[Benjamin]

Men should be offered a screening test for prostate cancer in their late 40s, researchers say.

The idea is controversial as prostate specific antigen (PSA) testing can be unreliable, throwing up false positive results that can cause undue worry and even treatment over something benign.

But the Swedish team say checking every man aged 45-49 would predict nearly half of all prostate cancer deaths.

Their findings, in The BMJ, come from a study of more than 21,000 men.
No consensus

There is no routine screening programme for prostate cancer in the UK.
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“Start Quote

At least half of all men can be identified as being at low risk and probably need no more than three PSA tests in a lifetime”

Prof Lilia and colleagues

Men over 50 can request a free PSA test on the NHS if they wish.

A recent prostate cancer screening trial in Europe, ERSPC, showed that screening reduced mortality by 20%. However, this was associated with a high level of "over treatment". To save one life, 48 additional cases of prostate cancer needed to be treated.

In 2010, when the UK National Screening Committee in England last reviewed the issue, it again decided screening should not be introduced.

But Prof Hans Lilia and colleagues from Lund University in Sweden and the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in the US say there is a strong case for routine PSA testing and that men in their late-40s are prime candidates.
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PSA testing

PSA is a protein produced by both normal and cancerous prostate cells
A high level of PSA can be a sign of cancer
A PSA reading higher than four, but less than 10 is usually due to a benign enlarged prostate
A reading higher than 10 may also just be a non cancerous prostate disease
The higher the level of PSA, the more likely it is to be cancer

Source: Cancer Research UK

To prove it, they looked back at a study carried out between 1974 and 1984 involving 21,277 Swedish men aged 27-52. All the men had donated blood samples at the start of the study. The researchers used these stored samples to run PSA tests.

Armed with the results, they then checked to see if the PSA reading predicted what had happened to the men in terms of clinical outcomes - ie had those with high/positive PSA results gone on to develop prostate cancer.

A high PSA was linked with an increased risk of prostate cancer.
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We are currently in the process of a scheduled review for a screening programme for prostate cancer and will make a recommendation towards the end of 2013”

Dr Anne Mackie of Public Health England

The researchers then checked the results to see if there was a best age at which men should be screened.
Balance of risks

Screening too young - below 45 years of age - detected too few deadly cancers.

And delaying screening until after a man's 50th birthday missed too many.

Screening men at the age of 45-49, however, spotted nearly half (44%) of the cancers that went on to be deadly.

In the study, 1,369 of the men had prostate cancer, 241 had advanced disease and 162 died from it.

They say all men should be offered a PSA test in their mid-to-late 40s. Those with a high result would return for frequent screening and checks (and treatment if necessary), while those with normal results could wait until their early 50s for their next PSA test.

"At least half of all men can be identified as being at low risk and probably need no more than three PSA tests in a lifetime," they say in the British Medical Journal.

"This is likely to reduce the risk of over-diagnosis while still enabling early cancer detection among those most likely to gain from early diagnosis," they say.

Dr Anne Mackie, Director of NHS Screening Programmes at Public Health England, said they reviewed evidence for screening on a three-yearly basis to make sure that the programmes offered by the NHS are based on the best and most up-to-date information available.

She said they would consider the findings of the BMJ study.

"We are currently in the process of a scheduled review for a screening programme for prostate cancer and will make a recommendation towards the end of 2013," she said.

The Prostate Cancer UK said more research efforts should be channelled into finding a better screening test for the disease.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-22164449

[Marc]

I'd happily be screened when I'm old enough.

[billy123]

Im just not sure im ready to be fingered yet

[Marsh.]

Yeah, I know cancer is serious but the thoughts of my doctor sticking something up my ass makes me want to die.

[King Gizzard]

agreed with bob and marsh..I know it's serious but..

You're all frigid.

[Marc]

You're all stubborn and could die, when there's a chance of detecting cancer and surviving

[Vicky.]

There should be screening for this. Much the same as there is for cervical cancer. No woman likes getting smears done, but most get on with it to increase the risk of catching it early if anything happens.

I think blokes attitudes towards screening are the main reason for the increase in male cancers tbh.

[King Gizzard]

Getting tested for testicular cancer was awkward and bad enough..but I would go if I had all of the symptoms for sure

[Marc]

Tbh if you broke a leg you'd have to have surgery and the recovery can't be painless and easy.. but you'd get it fixed so why wouldn't you just endure a few moments of being uncomfortable. It's not the end of the world

[Jake.]

