A paper published online in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, a peer-reviewed medical journal by the American Society of Clinical Oncology, emphasizes the importance of PSA testing in reducing the risk of death from prostate cancer.
Prostate cancer screening has been a controversial topic since the United States Preventive Services Task Force recommended against routine prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening for healthy men in 2012. However, experts, including Jonathan Shoag, M.D., from New York Presbyterian Hospital in New York City, argue that evidence supports the effectiveness of PSA testing in reducing prostate cancer mortality. They advocate for a return to screening, proposing that all men should undergo baseline PSA testing in their 40s or early 50s, except for those with a limited life expectancy. Subsequent screenings should be tailored to individual risk according to newer guidelines.
“The rapid uptake of PSA screening followed by its equally rapid decline in the United States has been analogized to a pendulum swinging back and forth,” the researchers comment. They warn that reverting to the pre-PSA era could result in more prostate cancer deaths in the United States.
Early detection is recognized as a crucial factor in surviving cancer. Whether you have a family history or lifestyle factors that increase your risk, or if you belong to a low-risk group with no symptoms, regular screenings are essential for successful diagnosis and treatment.
At St. Louis CyberKnife, men diagnosed with prostate cancer are treated with the CyberKnife® Robotic Radiosurgery System. The CyberKnife is a painless, non-surgical treatment that delivers high-dose radiation to the tumor from a linear accelerator mounted on a highly maneuverable robotic arm. The system’s precision allows radiation to be contoured to the shape of the prostate, avoiding nearby critical anatomy. This results in treatment completed in just 5 outpatient visits, compared to the average 45 visits required by conventional radiation therapy.
To learn more about how St. Louis CyberKnife treats prostate cancer get in touch.