We’ve now seen several studies warning that aggressive treatment of prostate does more harm than good in the great majority of prostate cancer cases. Now comes a study from Erasmus University Medical Center in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, warning that, for men aged 55 to 74 with low PSA (prostate-specific antigen) levels, further screening and early detection of prostate cancer offer
virtually no benefit. BusinessWeek reports that researchers compared prostate cancer deaths and PSA levels among 43,987 men aged
55 to 74, from the
European Randomized Study of Screening for Prostate Cancer in the
Netherlands, Sweden, and Finland in 1993 to 1999, as well as 42,503 men in the same
age range from Northern Ireland who had their PSA levels measured
between 1994 and 1999. All of the men had PSA levels under 20 at
the start of the study. During eight to nine years of follow-up, the researchers found that, for men with PSA levels between zero and 1.9, to prevent one
death from prostate cancer, 24,642 men would have to be screened and 724
cases of prostate cancer would have to be treated. Among men with PSA levels between 10 and 19.9, the benefits
of screening and treatment were found to be more reasonable, with 133 men needing
to be screened to save one life. The researchers concluded that the greatest benefits of early detection programs may be when men, aged
55-74 years are diagnosed and treated when their serum PSA is in the
range 4.0-9.9 or 10.0-19.9. The researchers are convinced that, for men with moderately low levels of PSA, screening and early detection is likely to have little
effect on the reduction of prostate cancer mortality, but would likely have a major
negative effect on the quality of life.
Health, fitness and lifestyle tips for people over 50 who still like to play hard
Wednesday, October 15, 2025
What is PSA????-They dont say what PSA is!!-Can somebody please tell me?~~Posta, sandwich,aple,?? people,songs,and aholes???~~ come on William I know You know?~~ Somebody,anybody?~~Nobody?
Uh, how old are you, Bill? PSA is Prostate Something or other Antigen. If it is high and your doc doesn’t like what he feels when he does the digital exam, you get an ultrasound and/or a biopsy. If the PSA is low, you still get the digital exam and if the doc doesn’t like what he feels, you still get an ultrasound and/or a biopsy.
“warning that, for men aged 55 to 74 with low PSA (prostate-specific antigen) levels, further screening and early detection of prostate cancer ”
Bill,
PSA is (prostate-specific antigen). It’s a simple blood test.
My prostate cancer was diagnosed with a PSA of 3.8. It was the steady increase that caused my primary doctor to be concerned.
Mike
I am in the same boat as you. At age 51 with a PSA of 3.5 i was diagnosed with cancer. I am a firm believer in early detection.
Ted
Bill says thanks to all! I’m 62 never had a test! SORRY! I always heard what you dont use you lose! I know guys younger than me with postate problems,but knock on wood I’ve never and sure dont want to have any problems.I take all kinds of vitamins,shaw palmetto,lycopene,zinc,ubiquinol,arginine and ornithine,you name it I probily take it.I hope each one of you get well and stay that way,may God Bless and thanks again. PS.I have had a DOT physical exam,where they check you and everything was ok! So I have had a test of sorts.Once again take care God Bless!!
The PSA testing is confusing at best. Read this article
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2004/07/040708015111.htm
I had postate problems at age 56 and my Family doctor missed it. My daughter is an RN and was working for a Urologist and made me see him. My PSA levels over 3 years were 1.2, 2.6 and when I saw the urologist it was 5.8. He did a DRE( Digital Rectal Exam) did not like it so here comes the biopshy. Positive for cancer and it was an aggressive form. Went to Sloan Kettering in New York and had prostate removed, during the operation they had found that the cancer had broken through the prostate and into the lymphnodes which were removed. I was on testosterone treatments for over a year after which was not nice. No cemo. Still have my PSA checked every three months as the agressive type of cancer I have it can reoccure at any time.
Bottom line on PSA cancer is go to a Uroligist for your checkups, do some reserch on what the numbers mean ask alot of questions. My opinion is that the rate of rise of the PSA is what you have to consider.
Men have High nimbers for long periods of time but do not have cancer.
I am 55 now and was diagnost with prostate cancer when I was 54 my primary care doctor started checking my PSA when I was 45 at that time it was fine mine also started rising at 53 it was 4.0 he then sent me to a urologists it had risen to 4.5 it went to 5.5 then back down to 4.0 after the biopsy which there wher 3 taken two where suspious cells the third was cancer in the early stages my urologists gave me two choices one I could have the prostate removed or have radiation, I choose to have it removed at his advise, if I had the prostate removed I still had the radiation to use later. My uncle had his prostate removed when he was 55 he is now 73 the way his was removed took 6-8 weeks to recover, mine I was able to return to work after 10 days, the advances in the procedure have greatly advanced since then, its been a year now and PSA is 0.0 and I am back to a normal life and that is everything! Early detection is the key don’t put it off do your research on the people who put it off. Check Dan Fogleberg website. There have been men who have had prostate cancer as early as 34.
Whoops I left out this little detail on my prostate cancer I had none of the usual symtoms if not for the PSA and a good doctor who reads the lab results I would have not known.
Robert M