TR>In a message dated 09/09/96 23:38:44, Peter Glover writes:
TR>>Today a letter back from the urologist who feels the prostate
TR>>has a possibly malignant nodule on examination.Re-examining him I can
TR>>see what he means.The point is-do we as GPs feel enough malignant
TR>>prostates on examination to be confident enough to exclude a Ca?
And Trefor replied
TR>My response would be definitely not, but then is there any evidence that
TR>anyone is any good at screening for ca-prostate?
TR>Do the Americans(or anyone else) have a protocol and has it been validated
TR>to show that it reduces deaths and does not create too many false
TR>positives? We do lots of PR's but I rely on the PSA and refer for
TR>investigation any one with a PSA over 5.
But where is your validated protocol to show that doing a PSA
on patient with outflow symptoms makes one halfpennyworth of
difference either? It's become the norm to do it, but ....
It's curious how new tests don't need any licensing like
medicines, and just creep in. Some HAs are starting to do
some work in this area I believe.
______________________________________________________________
Dr. David Jobson
The Surgery, Main St Surgery Tel +44 (0)1728 830526
Leiston Surgery Fax 832029
Suffolk Home Tel 831100
IP16 4JG email [log in to unmask]
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