Originally Posted by Nathan

but I would go if I had all of the symptoms for sure

Originally Posted by Marc

Tbh if you broke a leg you'd have to have surgery and the recovery can't be painless and easy.. but you'd get it fixed so why wouldn't you just endure a few moments of being uncomfortable. It's not the end of the world

[2]

[Marsh.]

Originally Posted by Vicky.

There should be screening for this. Much the same as there is for cervical cancer. No woman likes getting smears done, but most get on with it to increase the risk of catching it early if anything happens.

I think blokes attitudes towards screening are the main reason for the increase in male cancers tbh.

It's alright for women, they're used to pushing things out of and shoving things into their front bums. My arse was not made for stuffing.

Do we need to shave beforehand?

[Jake.]

Originally Posted by 08marsh

It's alright for women, they're used to pushing things out of and shoving things into their front bums. My arse was not made for stuffing.

Do we need to shave beforehand?

Depends on how much you like your doctor I suppose

[Vicky.]

Originally Posted by 08marsh

It's alright for women, they're used to pushing things out of and shoving things into their front bums. My arse was not made for stuffing.

You have such a way with words...

And smears are not pleasant. No matter how many things you have had in, or coming out of your foof...its different

Originally Posted by JH95

Depends on how much you like your doctor I suppose

[Marsh.]

It was blunt but true.

The vagina was made for penetration, the arse wasn't.

Smears are high on the list of reasons I'm glad I'm not a woman. So awkward. Lol

[Roy Mars III]

you sound like my girlfriend

[the truth]

ok so how do we get screened do we just ring the doc and ask

[Marsh.]

Originally Posted by the truth

ok so how do we get screened do we just ring the doc and ask

Nathan's offering free checks.

[lostalex]

I thinks it's hilarious that some str8 guys pretend putting something up their bum is so scary and horrible. Every man, gay or str8, has stuck something up their butt at some point. Even if it was just out of curiosity, they've all done it.

It's just like masturbation, 90% of men have masturbated, and 10% are liars.

[billy123]

Originally Posted by lostalex

I thinks it's hilarious that some str8 guys pretend putting something up their bum is so scary and horrible. Every man, gay or str8, has stuck something up their butt at some point. Even if it was just out of curiosity, they've all done it.

It's just like masturbation, 90% of men have masturbated, and 10% are liars.

Its a bit small minded and bigoted to presume that other people are weird not to want to be analy penetrated just because you are happy to be.

[lostalex]

Originally Posted by bobnot

Its a bit small minded and bigoted to presume that other people are weird not to want to be analy penetrated just because you do.

when did I say that I want to be anally penetrated? wtf are you talking about?

[billy123]

The topic has nothing whatsoever to do with sexuality but yet again you feel the need to drag the thread there.
Pathetic.

[lostalex]

Originally Posted by bobnot

The topic has nothing whatsoever to do with sexuality but once again you feel the need to go there.
Pathetic.

I didn't mention anything about sexuality, obviously a doctor sticking a finger up your ass is not SEXUAL. I compared it to masturbation in the sense that men lie about it.

Any man that says he's never put a finger u[p his own ass is a liar is what i said, I never said in a sexual way, i'm including when you're tryna get clean after a massive dump in this.

The fact is though that certain str8 men pretend it's a big deal because of homophobia. You denying that is the case is what is pathetic.

And you ASSUMING that because i'm gay i LIKE having things put up my butt is also pathetic and homophobic.

[billy123]

Originally Posted by lostalex

I didn't mention anything about sexuality, obviously a doctor sticking a finger up your ass is not SEXUAL. I compared it to masturbation in the sense that men lie about it.

Any man that says he's never put a finger u[p his own ass is a liar is what i said, I never said in a sexual way, i'm including when you're tryna get clean after a massive dump in this.

The fact is though that certain str8 men pretend it's a big deal because of homophobia. You denying that is the case is what is pathetic.

And you ASSUMING that because i'm gay i LIKE anal sex is also pathetic.

You are the one that passed comment about finding STR8 (sic) men hilarious for not wanting to be penetrated analy.
Yes its hilarious that you dont realise that moronic comments like that might have an effect on men thinking of being tested/screened for cancer that are unsure about getting fingered.
I dont shove things up my arse what on earth makes you think most men are liars?

[lostalex]

Originally Posted by bobnot

You are the one that passed comment about finding STR8 (sic) men hilarious for not wanting to be penetrated analy.
Yes its hilarious that you dont realise that moronic comments like that might have an effect on men thinking of being tested/screened for cancer that are unsure about getting fingered.

that is NOT what i said. now you are just making **** up.