Albert Einstein is widely credited for saying, “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, but expecting different results.” And that quip certainly reminds me of the shortcomings of the Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) screening test.
I’ll be discussing a new study that highlights those drawbacks in a moment. But first, let’s back up and talk about why prostate cancer screening is such a major, ongoing problem…
Men get the short-end of the stick
As a doctor, one of my biggest frustrations is that mainstream medicine treats men’s health—especially prostate health—as an afterthought. In fact, according to some estimates, research into men’s health receives just one-quarter of the funding that’s funneled into women’s health.
Yet, in some countries around the world, prostate cancer deaths in men now surpass breast cancer deaths in women.
Of course, a huge part of the problem stems from the deeply flawed PSA screening test, which has an astounding 75 percent false-positive rate. Granted, the PSA test was never designed to be used as a screening tool for healthy men. But that’s no excuse…
The excessive use of the PSA test as a “routine” screening tool has led to a dramatic increase in the number of “fake” prostate cancer diagnoses. In these cases, prostate findings get labeled as “cancer.” But the condition doesn’t actually behave like cancer—meaning, it doesn’t invade and spread to distant parts of the body or kill the patient.
Then, these benign, harmless “cancers” end up getting treated with harsh, invasive medical procedures—procedures that cause terrible physical side effects and untold stress. In fact, men who undergo treatment for prostate cancer run a much higher risk of committing suicide.
And these are completely avoidable consequences. Because in most cases, the “cancers” that turned up through PSA testing wouldn’t have shortened a man’s life.
And as I always say, the ultimate question for any screening, diagnosis, or treatment is this: Does it reduce mortality (death) rates? And that’s exactly what the new study finally addressed.
So, let’s get right into it…
PSA statistics don’t add up
The new analysis looked at five previously published, controlled, clinical trials involving more than 700,000 men from the U.K., the U.S., Canada, Sweden, and other European countries.
Only four of the five studies tracked overall mortality rates. But in those four studies, PSA screening didn’t improve overall mortality rates in men.
What’s worse, all five trials indicated that PSA screening had little to no effect on dying from prostate cancer specifically.
Plus, there were other terrible outcomes associated with PSA screenings. In fact, they found for every 1,000 men screened with the PSA test:
- 1 man will require hospitalization due to sepsis (a potentially fatal blood infection) as a result of prostate biopsy or surgery in the genito-urinary area.
- 3 men will suffer such extreme urinary continence, they’ll have to wear absorbent pads (i.e. “adult diapers”).
- 25 men will experience erectile dysfunction (ED), leading to more dangerous—and useless—treatments.
At the end of the day, the researchers found, at best, that there may be one less death from prostate cancer for every 1,000 men screened over a limited 10-year-period.
And remember, the screening didn’t improve overall mortality rates.
Think of it this way…
Researchers claim one man might avoid dying from prostate cancer, thanks to getting annual PSA screenings. But that benefit is certainly offset by the one man who suffers potentially fatal sepsis….and the three men who get saddled with urinary incontinence for the rest of their lives…and the 25 men who develop ED.
For me, those risks simply aren’t worth it. But maybe that’s because as I get older, I also get wiser…
Older men have a better perspective on useless screenings
In another study, researchers asked men what they would be willing to do to prevent prostate cancer. Younger men seemed more willing to undergo potentially useless and harmful screenings, biopsies, and treatments. Older men had a bit more sense, saying they’d rather skip all that.
Of course, years ago, it used to be standard clinical practice that men older than 70 shouldn’t undergo routine screenings for prostate cancer. But as the above study shows, there’s really no point for any man to undergo routine PSA screening.
After reviewing all these dreadful findings, I find it terribly troubling that the mainstream still claims to be “winning” its “war on cancer.” Because they really aren’t, despite wasting decades and billions of dollars on useless research.
Fortunately, you can learn everything you need to know about how to NATURALLY conquer prostate cancer, banish an enlarged prostate, and maximize your manhood, in my new comprehensive, science-backed Insider’s Ultimate Guide to Perfect Prostate Health. Click here to learn more about this innovative learning protocol or sign up today.
Source:
“Prostate cancer screening with prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test: a systematic review and meta-analysis.” BMJ 2018; 362: k3519. doi.org/10.1136/bmj.k3519