Why is Prostate Cancer Screening Controversial?
The PSA test is not always a reliable indication for the presence of prostate cancer – it can result in a large number of false positives, with over 60% of men who show a raised PSA level not actually having prostate cancer. Other factors that may contribute to a raised PSA include infection or inflammation of the prostate or benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) – an enlargement of the prostate that is not cancerous. In addition, PSA levels generally rise as men get older. Scientists are working to improve the PSA test and also identify other molecular markers to improve screening for prostate cancer, as current methods may lead to many men undergoing biopsies unnecessarily. document.getElementById(‘adsense_placeholder_2’).innerHTML = document.getElementById(‘adsense_ad_2_hidden’).innerHTML; Prostate cancer screening may also result in many diagnosed patients being treated prematurely for a disease where symptoms may not manifest for many years. Since most men who have prostate cancer do
