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Monday, July 20, 2015

A Guide On Prostate Cancer Screening

By Olive Pate


Major advances in health care have been achieved in our time. Prostate cancer screening refers to the procedure of detecting cancerous growth before the symptoms are clear. The cancerous growth may however take long to develop or fail to.

The prostate tumor is detected by carrying out various tests that should show its presence. The Digital-Rectal exam which is carried out by the doctor who inserts a finger in gloves which has been lubricated into the rectum. The doctor should be able to estimate the size of the prostate glands and tell if there's the presence of any abnormal features or lumps on the glands.

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.

The PSA based screening procedures may result in the detection of many cases of asymptomatic cancer. The asymptomatic cancer may result into a non-progressive or progressive tumor that would have otherwise remained asymptomatic.

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.

Negative psychological traumas such as constant agitation concerning cancer could affect the PSA test results. These results have uncertainty and are not a hundred percent reliable. The screening procedure may harm the patient and bring about certain effects such as pain, fever, bleeding, infections and urinary difficulties. The treatment procedures such as biopsies could also lead to the patient experiencing some of these effects and are thus advised to consult medical advice as soon as they occur.

The effects of the screen detected cancerous growth and the treatment process have been experienced by most men, they occur early and are too persistent and may expose the patient to a little or no risk to a premature 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.

There is the need to examine the equilibrium between the pros and con's of the screen tests and treatment procedures. They should predetermine what it would do to them, if it would worsen the situation due to its devastating effects or prevent their deaths which has very low chances of occurring.




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