Issue link: http://viewer.e-digitaledition.com/i/1004438
THE U.S. PRE VENTIVE Services Task Force recently issued new guidance on PSA testing for the early detection of prostate cancer that may help thousands of men each year. Previously recommending against screening, after consider- ing new information, the Task Force has now concluded that PSA testing of 55- to 69-year-old men may prevent approxi- mately 1.3 deaths from prostate cancer per 1,000 men screened. The new report was published on May 8. Ian Thompson Jr., MD, President of CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Hospital – Medical Center and a urologic oncologist who is an authority on prostate cancer screening and treatment, responded to this news. "Since the advent of PSA testing in the early 1990s, the United States has seen more than a 50 percent fall in deaths from prostate cancer. The evidence is clear that PSA testing is, in part, the cause for this very important trend. " This rev ision of the ta sk force g uida nce is ex tremely important," he continues. "It now stresses that men should ask their physicians about PSA testing and that physicians should offer it to their patients. Decision-making tools are available to understand a man's risk, including one that we developed: myprostatecancerrisk.com." Prostate ca ncer is the most common ca ncer in men in the U.S. Men with a father or brother with the disease a nd African-American men have a greater chance of developing prostate cancer. "It is especia lly impor ta nt for men to lea rn about their risk a nd then ma ke a n informed decision," Dr. Thompson says. " Ea rly detection of prost ate ca ncer ca n save l ives but on ly if t hat conversation bet ween t he physicia n a nd patient occurs." The U.S. Preventive Ser vices Task Force did recommend against PSA testing in men 70 and older. "I would respectfully disagree with the task force telling a 69-year-old man in average hea lth that he may have a PSA test but a 70-yea r-old ma rathon runner whose father lived to 98 that he cannot be screened with PSA ," Dr. Thompson says. "This recommendation oversimplifies complex data and the decision should be left to the physician and patient during their conversation." Fo r m o re info r m at i o n a bo ut Can ce r Care se r v i ces at CHR ISTUS Santa Rosa Hospital – Medical Center, please visit christushealth.org/santa-rosa/medical-center/services- treatments/cancer-care. n New Prostate Cancer Screening Guidelines Could Detect Cancer Early, Save Lives 2 2 2 2❱❱❱❱❱ P R O S TA T E N E W S