The Cancer Council NSW will present
evidence of research at the Clinical
Oncological Society of Australia
(COSA) Annual Scientific Meeting that
GPs were prescribing tests to screen
men above the age of 75 years for
prostate cancer, despite the fact that
there is likely to be no benefit.
Each year one in five Australian men
between the age of 75 to 84 years is
tested for prostate cancer against
international guidelines, which
recommend not to test patients in this
age bracket.
Lead researcher, Professor Dianne
O'Connell stated that according to
previous evidence, suggested prostate
cancer in men above the age of 75
years was progressing slowly and they
were far more likely to die from other
causes. She added: "A positive test in
this group may do more harm than
good."
Although the majority of men in this
age bracket will have prostate cancer,
it will never cause a problem for most,
yet discovering that they have prostate
cancer often means they will opt for
treatment, which in turn means they
are exposing themselves to a high risk
of serious side-effects, such as
incontinence and impotency.
Professor O' Connell explained:
"Organizations around the world offer
varying guidelines about when men
should begin testing for prostate
cancer, if at all. But there is consensus
that from age 75, men who do not
have a life expectancy of at least 10
years, should not be screened."
According to screening data obtained
from Medicare claims, 20% of men
aged between 75 to 84 years surveyed
received a Prostate Specific Antigen
(PSA) blood-screening test in the
previous year, with 35% of men
receiving the test in the previous two
years.
Dr O'Connell stated:
"We don't have information from
doctors about what is driving the
decision-making process. This should
be investigated, along with the
reasons why doctors continue to
order these tests for men in this age
bracket."
COSA President, Professor Bogda
Koczwara commented that there had
been a worldwide debate over the
value of PSA test. She referred to a
statement made by Doctor Richard
Albin, the test's founder, who recently
called it a ''hugely expensive public
health disaster'' and ''hardly more
effective than a coin toss''.
She added:
"While there are disparate views of
whether or not the PSA test is of
benefit, there is broad consensus that
we should not be testing men over
age 75. So it is concerning that this
sound advice is not getting through."
Written by Petra Rattue
Copyright: Medical News Today
Not to be reproduced without
permission of Medical News Today
evidence of research at the Clinical
Oncological Society of Australia
(COSA) Annual Scientific Meeting that
GPs were prescribing tests to screen
men above the age of 75 years for
prostate cancer, despite the fact that
there is likely to be no benefit.
Each year one in five Australian men
between the age of 75 to 84 years is
tested for prostate cancer against
international guidelines, which
recommend not to test patients in this
age bracket.
Lead researcher, Professor Dianne
O'Connell stated that according to
previous evidence, suggested prostate
cancer in men above the age of 75
years was progressing slowly and they
were far more likely to die from other
causes. She added: "A positive test in
this group may do more harm than
good."
Although the majority of men in this
age bracket will have prostate cancer,
it will never cause a problem for most,
yet discovering that they have prostate
cancer often means they will opt for
treatment, which in turn means they
are exposing themselves to a high risk
of serious side-effects, such as
incontinence and impotency.
Professor O' Connell explained:
"Organizations around the world offer
varying guidelines about when men
should begin testing for prostate
cancer, if at all. But there is consensus
that from age 75, men who do not
have a life expectancy of at least 10
years, should not be screened."
According to screening data obtained
from Medicare claims, 20% of men
aged between 75 to 84 years surveyed
received a Prostate Specific Antigen
(PSA) blood-screening test in the
previous year, with 35% of men
receiving the test in the previous two
years.
Dr O'Connell stated:
"We don't have information from
doctors about what is driving the
decision-making process. This should
be investigated, along with the
reasons why doctors continue to
order these tests for men in this age
bracket."
COSA President, Professor Bogda
Koczwara commented that there had
been a worldwide debate over the
value of PSA test. She referred to a
statement made by Doctor Richard
Albin, the test's founder, who recently
called it a ''hugely expensive public
health disaster'' and ''hardly more
effective than a coin toss''.
She added:
"While there are disparate views of
whether or not the PSA test is of
benefit, there is broad consensus that
we should not be testing men over
age 75. So it is concerning that this
sound advice is not getting through."
Written by Petra Rattue
Copyright: Medical News Today
Not to be reproduced without
permission of Medical News Today
Tidak ada komentar:
Posting Komentar