What To Know About Prostate Cancer Screening

By Olive Pate


Great progress has been made in cancer treatment. Prostate cancer screening is a process that involves the detection of cancerous growth before its symptoms become visible despite the slow growth of the cancerous cells which may grow or not.

There are two tests commonly used to screen the prostatic cancerous growth which is the Digital-Rectal exam where the doctor inserts a finger in gloves which has been lubricated into the rectum to feel and approximate the prostate gland and feel for any abnormalities such as the lumps.

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.

After the PSA based screening tests a patient may test positive for asymptomatic cancer which may or may not develop over time. This entirely depends on the patient.

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 screen detection and the treatment process of the tumor have caused most if not all effects experienced by most patients, they are too persistent and unprecedented thus may cause an early 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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