Why is the PSA test not covered in some places even though it usually shows if prosate cancer is present?

Cancer
1

I know the DRE exam is covered where I live, but the PSA test isn't. why would this be?

2

Hi Psa isnt a very accurate means of testing for cancer. i know of people with readings of 400 that dont have cancer and mine is 1.2 and I have terminal cancer

there are other tests such as MCT scan. Bioposy etc which are more accurate

regards

peter

3

I am now strongly of the opinion that all men and women need to be educated in PCa. From age 40 (35 if a sibling or father or uncle was diagnosed with PCa before age 50 should have an annual PSA test Any heightened PSA should lead to investigation by scaning. Care should be taken to avoid ny panniced rush to radical treatment, yet complacency must be avoided too. 

To those medics who advocate no PSA screening I say you are placing your concern of unnecessary radical intervention at the wrong place. What is needed is rigorus logic at the scanning and biopsy stages. Leaving the trigger for invesigation to urinary symptoms is killing men and blighting womens' lives.

 

4

The problem s that there are people like me that dont produce PSA and the only alternaive is a CT scan.Many consultants dont rely on PSA as a guide to caner an only part of the process. The answr to the prblem is an inividuals detmintion for the truth. and persistance

peter

5

Hi Peter, 

PSA is a blunt and imperfect initial driver towards investigation. I think it is mostly discredited as an initial diagnostic tool. It is useful in colouring the risk of ocult metasteses when added to the scans and Gleeson score. Later it seems to be useful in assessing the changes in activity of  all PCa in the body.

People like you would seem to rely on  symptoms as the initial driver. And as you say, it requires a lot of determination to have a proper investigation. I expect you must have been swimming against the tide of orthodox expectation. Perhaps you could enlarge your comments. Better awareness is so valuable in every aspect of PCa management.