Colorado Urologists Stand by Benefits of PSA Tests
Despite the fact that the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force has recommended against the use of prostate specific antigen (PSA) testing for the diagnosis of prostate cancer, urologists in Colorado are standing by the test, saying that contrary to what others may argue, PSA tests do save lives.
The Denver Post shared the thoughts of Richard Augspurger, medical director of the Urology Center of Colorado. Augspurger shared that this year, an estimated 22,000 residents of Colorado will be diagnosed with cancer, of which 3,000 are men who will be diagnosed with prostate cancer. Prostate cancer is described as the most commonly diagnosed cancer in Colorado, a reality that has been so for the past five years.
The piece refutes the recommendation made by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, which Augspurger shared was given despite opposition from urologists, oncologists, patients, and advocacy groups.
The PSA test, he writes, is the best option available to date in as far as helping men assess their risk for developing prostate cancer, as well as determining the appropriate treatment, in consultation with their physician is concerned. Augspurger also pointed out that recommending against routine PSA testing may deprive those who are most at risk for prostate cancer – African Americans and those who have a family history of the disease – from undergoing potentially life-saving screenings.
The European Randomized Study for the Screening of Prostate Cancer, the findings of which were published in March 2012, found a 21 percent survival advantage to PSA screening for all patients. These findings, as well as an observed decline in death rates from prostate cancer, lends credence to the fact that screening helps detect prostate cancer at earlier stages, which leads to the saving of lives. “Unfortunately, it appears that these data weren’t considered by the U.S. task force when making its recent recommendation,” Augspurger added.
Tags: benefits of PSA testing, benefits of PSA tests, PSA testing
