A PSA on PSA's
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Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 3,596 Likes: 1
connoisseur
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OP
connoisseur
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 3,596 Likes: 1 |
Hi! It's Bob again, your medical conscience.
There has been a lot of news coverage lately about PSA tests (prostate-specific antigen) and their value. This is not a new debate, as media would have us believe. It has been going on for almost a couple of years now.
At the ages many of us (you) are at, you may be advised to screen for prostate cancer as a regular course of preventative care. It's usually around the 50 mark, Mark. A PSA is a simple blood test.
False positives have always been a problem and there's the rub, so to speak. Here's what is likely to happen to you if you get a positive result.
First, they will redo the blood test. If it turns out positive again, they will want to do a biopsy. That may or may not be conclusive. You may end up (sorry) facing a decision about what to do without the sort of complete information one should have to make that sort of decision.
Many men panic at the test results and opt to have surgery. We now know that many, many of them did not need it. In many cases, prostate cancer is a pretty slow mover. It may cause BPH (a bladder/urinary condition), or impotence, or nothing you notice at all. The problem with the surgery is that it does lead to impotence in more than 30% of men and about the same rate of permanent urinary problems.
What to do?
If your health care provider does not explain all of this to you when discussing whether or not to do a PSA, find another one. Good physiscans have been all over this for a while now and know the bugaboos involved. Just understand that having the test could lead to a biopsy (not THAT horrible) to confirm or deny; then quite possibly, another, bigger decision.
The jury is totally out. My Dr. gave me all the info, (well over a year ago) then asked if I wanted to do the PSA. I said, "yes," but it was a completely informed response. Now you have a little more info if ("when," scaredy pants, WHEN, not if) you have to make this decision.
If you find out your physician went ahead and screened for PSA w/o telling you beforehand, throw an absolute nutty (on YouTube, please).
Always call the place you live a house. When you're old, everyone else will call it a home.
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Re: A PSA on PSA's
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Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 4,357
connoisseur
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connoisseur
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 4,357 |
If you get your prostate tickled every now and again, is that considered an acceptable test?
The only reasonable argument for owning a gun is to protect yourself from the police.
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Re: A PSA on PSA's
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Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 8,488
axiomite
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axiomite
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 8,488 |
Thank you, Bob. Why would I throw a nutty if my physician screened my blood test for PSA? I mean, that part's not invasive, and I'm not sure anybody should be scared to have more information. It seems like the "what next?" part is where things get more interesting and accountable. I do deeply appreciate the caution about the inconclusive nature of biopsies. That is terribly important. AND, I've been getting checked, with normal results so far. From Pints for Prostates...Recent studies have shown that PSA screening does a great job of discovering prostate cancer but doesn’t translate into many saved lives. Some prostate cancer is so slow growing, it does not cause death, but screening can’t predict how fast a man’s cancer will grow.
Without that knowledge, PSA screening can also lead to needless treatment that diminishes quality of life. Some men choose surgery or radiation treatment, and that can cause impotence and incontinence, at least temporarily. Others opt for “watchful waiting.”
The news is confusing to middle-age men who have been urged to get the test annually to reduce their chances of becoming a casualty of the No. 1 cancer killer of men... I remain grateful for how generously folks on this board share their knowledge.
bibere usque ad hilaritatem
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Re: A PSA on PSA's
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Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 3,596 Likes: 1
connoisseur
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OP
connoisseur
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 3,596 Likes: 1 |
The reason to be rightfully pissed is contained in your quote. You need to know all of that stuff BEFORE you agree to have the test done, nes pas?
Always call the place you live a house. When you're old, everyone else will call it a home.
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Re: A PSA on PSA's
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Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 8,488
axiomite
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axiomite
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 8,488 |
Where the hell is the French Grammarbot?
bibere usque ad hilaritatem
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Re: A PSA on PSA's
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Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 6,471
axiomite
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axiomite
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 6,471 |
Where the hell is the French Grammarbot? Which one? Professeur Vin? his crusty sidekick, Garçon Pain? Les Lunettes Turquoise? or, last but not least, the bastardly Robot de Bâtard Français?
Bears, beets, Battlestar Galactica.
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Re: A PSA on PSA's
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Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 6,928
axiomite
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axiomite
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 6,928 |
Where the hell is the French Grammarbot? He's busy changing..."monkey" to "minkey".
Half of communication is listening. You can't listen with your mouth.
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Re: A PSA on PSA's
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Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 6,331
axiomite
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axiomite
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 6,331 |
It means "isn't it so?" However the correct spelling is n'est-ce pas.
In 4 quarters of college French, I swear I was taught that is was n'est pas, but that was nearly 40 years ago and I suspect the memory is JUST a tad clouded.
Jack
"People generally quarrel because they cannot argue." - G. K. Chesterton
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Re: A PSA on PSA's
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Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 6,471
axiomite
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axiomite
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 6,471 |
You can tell that the Bots are French because they wear berets. Must be a national requirement or something.
Bears, beets, Battlestar Galactica.
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Re: A PSA on PSA's
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Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 3,596 Likes: 1
connoisseur
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OP
connoisseur
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 3,596 Likes: 1 |
Where the hell is the French Grammarbot? Ha! french grammar. I'm not an idiot, Tom. Next thing, you're gonna try to convince me that there are declensions and conjugations in Ebonics.
Always call the place you live a house. When you're old, everyone else will call it a home.
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