Health Alert: Death rates from prostate cancer have stopped falling, renewing questions about testing for the disease

After falling for two decades, the death rate for prostate cancer has stopped decreasing and cases of advanced disease are on the rise, researchers reported this morning. The unwelcome trends roughly coincided with a decline in screening for the disease, the study showed. But the authors added that it isn't clear whether reduced screening is responsible because cancer incidence and death rates could be affected by many factors. Nevertheless, the new report is reigniting long-running arguments over the use of screening tests called prostate-specific antigen, or PSA, tests. Some experts had discouraged routine use of PSA blood tests to avoid harm from aggressive treatment for malignancies that didn't pose a threat; now men are urged to talk to their doctors about it.

Democracy Dies in Darkness     Health Alert May 22, 10:01 AM     Death rates from prostate cancer have stopped falling, renewing questions about testing for the disease After falling for two decades, the death rate for prostate cancer has stopped decreasing and cases of advanced disease are on the rise, researchers reported this morning. The unwelcome trends roughly coincided with a decline in screening for the disease, the study showed. But the authors added that it isn't clear whether reduced screening is responsible because cancer incidence and death rates could be affected by many factors. Nevertheless, the new report is reigniting long-running arguments over the use of screening tests called prostate-specific antigen, or PSA, tests. Some experts had discouraged routine use of PSA blood tests to avoid harm from aggressive treatment for malignancies that didn't pose a threat; now men are urged to talk to their doctors about it. Read more » Advertisement You received this email because you signed up for news alerts from The Washington Post. Manage my newsletters and alerts | Unsubscribe Privacy Policy | Help ©2018 The Washington Post, 1301 K St NW, Washington DC 20071