Let sleeping dogs lie? What men should know before getting tested for prostate cancer

Abstract

Few issues have been as divisive as prostate cancer screening. While some prominent Australian urologists are very active in talking up the importance of prostate cancer screening, few Australians would be aware that no government anywhere in the world has a formal policy supporting prostate cancer screening. Nor would they be aware that aside from some professional urological societies, no reputable cancer control or expert prevention agency anywhere in the world currently recommends screening for the disease. Despite this international expert consensus, de facto screening of populations is well under way, being driven by well-meaning advice about the importance of men becoming more informed about their health. Medical science is today unable to predict with any precision which early discovered prostate cancers will turn out to be those that kill, and particularly which will kill men in middle age. The frontline diagnostic tool in efforts to screen for prostate cancer - the PSA test - is a tool which has very poor ability to find problematic cancers. It finds many benign cancers which could have been left alone. The aim of the book is to provide a detailed examination of the main questions that a man should be asking before deciding to get tested for prostate cancer. It will help men to make informed decisions that best fit their circumstances and temperament. Let sleeping dogs lie? is a 'must read' for all men who care about their health, and those who support them.