many cases, that it's identifying a lot of false positives. Therefore, a lot of men are undergoing biopsies a lot more frequently then they would have if we had a more accurate test."
 
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