The PSA (or prostate specific antigen) test for prostate cancer isn't the most reliable test. It finds cancers that might otherwise not kill men, but sends them down a pathway of treatments that carry considerable risks.
One idea that's been promoted to improve the test is a so-called "PSA velocity test," which, in simple terms, measures how fast the PSA rises over time.
But the Seattle Times reports that researchers at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle say the PSA velocity test is not reliable because it can be affected by age, race, diet and even calcium supplements. The Times reports:
"Relying on the velocity calculations could lead to unnecessary biopsies — testing tissue from the prostate — and stress for the patient, said Dr. Alan Kristal, lead scientist in the study, published today in the online version of the journal Cancer.
The velocity test had been an attempt to make better sense of the commonly used PSA test, which has already been shown to have problems.
"This is not going to be the solution. It's not going to save the whole screening process from the problems of PSA," Kristal said."
Posted by schwitz at December 14, 2005 09:56 AM | TrackBack