Prostate Test Finding Leaves a Swirl of Confusion

The controversy over the PSA test has left men in a quandary– Do you have the test? Just how reliable is it? When is watchful waiting warranted? How accurate are biopsies? This week, the United States Preventive Services Task Force is expected to announce its recommendation against routine testing for blood levels of prostate-specific antigen, the protein that can be a signal of prostate cancer. The panel says research shows that over all, the test does not save lives and leads to unnecessary surgery and radiation treatment for slow-growing cancers that would never have caused harm.  Many men do remain convinced that the test saved their lives by helping their doctors detect cancer in its earliest stages, but others are now left second-guessing their treatment decisions.

The New York Times, 10/10/2011