GET THE FACTS ABOUT PSA SCREENING
Early Detection of Prostate Cancer Saves Lives
The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force has recommended healthy men should no longer receive prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood tests as part of routine cancer screening.
- This decision is being made by a panel that does not include urologists or oncologists. No new research has been cited that would call for this drastic change in prostate cancer testing recommendations since the USPSTF considered this issue in 2009.
- In 2009, this same task force tried unsuccessfully to eliminate mammograms for women ages 40-49 and recommended against teaching women to do breast self exams, which Congress rejected after public outcry.
LUGPA, the Large Urology Group Practice Association, represents more than 1,800 urologists across the country who strongly disagree with the task force’s latest findings. This recommendation needlessly puts into harm’s way all the men who are most at risk: those who are underinsured, live in rural areas where health care is not readily available, have a family history of prostate cancer, and particularly African-American men. LUGPA supports current recommendations recommending PSA screening for well-informed men who wish to pursue early diagnosis.
Prostate cancer mortality decreased in the PSA era.
(Mortality rates at left are shown per 100,000 men.)
The Data
The most recently updated study, The Göteborg Randomized Population-based Prostate Cancer Screening Trial, 2 found that with screening, deaths from prostate cancer dropped 44% over a 14-year period, compared with men who did not undergo screening, and that prostate cancer screening efficiency was similar to other cancers.
Early detection is critical to the success of prostate cancer treatments. Men should be able to make an informed decision about prostate cancer screening. A decision on how best to test for and treat prostate cancer should be between a man and his doctor.
Take Action
- With early screening, although the incidence of prostate cancer has remained stable for the last 20 years, the death rate from prostate cancer has decreased by nearly 40 percent.
- Implementation of the US Preventive Services Task Force recommendations will undo 20 years of progress, and could result in the needless deaths of thousands of men.
- Voice concern to task force chair, Dr. Virginia Moyer, at moyer@bcm.edu and your federal policymakers today!
Don’t allow the government to deny your ability and right to choose your health care destiny.
1 SEER Prostate Cancer Incidence and Survival, All Ages, 1992-2007
2 Hugosson J, Carlsson S, Aus G, et al. Lancet Oncol. 2010 Aug;11(8):725-32.
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