Is Prostate Cancer Screening Going Overboard?

That’s the question that ABC News, as well as others, are asking, after a new report has come out

Routine screening for prostate cancer has resulted in more than 1 million U.S. men being diagnosed with tumors who might otherwise have suffered no ill effects from them, U.S. researchers said on Monday.

They said prostate cancer screening is a double-edged sword, catching serious cancers in a few but causing needless worry and expense for the majority of men, who may be getting treatment for tumors growing too slowly to do any harm.

The article continues on in that vein, saying “hey, screening is good, but, hey, we are doing it too much.” Apparently, those dirty evil doctors are just trying to make some extra $$$, like those evil others who perform tonsillectomies, as well as amputations for diabetics. EVIL!

Now, before we started having this health care system destruction debate, they were saying every man should get a screening, particularly if they were 40 and up. Now? Well, apparently, many are a waste.

What is missing though, is the mention that there would be no way to know if the tests were un-necessary without performing the screenings. Are doctors just suppose to guess, otherwise? Is there some sort of divining rod for this sort of thing? Oh, right, the tests themselves. My bad!

Anyone else think that this kind of mushy headed thinking is what leads to rationing and denial of service in socialized health systems? Well, one of the mushy headed things, anyhow.

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One Response to “Is Prostate Cancer Screening Going Overboard?”

  1. Marilyn says:

    Very strange that the ubiquitous “they” push so hard for women to get their screenings for cervical cancer and annual mammograms without anyone complaining about the ratio of tests to disease findings.

    Telling men not to get screened sounds like (conspiratorial whisper) someone is trying to ration testing so more men will die. (wink).

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