Guys . . . I've got some news for you this morning that could really make your weekend. It has to do with those fun PROSTATE SCREENINGS you enjoy so much.
--On Wednesday, the American Cancer Society announced that men SHOULDN'T get regular screenings for prostate cancer, because the tests used to identify the disease are questionable, and can actually do more harm than good.
--The logic is that the PSA blood tests that are used to diagnose prostate cancer can only spot cancers that are growing too slowly to be deadly. And depending on a guy's age, he may be more likely to die of something else anyway.
--Also, PSA tests can yield false positive readings, which can lead to unnecessary biopsies, and treatments that can cause IMPOTENCE and INCONTINENCE.
--So the American Cancer Society has warned doctors to stop giving routine RECTAL EXAMS, because they haven't been proven to be completely effective.
--Just so we're clear, the American Cancer Society is NOT saying that prostate cancer isn't dangerous. After lung cancer, it's the second-deadliest cancer for men. And there were an estimated 27,000 deaths in the U.S. last year alone.
--It's the TEST that's the problem. According to the group's deputy chief medical officer, quote, "We don't know that it truly saves lives the way people want it to save lives."
(ABC News)
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