The Pros and Cons of Testing PSA Levels for Prostate Cancer
Given the clear harms and the small and uncertain benefits, most men would presumably decide to decline PSA testing if they knew all the facts, but that’s up to each man to decide.
If you do get diagnosed with prostate cancer, what can you do with diet in addition to whichever other therapies you might choose? See:
• Prostate Cancer Survival: The A/V Ratio ( )
• Cancer Reversal Through Diet ( )
• Changing a Man’s Diet After a Prostate Cancer Diagnosis ( )
• Treating Advanced Prostate Cancer with Diet: Part 1 ( )
• Treating Advanced Prostate Cancer with Diet: Part 2 ( )
I detailed the issues with mammograms in my 14-video series, starting with 9 out of 10 Women Misinformed About Mammograms ( ) and ending with The Pros and Cons of Mammograms ( ).
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-Michael Greger, MD FACLM
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Me too
Mmmmmm, sounds like an interesting business model for certain organisations…
READ THIS: If PSA is high, next step is the “4Kscore” test – another easy blood test. Most doctors (like the one in this video) don’t know about this newer “4Kscore” test so you have to research it yourself and tell your doctor about it.
I had slightly increased PSA at the age of 48 values between 4-5.5 went WFPB and stopped drinking coffee, which made a difference, now 5 years later my values are constantly below 1.0…..
I wonder how many guys are watching this while they’re getting a prostate exam
👍
In the U.K. you get the digital examination up the rear end, a psa test, then biopsy. Treatments range from radical prostate surgery, radiation, to hormone therapy and now focal treatments such as nanoknife, ultrasound, and cryotherapy. Survival rate in the U.K. is 95%. It’s alleged that the 5% are those that are diagnosed too late when its become metastatic.
Great info…everyone should watch this and your mammogram series
Say what you want, it saved my life. Just a blood test you don’t have to do anything else unless you choose to. Hopefully pursue more than one opinion as well.
16 years ago, I had an elevated psa reading of 13. I ignored it. Then 6 years later, I had a reading of 33. I had the biopsy showing a gleason score of 7 to 8. This all happened 10 years ago. I decided on the “robot” style prostectomy. My removed prostate was lab examined and found to be 65% cancerous. Today I have almost no aftereffects from the surgery. Amongst my friends, 4 of them have died from prostate cancer. I personally advise to get a psa test.
You knowing 4 friends who died from it seems like an abnormally high number.
Wow. I have been recommending PSA screening to my primary care patients as I have been taught to do. Thank you, Dr G. I will now change that to a discussion of risks and benefits.
My neighbor died unexpectedly last year to protrate cancer. It surprised everyone. I still miss him. It turns out his dr. Never did PSA tests.
Biopsing prostate cancer, aka poking holes in the capsule, seems like a great way to get cancer to Metastasize, aka spread. Are there any stats on this?
I think logic dictates that you should get the blood test screening, but hold off on the biopsy until you get more evidence of cancer. NEVER forgo the blood test as its only an eye into ur problem. But the biopsy is the problem not the screening blood test. 😊
I think one of the points of the video is the problem of false positives. Also that even if you have it most are not going to die from it.
It runs in my family (according to 23andme, and the fact that the older generation all had it), and my father’s life was probably saved by a PSA test. Zero side effects post surgery. Biopsy showed it was an aggressive type but never came out of the prostate.
Right. My father had it also, that’s the main reason why I get tested. The video doesn’t mention anything about family history being a risk factor.
Thank you so much for sharing <3
Nah thanks! I’m sure a urologist would disagree. Next thing are you going to say to skip colonoscopy? You already told women to skip mammo’s. If I had done what you suggested I would have prob had stage 2 cancer by now. My friend did what you had suggested and that test never picked up her very aggressive cancer! She ended up having to do chemo and then treated for HER! She eats stupid healthy too, not fully plant based though, I bet you guys will blame that too! Yeah this for me is very irresponsible! If I were in my 20’s I would listen to some of the bs you are suggesting! Most men don’t like going to the doctors to begin with, never mind getting their prostate checked and now it’s just a simple blood test for them! Saying something dangerous such as this sort ok’s them not bother getting checked at all. For a doctor this is utterly Irresponsible! Sorry but 😑….
It might interest you to know, that Glasgow University is adding Ivy’s cousin, Mebendazole to Docetaxel for PC and it’s not for nothing. On another note, City of Hope is adding Ivy to TNBC treatment. Take that as you will.
PSA tests are very easy and so are the biopsies. My friend died of prostate cancer with the “watch and see” situaion. He was only in his mid sixties. Regardless of the studies and recommendations, it’s up to you. It used to be the glove treatment and by the time the doctor can feel a tumor, it can be too late.
However, an important detail – sex, or more importantly your amount of sex as a biological male. Males who have a high volume and frequency of sex (alone or in pair) will generally have a low PDA score even if they have early stages of cancer and those who are sexless, can show a high score without any cancer.