How Real Is the Problem of Prostate Cancer?
Now I will state in simple words seven facts concerning the clinical value of the PSA test that are crucially important to physicians in clinical trenches, like myself, who actually examine and treat persons with prostate cancer. Later, as I said earlier, I will make additional comments about the position taken by Dr. Stamey, whom, again, I admire greatly. Here are those facts: First, the incidence of prostate cancer has been steadily rising and, according to the American Cancer Society, nearly 230,000 cancers were diagnosed in the year 2003. The British figures concerning the percentage of men developing prostate cancer are nearly identical; Second, death from prostate cancer occurred in nearly 30,000 in the year 2003; Third, death from prostate cancer ranks second among all cancer deaths in men; Fourth, the early microscopic cancers are usually missed by rectal examination of the gland; Fifth, the early microscopic cancers are usually missed by MRI and ultrasound examinations of the
