PSA Test-Debate in the USA..again!

Rather than post full articles relating to the draft recommendations by the United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) I'll post brief parts with links. It must be remembered that as yet nothing has changed in the US:

Screening for Prostate Cancer: U.S. Preventive Services Task Force Recommendation Statement 
DRAFT
Summary of Recommendation and Evidence

 The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends against prostate-specific antigen (PSA)-based screening for prostate cancer. This is a grade D recommendation. This recommendation applies to men in the U.S. population that do not have symptoms that are highly suspicious for prostate cancer, regardless of age, race, or family history. The Task Force did not evaluate the use of the PSA test as part of a diagnostic strategy in men with symptoms that are highly suspicious for prostate cancer. This recommendation also does not consider the use of the PSA test for surveillance after diagnosis and/or treatment of prostate cancer.
U.S. Preventive Services Task Force Recommendation Statement



  U.S. Panel Says No to Prostate Screening for Healthy Men


Healthy men should no longer receive a P.S.A. blood test to screen for prostate cancer because the test does not save lives over all and often leads to more tests and treatments that needlessly cause pain, impotence and incontinence in many, a key government health panel has decided.

The draft recommendation, by the United States Preventive Services Task Force and due for official release next week, is based on the results of five well-controlled clinical trials and could substantially change the care given to men 50 and older. There are 44 million such men in the United States, and 33 million of them have already had a P.S.A. test — sometimes without their knowledge — during routine physicals.




The rest of the links are from medical websites/blogs:


AUA RESPONDS TO NEW RECOMMENDATIONS ON PROSTATE CANCER SCREENING
 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 07, 2011

The American Urological Association (AUA) today released the following statement in response to the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force draft recommendations on the use of the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test. The statement is attributed to AUA President Sushil S. Lacy, MD: The American Urological Association (AUA) applauds the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force for its interest in reviewing the use of the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test. However, we are concerned that the Task Force’s recommendations will ultimately do more harm than good to the many men at risk for prostate cancer both here in the United States and around the world. The AUA’s current clinical recommendations support the use of the PSA test, and it is our feeling that, when interpreted appropriately, the PSA test provides important information in the diagnosis, pre-treatment staging or risk assessment and monitoring of prostate cancer patients.
AUA RESPONDS TO NEW RECOMMENDATIONS ON PROSTATE CANCER SCREENING

   Poor science underlies the USPSTF recommendation about PSA-based screening

 Posted on October 8, 2011 by Sitemaster

 Whatever we may think individually about the recent decision by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force to recommend against the use of PSA testing as a means of “screening” for risk of prostate cancer, we would be wise to understand that at the heart of this decision is poor science. The “New” Prostate Cancer InfoLink




USPSTF “forced” to release PSA recommendations earlier than expected

Posted on October 7, 2011 by Sitemaster

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) — after previously stating that it would be releasing its new recommendations about PSA testing for risk of prostate cancer on Tuesday next week — has been pressured (by a variety of organizations, and by the media) to release its draft recommendation today. The “New” Prostate Cancer InfoLink