zlacker

>>dale_h+(OP)
I don’t understand why PSA levels aren’t included as part of the standard blood work done with check ups.

>>aantix+CA
My doctor tells me that PSA testing has now shown to not be effective so they don't do it anymore. I am 58 and my dad died of prostate cancer so I am concerned.

>>waynec+PO
https://www.cancer.org/cancer/types/prostate-cancer/detectio...

You have a direct genetic history of prostate cancer, thus you are at higher risk than most men. At age 57 I had no family history and no symptoms, yet my primary care doc suggested I be tested anyway. My PSA was in fact elevated. I got a biopsy and found my prostate was 80% cancerous. I got it surgically removed just in time. 10 years later I'm still cancer free.

Every day I five thanks that my doctor did NOT follow the standard medical advice back then NOT to test. Forewarned is forearmed.

>>randcr+FD1
This may sound like a silly question, but are there men who just have the prostate removed as a preventative measure? Some women have their breasts removed who have a high risk of breast cancer.

>>waynec+3P2
Yes, but I have no personal knowledge about radical prophylactic prostatectomy. You might start here:

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/361217707_The_role_...

I've read very little about choosing radical prostatectomy very early after detection, but it's likely that it does little to improve survivability:

https://medicine.washu.edu/news/surgery-early-prostate-cance...

That said, if nerve-sparing surgery were done early instead of doing NON-nerve-sparing surgery later (a standard radical prostatectomy), perhaps that might diminish some of the typical side-effects of the standard surgery like impotence or incontinence. But I'm only speculating.