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Greetings!
Many of people have seen the recent media reports on the data evaluating the benefits of screening. Most recently, two studies published in the New England Journal of Medicine (print publication date March 26, 2009) present findings from the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal and Ovarian (PLCO) study and the European Randomized Study of Screening for Prostate Cancer (ERSPC). Long-term data from the ERSPC study show that screening reduced the rate of mortality by 20 percent. Alternatively, early data reported from PLCO study found there was no early mortality benefit from annual prostate cancer screening. While the study designs differ, together they offer an opportunity for comparison.
"We are thrilled to see that screening is working in detecting cancer and has presented us with the challenge of over diagnosis and treatment. As we continue follow up on the PLCO Trial it is very plausible that a benefit in mortality will be found," said Prostate Conditions Education Council's Chairman, Dr. E. David Crawford, one of the principal investigators of the prostate component of the PLCO study as Head of the Urologic Oncology Department at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center. " It is very clear that men should Choose to Know - and Know to Choose - meaning men should choose to know if they have prostate cancer and know to choose among treatment options including watchful waiting."
In addition to screening for prostate cancer, our Prostate Cancer Awareness Week (PCAW) program is also set up to screen for a variety of men's health issues. Further, research shows that a significant percentage of the men in our screening may also benefit from treatment for these other conditions offering an increase in their quality of life.
Finally, support and participation in research, including the Prostate Conditions Education Council's efforts to advance research around prostate cancer prevention, detection, diagnosis and treatment is critically important.
We encourage you to visit the prostateconditions.org website for more information. Assess, for yourself the value of screening, how increased patient and physician education would impact the results, how continued research is critical to improving the current methods of screening, and remember that nearly every case of prostate cancer diagnosed was caught due to an initial Prostate Specific Antigen blood test and/or a Digital Rectal Exam Screening. Then determine if the screening is right for you.
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| PROSTATE CANCER SCREENING GUIDELINES
WHAT THE EXPERT COUNCIL RECOMMEND ON SCREENING
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The Prostate Conditions Education Council (PCEC) encourages men to "Choose to Know - and Know to Choose." This means they should choose to know their PSA values, just as they would their cholesterol, and know that there are many choices and variables in determining if they need a biopsy and subsequent treatment if cancer is found. The organization recommends a baseline prostate health assessment, including PSA and digital rectal exam (DRE), for all men at 40 years of age and at 35 for men at high risk (including those with a family history of prostate cancer and African-American men). Based on this assessment, men with a PSA less than 1ng/ml should begin annual screening starting at age 50. Those who have a PSA greater than 1ng/ml should discuss additional testing and screening with their doctor. The PCEC recommends annual screenings for these men. However, the PCEC does not advocate for screenings if a man's life expectancy is less than 10 years.
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Prostate Conditions Education Council
7009 S. Potomac Street, Suite 125
Centennial, CO 80112
1-866-4PROST8
303-316-4685office - 303-320-3835fax
www.prostateconditions.org
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PCAW 2009
Sept. 20-26
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| Mark you calendars
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Read the Bloomberg News Article on Prostate
Research and Screening.
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Click Here
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National Council Members
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E. David Crawford, M.D.
University of Colorado
Chairman, PCEC
David G. McLeod, M.D Walter Reed Army
John Lynch, M.D.
Georgetown University
Frank Staggers, M.D.
NMA
Nelson N. Stone, M.D.
Mount Sinai
Daniel Petrylak, M.D
Columbia-Presbyterian
Mark Moyad, MD
University of Michigan
Mack Roach, MD
University of Calif. SF
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