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Authored by: Gringo_ on Monday, May 20 2013 @ 12:57 AM EDT |
Just a few years ago it seems they were encouraging all
men past 40 (or was
it 45?) to at least get a PSA test every
year, if not the full (and
humiliating) check up procedure.
Now the going advice has completely turned
around. No longer
are men encouraged to get even a PSA test. It is the same
issue - the false positives that can lead to unnecessary
treatment that may
engender more risk than prostate cancer
itself. In fact, many times prostate
cancer is so slow
growing that a man could die of old age before the cancer
would even become an issue that needed treatment. (But don't
take my word for
anything here. I may have my facts wrong.
Talk to your doctor to get the facts
straight.)
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Authored by: Anonymous on Monday, May 20 2013 @ 02:32 AM EDT |
In New Zealand the screening is preferred to be done only after testing
a family member who is known to have the cancer being screened for.
This gives a benchmark to measure the patient against. There are now
known to be 3000 different mutations of BRCA, which will each have
different prognoses. This requires serious consideration by a qualified
professional, something unlikely to come with a mail-order DIY kit.
It helps also that in NMZ the cost of the test is around $200,
met from the public health system.
I posted some links in "Angelina Jolie paid the Myriad Tax"
under the "Hackathon Trademarked" story.
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