Targeted PSA tests in UK, but not population screening

The UK Government advisors on mass PSA screening have just concluded that it is more beneficial to more people if there was no regular PSA testing. In fact, there will be no testing at all except in certain specific cases.

At the same time one of the doctors' professional bodies has also decided to abandon the DRE tests (which they describe as the 'finger up the bum' tests).

Although the reasons for this are to save, not only the large numbers of false positives,, but also a large number of people who are not really at risk, but who would be caught in the net and subjected to a lot of unnecessary invasive procedures.

So we now know what the medical profession think, but what do the public think?

There needs to be screening here in the UK and certainly after the age of 40. My brother was diagnosed and treated for prostate cancer recently and it was knowing this that prompted me to have a blood test which revealed that my PSA level was about double what it should have been.

I was subsequently diagnosed with an enlarged prostate following an MRI scan and will, in due course, be treated accordingly with ongoing monitoring in the mean time.

I didn’t have a finger up my butt due to the examination method being unreliable - according to my Doctor any surface irregularities that might have been present could have been on the side of my prostate that was not in reach.

Screening, or at least regular blood testing, is most definitely needed.