Prostate Archives

PSA test unreliable says inventor of procedure

Discover magazine's issue just out, The Year in Science,top 100 stories, pg 30 goes into this further, especially stating that "...detecting prostate cancer is not always in the patient's best interest.Once cancer is diagnosed, most men opt for treating it either with radiation or removal of the prostate. This leads to impotence, urinary incontinence, and otherunpleasant side effects,"
"Stamey reported in the October issue of the Journal of Urology thast the PSA test is currently predictive of cancer in only 2% of cases."
"80% or more of men over 70 die with but NOT FROM-prostate cancer."
here's an early report on Stamey's work from a site with lots of good health info:
eALERTS - Sunday, September 19, 2004

PSA Test For Prostate Cancer Is Unreliable Says Inventor Of Procedure

Sep 16, 2004
Author: Christopher Barr
Source: Naturally Speaking

The not so merry-go-round and round

This past weekend a stunning story appeared about the common PSA blood test procedure for prostate cancer. The inventor of the procedure, Dr. Thomas A. Stamey, noted that the test is not reliable.

The timing of this declaration in the midst of this 'Prostate Cancer Awareness Month' makes the announcement even more stunning.

Dr. Stamey and his colleagues examined more than 1,300 removed prostates over a 20 year period with the conclusion that the extensive use of PSA screening commonly performed is unwarranted.

Stamey and colleagues put forth that prostate cancer is over-treated, and that prostate cancer death is uncommon in elderly males.

Yet more stunning

Another story later the same day by another major news service downplayed the significance of the story with a generic notation of the finding coming from 'Stanford University researchers'. Strangely, the article did not note that the lead study author among the researchers was the man who developed the procedure.

Dr. Stamey later is identified by name but still without the prominent notice that this man was the developer of the very procedure that was being debunked.

Another doctor from the National Cancer Institute offered agreement. Dr. Howard L. Parnes said, "Lots of the cancers we diagnose don't need to be diagnosed. Far more men die with prostate cancer than of prostate cancer."

Stamey noted that prostate cancer is rarely fatal and usually poses no major danger. He also noted that significant risks such as impotence came from unnecessary treatments due to PSA testing.

Yet more stunning still

Then at the beginning of this week the very same news service ran a story putting forth that PSA testing should be done even more frequently than is currently done. Apparently they don't keep up with their own news stories.

The second story noted that the threat of prostate cancer could not be overstated!

Much was made of various drug, radiation and surgical options.

A very small mention was made about the Stamey study. An even smaller mention was made about selenium as a prostate cancer preventative.

There was no mention of the extensive 10-year study concluded 8 years ago with 200 micrograms of selenium daily that noted a 63 per cent reduction in prostate cancer.

Drugs, radiation and surgery were prominently noted without mention of side effects. The newly discredited PSA testing was prominently promoted as well. Nutrition barely rated the tiniest of mentions.

Changing gears

Perhaps most stunning of all is the announcement just prior to this publication that the FDA has finally admitted to a suicide link with antidepressant drug usage among children and teenagers. Readers of this column read of this link last month. Nice to see the FDA catch up … somewhat.

The FDA may have moved up to low gear though it is hard to tell.

The FDA researchers made a notation that there were no suicides in drug trials. They continue to ignore the hanging suicide of Traci Johnson early this year during the drug trial for the anti-depressant Cymbalta. That story was reported exclusively in this column last month right before the national story broke about a cover up regarding antidepressants linked to suicides.

The FDA approved that same Cymbalta last month. It was approved at the same time for stress urinary incontinence as well.

Last week Cymbalta was approved for a third usage with diabetics.

Maybe the FDA has yet to get all the way out of reverse.

Christopher C. Barr writes Naturally Speaking from Arkansas: The Natural State … naturally! You may write him at P. O. Box 1147, Pocahontas, Arkansas 72455 or by e-mail at servantofYHVH@hotmail.com.

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Re: PSA test unreliable says inventor of procedure (Archive.)

Re: PSA test unreliable says inventor of procedure