Private MD News

Groups advocate for PSA testing

Category: Prostate

PSA testing has recently come under fire from some critics who claim that it leads to over-diagnosis and unnecessary treatment. However, most health experts believe that the test is a vital diagnostic for detecting prostate cancer that saves many men's lives.

In order to spread the message about the vital nature of PSA testing, several men's health groups recently gathered in Chicago to discuss the strides that had been made in building awareness and strategies for expanding testing to an even greater number of men.

"This [was] a tremendous opportunity for people on both sides of the issue to lay it all out on the table and engage in a healthy discussion," said Skip Lockwood, CEO of ZERO – The Project to End Prostate Cancer. "The PSA test may have some flaws, but it is still the best tool available for early detection of prostate cancer."

He added that more public awareness campaigns would be needed to get to the point where every man who is at risk for developing prostate cancer due to family history or age has access to PSA testing.