Running head: ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY

Prostate Cancer Screening: PSA-Based Testing

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Prostate Cancer Screening: PSA-Based Testing

Grady, D. (2015). Early prostate cancer cases are falling along with screening. New York Times.
Grady takes note of the declining trend in the number of patients being diagnosed with
and treated for cancer. Surprisingly, though, is the fact that this statistics does not imply
that the number of people being infected with this sickness is declining, but that there has
been a sharp drop in the number being taken in for screening. The report by the United
States Preventive Service Task Force has had a severe impact on the efforts being taken
to curb the dire effects of prostate cancer. Asking people to avoid routine check-ups, to
prevent over-diagnosis, could actually be leading to a case whereby there is no diagnosis
at all. Though this recommendation is believed to have been well-informed, blatantly
urging people to avoid screening is not, but instead, smart screening is encouraged to
avoid the negative consequences associated with PSA-tests.
Harris, G. (2011). A US panel says no to prostate screening for healthy men. New York Times, 6.
Harris reiterates the recommendation by a U.S based panel, USPSTF, that men should
avoid routine PSA tests for prostate cancer screening. The author argues that even though
some medics still vouch for the life-saving benefits of PSA-testing, its harms have been
determined to outweigh its benefits and should be given serious thoughts before being
undertaken. He backs his claims by noting observations from various caregivers and
researchers in this field.
Mayo Clinic, (n.d.). Prostate cancer screening: Should one get a PSA test? Diseases and
Conditions.
This post by a Mayo Clinic staff gives tips to both physicians and patients on when to
carry out a PSA test based on a number of factors. These critical risk factors include age,

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race, family history and diet. For some unknown reasons, black men have been found to
be more prone to these infections than their fellow whites and are, therefore, advised to
undertake regular check-ups than their white counterparts. Prostate cancer has also been
listed as an old-age disease and should only be minded so much in the older ages. Highfat, obesity and a family history of similar infection may also predispose one to this type
of cancer.
Moyer, V. A. (2012). Screening for prostate cancer: The US Preventive Services Task Force
recommendation statement. Annals of Internal Medicine, 157(2), 120-134.
This article details the recommendation by the U.S Preventive Service Task Force
(USPSTF) presented on its behalf by Dr. Moyer. Men without symptoms are advised
against undergoing regular prostate-specific antigen, otherwise known as PSA, blood
tests meant to screen for prostate cancer. This report comes at a time when prostate
cancer is being determined to be the leading type of cancer infection in men after skin
cancer. The panel is an autonomous body of medical experts, authorized by the Congress
to test and offer recommendations about preventive services for patients in the country.
The recommendation was based on a harm-benefit analysis using independent
randomized clinical trials on screening and treatment. The team of experts established
that based on current evidence, the potential harms posed by PSA screening massively
outweighs their expected benefits and should not be used. The task force has however
recognized that some patients will continue requesting this screening method and some
doctors too, will continue offering it. They have encouraged such parties to always make
enlightened decisions based on the conditions at hand and through an understanding of
what is at stake

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Park, A. (2015). Fewer men are getting prostate cancer blood tests, and that may not be a good
thing. Time Magazine.
Alice Parker published this as a response paper to the 2012s recommendation article by
the U.S Preventive Service Task Force. This paper illustrates how the report has had
effects on the number of men presently visiting clinics for prostate cancer check-ups, and
doctors opinions the expected consequences of this new trend. Here too, as elsewhere,
experts agree that routine screening for prostate cancer undoubtedly results in overdiagnosis, and many people with tumors that are indolent end up undergoing treatments
that do not help. The problem, though, is that without a check-up, critical cases of
prostate cancer, that can potentially harm a patient, can exist without being detected.
Doctors are, therefore, encouraged always to stratify their patients by age and offer
frequent screening to those who are more at risk, those above 55 years old, and fewer
check-ups to the less vulnerable groups.
Parker-Pope, T. (2012). New data on the harms of prostate cancer screening. New York Time.
Parker-Pope, similar to other authors listed in this bibliography, also responded to the
reports on prostate cancer screening by the USPSTF. She has highlighted some most
essential parts of the reports and justified her stance by suggestions from medical
professionals. She is convinced that PSA tests confers more harms than benefits and
should be used sparingly.
Parker-Pope, T. (2014). Prostate cancer screening is still not recommended for all. New York
Times.
Majority of men getting PSA screening will not benefit from it. This is the main
statement that guides Parker-Popes writing. She argues that while a midlife diagnosis of

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prostate cancer may increase once survival chances by 21%, this is not particularly
helpful when the average risk of dying from this type of cancer without ever being
screened is only 3%. Though, again the author calls for smart screening as advised by
experts to prevent cases of over or under diagnosis. This study makes use of both
American-based and European-based studies on prostate cancer screening.