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Cancer Society Backs Off Prostate Cancer Screening

October 21, 2009 11:47 am 5 comments

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In a long overdue change of mind, the American Cancer Society is backing off its longstanding claims of the benefits of screening for prostate cancer and breast cancer. The New York Times reports on the switch, which will be spelled out in a message posted on the cancer society’s website early next year. Why hurry now? The message will warn readers that screening for breast and prostate cancer can come with a real risk of overtreating many small cancers while missing cancers that are deadly. The Times reports that the cancer society’s decision was emboldened by a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, which notes that If breast and prostate cancer screening really fulfilled their promise, cancers that once were found late, when they were
often incurable, would now be found early, when they could be cured. A
large increase in early cancers would be balanced by a commensurate
decline in late-stage cancers. That is what happened with screening for
colon and cervical cancers. But not with breast and prostate cancer.

Read more in the New York Times.

Read an abstract from the JAMA report.

More doubts on prostate cancer tests.

I

5 Comments

  • Bob
    October 23, 2009
    7:32 pm

    I can’t believe that the American Cancer Society did this. I hate to be an unbeliever, but as a cancer survivor who benefited from prosate cancer screening, I think this is all an effort to cut medical costs. Frankly, with all the demonizing that is going on in the media, much attributed to the current administration, I bet that the AMC is running scared.

    Reply
  • Mildred Mcguire
    October 26, 2009
    10:28 am

    If the rain comes or doesn’t come Blame Obama. You are sick even tho your cancer may be OK. Your mind is sick , sick, sick.

    Reply
  • Peter Dunkelberger
    October 26, 2009
    4:51 pm

    I think Mildred is a bit overwrought.

    Reply
  • Mike
    October 28, 2009
    8:16 pm

    Wow For once no one is blaming Bush. Funny how the Obama people don’t like it when the shoe is on the other foot.

    Reply
  • Robert
    November 22, 2009
    8:19 pm

    I was diagnosed with prostate cancer in Febuary of 2009 this came after my PSA levels had been as high as 6.5 and was referred to a Urologist who tested it one more time and it was still high, and in doing a biopsy found suspicious cells then did two more biopsy in different regions of the prostate the third one reveled the cancer, I had none of the normal symtoms that occur, having to use the bathroon every 30 minutes and so on, I have a family history of this I am 54 now my doctor started doing the PSA test when I was 45 at that time the PSA level was 0.8.
    I had my prostate removed in May of 2009 and am recovering still but am getting back to my normal routime if not for the screening they would not have found it so earlier mine was in the very earlier stages and had not spread to any other organs, my PSA is now 0.0 and I am very thankful for a doctor that cared enough to do the screening early. I think it is a shame to take out the screening just to save MONEY, thanks to it I can enjoy my Grandson for a long time. My Uncle is a 20 years surviver because of PSA testing.

    Reply

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