Prostate cancer report discord | Men Health Wizard

A National Health Committee?s report suggesting men should be
encouraged to seek up-to-date information from their general
practitioners about prostate cancer screening and treatment
has been praised as well as criticised.

The report on the inquiry into early detection and treatment
of the disease released yesterday does not recommend a
national screening programme at this stage.

Prostate Cancer Foundation chief executive Keith Beck said
the report was a ?vital first step in a critical aspect of
men?s health?.

The foundation expected general practitioners to take a lead
from the report and encourage their male patients to have
regular tests for prostate cancer when they reached their
40s.

Doctors would also counsel men about the benefits and
limitations of such testing.

However, University of Otago epidemiologist Associate Prof
Brian Cox said, after spending 18 months on hearings, the
select committee had not got ?any further? with the
controversial issue ? ?confusion continues to reign?.

?If the medical professionals as a group can?t decide what?s
best, how do they expect men to??

It was an ?interesting precedent? having the National Health
Committee write a guide for the medical practice of public
health, he said.

Health Committee chairman Dr Paul Hutchison said the
committee?s findings would reduce confusion.

There had been much confusion when a 2004 committee had
advised it did not recommend screening men without symptoms
for prostate cancer regardless of age because of the risks
associated with screening using the unreliable
prostate-specific antigen test (PSA), and the effects of
subsequent treatment exceeded any benefits.

Surgeons told the committee they would regularly see men with
advanced prostate cancer who were frustrated and angry they
had had no knowledge of, or choice to seek, a PSA test, he
said.

The committee proposes GPs should be encouraged to provide
men with initial consultations about the advantages and
disadvantages of screening and treatment from the age of 45
during their cardiovascular risk assessment.

Doctors would be encouraged to advise men with a strong
family history of the disease to have their full history
noted then undergo a clinical examination, PSA testing and
rectal examination from the age of 40.

If the committee?s recommendations were approved by the
Government, the ministry would be asked to provide, within a
year, evidence-based, up-to-date and easily understood
information for men about screening and treatment.

Speaking to concern about over-treatment of the disease, Dr
Hutchison said in recent years there had been an increase in
active surveillance where doctors would monitor patients with
low-grade, slow-growing prostate cancer over time using
measures such as ultrasound and PSA testing.

The report also calls for a national quality-improvement
programme for prostate cancer early detection and care.

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Article source: http://www.odt.co.nz/campus/university-otago/171006/prostate-cancer-report-discord

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