Answers On Prostate Cancer Screening

By Olive Pate


Major advances in health care have been achieved in our time. Prostate cancer screening refers to the procedure of detecting cancerous growth before the symptoms are clear. The cancerous growth may however take long to develop or fail to.

The prostate tumor is detected by carrying out various tests that should show its presence. The Digital-Rectal exam which is carried out by the doctor who inserts a finger in gloves which has been lubricated into the rectum. The doctor should be able to estimate the size of the prostate glands and tell if there's the presence of any abnormal features or lumps on the glands.

The prostate specific antigen test which measures the quantity of the antigens specific to prostate and are made by the prostate in the blood. The PSA levels in men are considered to be higher in men with cancerous growth present in them. It may also increased by other factors affecting the glands. Certain medical procedures and medications as well as age and race may also affect the PSA levels.

The asymptomatic cancer could be examined and probed by the The PSA based screening technique. There are various types of asymptomatic cancer that are aggregated by the screen tests, this may cause either a non progressive or progressive cancerous growth that would have remained asymptomatic in other instances.

The primary goal of cancer screening is to decrease the number of deaths caused by this disease. It would also reduce the development of the metastasizing disease. Men detected with cancerous growth are divided into three categories depending on how far the tumor has spread. Those who shall result in death despite speedy detection as well as treatment, those who survive in the absence of screening and those who eventually survive due to the early diagnosis and proper treatment. There's a smaller chance of survival even with the early diagnosis and treatment.

The PSA test could provide a fifty-fifty situation on the results they are not certain and may be true or false while in some cases cause harm on the patient. The false results may be caused by negative psychological situations that affect the patients such as continuous worry on the cancer situation. Biopsy is a form of treatment that the patients may undergo. They are likely to be exposed to urinary difficulties, fever, pain, bleeding and infections are advised to consult medical assistance and follow up if this happens. The long-term effect of the PSA screening is still uncertain. Studies carried out may have proven there's a low chance of the reduction of the cancer's mortality rate.

The effects of the screen detected cancerous growth and the treatment process have been experienced by most men, they occur early and are too persistent and may expose the patient to a little or no risk to a premature death.

Effects of the screen tests and also treatment process are experienced more than the benefits by the patients. Patients risk over treatment or over diagnosis of cancer due to the screening and treatment of a disease that would have remained asymptomatic all their lives. They risk going through health deteriorating effects.

Doctors and patients need to assess the balance between the advantages and disadvantages of early detection through the screen tests and early treatment. They are meant to determine if it provides chances of preventing death which are low or if it aggregates the prostate cancer through the persistent harm caused by the treatment procedures.




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