KEY TAKEAWAYS:
- Dr. Brian D. Hale is a board-certified urologist in Tampa, FL, specializing in prostate cancer screening and treatment.
- Despite its lack of specificity, the PSA test remains essential for early detection and treatment of prostate cancer.
- The Advanced Urology Institute is the largest urology practice in Florida, offering exceptional care and expertise in prostate cancer screening and treatment.
Dr. Brian D. Hale is a board-certified urologist in Tampa, FL, working with Advanced Urology Institute. He is dedicated to providing his patients with the best care possible, and one of his primary focuses is the screening for prostate cancer. Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in men, making early detection and treatment crucial for saving lives.
Importance of Prostate Cancer Screening
According to Dr. Hale, all men over the age of 50 should be screened for prostate cancer. The Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) test is the primary method for screening, although it has faced criticism due to its lack of specificity. Many men with elevated PSA levels do not have prostate cancer. However, Dr. Hale argues that despite the shortcomings of the PSA test, discontinuing screening can have severe consequences.
Reversing the Recommendation on Screening
In recent years, there was a recommendation to stop screening for prostate cancer, which led to a decrease in early detection and an increase in metastatic cases. Dr. Hale noticed a significant increase in patients with metastatic prostate cancer in his practice during this time. Many of these patients were trying to maintain a healthy lifestyle but stopped screening due to the recommendation, ultimately leading to late-stage diagnoses.
Thankfully, the government has reversed its stance on screening, recognizing the importance of early detection and treatment. Dr. Hale firmly believes in continuing prostate cancer screening, acknowledging that while the PSA test may not be perfect, it is still essential for early diagnosis and treatment.
Advanced Urology Institute
The Advanced Urology Institute is the largest urology practice in Florida, with a team of skilled professionals dedicated to providing high-quality care to their patients. They understand the importance of prostate cancer screening and are committed to offering the best diagnostic and treatment options available. If you are looking for a urologist in Tampa, FL, consider contacting the Advanced Urology Institute for comprehensive and compassionate care.
TRANSCRIPTION:
My name is Brian Hale, I’m a board certified urologist working with Advanced Urology Institute.
Well certainly any man over the age of 50 should be screened for prostate cancer, it
is the number two cause of cancer death in men.
There’s a lot of controversy about the PSA because of its lack of specificity.
A lot of men who have an elevated PSA do not have prostate cancer but unfortunately we
don’t have a better test.
We have a rectal exam but that misses more cancer than PSA and so to stop screening for
prostate cancer was a mistake and they actually reversed that recommendation on screening
for prostate cancer based on what was happening.
We were seeing a lot of men with metastatic disease from, I started private practice in
1995 and from 1995 until just the last five years or so, I didn’t have any metastatic
prostate cancer patients in my practice and now I have a lot and a lot of it was from
the lack of screening and I have patients that were trying to do everything right, you
know, watching their weight, exercising and they stopped screening for prostate cancer
because of the recommendation.
They would have symptoms like blockage from their prostate or blood in the urine and we’d
check a PSA and we’d find it to be extremely high and then later find they had metastatic
disease because of lack of screening and I have several patients that I know, just off
the top of my head, that had that problem unfortunately.
So I would definitely recommend that men continue screening for prostate cancer.
It is true we need a better test than PSA but just because we don’t have a better test
doesn’t mean we should stop screening and I think that the government is coming back
around to that because the treatment of metastatic prostate cancer is a lot more expensive than
the treatment of early prostate cancer.
REFERENCES:
- “What Is Screening for Prostate Cancer? | CDC.” https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/prostate/basic_info/screening.htm.
- “Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) Test – NCI.” 11 Mar. 2022, https://www.cancer.gov/types/prostate/psa-fact-sheet
- “What is Metastatic Prostate Cancer?.” https://www.pcf.org/about-prostate-cancer/diagnosis-staging-prostate-cancer/prostate-cancer-metastases/.
