Car mechanic saves lives

Very good of him but I am astounded by the very few numbers that were referred for treatment, 23 out of 3,000.

My old support group have now given free PSA tests to close on 500 men and have found that on average 12% were recommended to go for a referral, that would be 360 out of 3000. In our last session 123 men were tested and 18% were advised to see their GP.

I accept that of the 360 men which would have been referred in our case most would not have PCa but just 23??

If that figure was broadcast many many men would not bother with a PSA test in the 1st place, my maths can't work out a percentage figure of 23 out of 3000....help.

Life is for living

Barry (alias Barrington)

PS I am now waiting in some trepidation expecting to be shot down in flames.

OK IT's ...0.7666 if that was a true figure, less than 1%, men would be foolish to have a PSA test with the worry it can cause.

Edited by member 04 Jun 2014 at 21:31  | Reason: Not specified

45 and over.

For as long as I remain fit and healthy, this will remain a cause I will fight for.

Paul

Thanks for clarifying that, spoken to 3000 men rather than giving 3000 men a PSA test......not quite so expensive either and in all fairness no more than most of us do. Allister and his ilk probably gets the message about awareness across to 3000 men on a monthly basis. However this man is certainly doing "the cause" no harm nor probably his business....good old cynic that I am!

Ref National screening I am on side with you Lyn and it is interesting to see what Professor Richard Ablin, the discoverer of PSA in 1970 has to say about it as a diagnostic tool, I quote........

Prostate expert who won't have PSA test

Richard Ablin, professor of pathology at the University of Arizona College of Medicine.

"When I discovered the prostate specific antigen (PSA) in 1970, we soon realised it could be hugely helpful to prostate cancer patients.

The protein is specific to the prostate gland - it's not found in any significant amount in any other organ. So if a man with prostate cancer had his prostate removed, our discovery meant we could measure his PSA afterwards to see if there was cancer remaining which hadn't been detected.

However, the PSA test began to be used to diagnose prostate cancer. This was a huge mistake.

The PSA is not cancer-specific - it's simply a protein produced by the prostate, so a high level can just mean a man has prostatitis (an infection) or an enlarged prostate - sometimes troublesome but benign.

Also, 'normal' PSA levels vary dramatically from one man to the next: there's no threshold at which point we can reliably diagnose cancer. The test also cannot differentiate between a slow-growing 'pussycat' prostate cancer and an aggressive 'tiger' cancer. It's about as effective as a coin toss.

Nevertheless, it was taken up as a way to check for prostate cancer and, as a result, millions of men have been overtreated, often with unnecessary, highly debilitating side-effects. I would have a PSA test only after treatment for prostate cancer, or if I was at risk of the disease (for example because of family history), and was using it in combination with other tests, such as digital rectal examination, to diagnose it."

The emphasis must be in discovering a non invasive test that can not only determine once and for all whether a man has Prostate Cancer BUT whether it is a pussyfoot cat or a tiger. One day, not too far off, that will happen.

Life is for living

Barry (alias Barrington)

PS The search to determine the "tiger" and thus the most aggressive PCa which needs to be treated urgently is currently the main campaign on The MEN UNITED v PROSTATE CANCER site which is asking for funding / donations to carry out this research.

Edited by member 05 Jun 2014 at 06:47  | Reason: Not specified

I first went to me GP 4 years ago with a change of urinary habits, although I have forgotten what exactly. I got the finger up the bum, a PSA measurement, and put on tamsulosin. When I went last year, not emptying my bladder in the morning, I had a PSA test. The level had gone up, and set off on my journey to having the robotic RP.

If I was unaware of the prostate history in the family, I could have ignored the symptoms and the consequences don't bear thinking about. There are too many cases where diagnosis is too late. How can awareness, more targeted testing be achieved so the ridiculous number of PCa deaths can be significantly reduced?

I can only repeat the views of the Professor who discovered PSA. His view is that it should never be used on its own as a diagnostic test because it is too unreliable. Having said that my Support Group has now tested nearly 500 men in this area without any correct GP to patient consultation taking place as to what the possible outcome could be. I have severe reservations about that but the uptake has been unbelievable with waiting lists now over 100 and at the very least I suppose our adverts for the free PSA testing days have raised awareness throughout South Dorset.

I still feel however that there is an urgent need to find a one off non invasive test that can determine the difference between the pussy cat and the tiger, the latest estimate I believe is that there are 27 types of PCa of which thankfully most are of the pussy cat variety.

PSA in itself is to me a total enigma, I was diagnosed over 15 years ago, had RT and here I am now 15 years later being diagnosed as terminal with spread to my liver, lungs, groin, bowels and soft tissue in the pelvic region.........YET MY PSA IS 0.29 !!

Life is for living

Barry (alias Barrington)

PS

Lyn, I hope Errol McKellar is doing a good business!

Edited by member 05 Jun 2014 at 16:59  | Reason: Not specified

Anything that increases early detection and treatment is better than what is in place now, which is haphazard to say the least.

Paul