23 March 2018
by Jill Margo, AFR
Once again, the vexed issue of screening for prostate cancer has been dragged into the public spotlight, leaving men with no clear way forward.
But the response to it from urologists contains some promising new thinking for the future.
This month, the largest-ever study of population screening for prostate cancer showed that a single blood test for men who have no symptoms, is not useful.
The results of this UK study have echoes of earlier screening studies that showed about half the men who get diagnosed this way will have an indolent cancer that won't kill them.
This means many will have all the anxiety associated with a diagnosis and may or may not have treatment, which may or may not turn out to be necessary.
While there is a lot of uncertainty in the process, what is certain is that treatment is a major event with significant side effects.
So, what are men to do?
