Some good news regarding prostate testing, obviously a little way off but far better than a PSA test and more comfortable than an intrusive biopsy.
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Obviously academic to me but that looks interesting.
The same information is in the exec summary here for these who prefer textual information.
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PSA tests are a gateway into potential treatment pathways but are controversial due to their poor ability to predict cancers that require treating, as opposed to those that may be dormant in the body - it is said that most men will die with prostate cancer but relatively few will die of it. In fact most health jurisdictions don’t recommend routine PSA screening due to the high incidence of a positive test leading to unnecessary invasive testing or even surgery.
With a close family history of the condition (brother and father both operated on some years ago) I follow this with interest and took part in a BMJ/Cochrane review some years ago which supported the recommendation not to conduct tests and recent updates and further studies have endorsed that work. That said, I do have biannual tests even if I am not sure what I would do with a positive result (initially, probably nothing).
Confirmatory diagnostic methods are evolving all the time and this might be a good one, but there are others, and the research quoted was undertaken and the report written by paid staff or consultants of the company that developed the device. That doesn’t mean it is not effective, but equally it means the sceptic in me wants to see a robust study before getting too excited. Meanwhile, I hope my test keeps coming back negative but that these other methods will have advanced still further if it does not.
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We have a guy from a Prostate Research charity at our business networking group and he’s very keen on people getting PSA tests.
My doctor was a bit sceptical when i asked for one last time I sw him, but I reckoned that as they were going to pinch some of my blood for an unrelated check, they might as well do the PSA thing.
All good, fortunately.
Everyone bangs on about PSA tests not being perfect and they’re right but, notwithstanding the article that @Corona posted the other day, PSA tests remain the best that we have today.
The way some go on, you would think that a high PSA reading leads directly to major surgery, when the reality is that, for most, it’s no more than a check engine light though I’d suggest when the PSA is in 4 figures*, it’s more of a “STOP” and get taken directly to the garage light.
*I must admit that, before I got involved in this stuff, I thought my PSA of 4.9 was quite high. Boy, was I naive. The first time I saw mention of PSA in the thousands, I was sure it was a typo.
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(smug mode on) Mine is currently 1. 
(smug mode off)
(out of a “reference range” of 0 to 4.5) Yours must have used a different scale.
Mind you, there are plenty of other things wrong with me (no heckling please). 
How can one test it? I’ve never had mine done.
The “normal” value varies by age but typically questions start to get asked once you get above 4 or there’s a rapid increase.
It’s just a blood test that can be prescribed by your MT or some labs will do it without a prescription. I think the lab I use in Civray charges €18.
I’d recommend it for anyone over 50.
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Should I get one? Sue (78) Sorry John, couldn’t resist. 
You are, of course, right.
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Not unless there’s something you want to tell us.
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I wondered who would pick that up 
I realised after posting but let it go.
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Experts expected to advise against routine prostate cancer screening for majority of men in UK - BBC News
You can still request a free PSA test at any time from your GP.
I did just that a month or two ago.
Given that the NHS has a finite amount of money I assume they have decided it’s a program that should be targeted.
Here in France, I have an annual blood test covering aspects of my health for my age group 80+, which includes PSA, and I was surprised it includes vit B12 & folate levels, sodium & potassium levels, along with the usual kidney & liver function markers, red & white blood cell count, pre-diabetes, cholesterol etc. I just remind the doctor annually.
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The regular wide spectrum blood tests done in France and other EU countries are wise and wonderful. Many health issues show up early and can be effectively dealt with. My husband has fortnightly B12 shots by a visiting infirmière, for which we are most grateful. 
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The program yes, the PSA test no, it’s a joke of a test, predicts practically nothing. The PSE test on the other hand is far more accurate. That matters because a high PSA score often results in a biopsy which is painful and potentially risky. Then how much does it cost for the biopsy, the staff etc plus the original cost of the PSA, compared to the PSE at £700 a go.
Two of my friends, one has a high PSA long term, he has suffered 30 biopsies, zero cancer. His Brother low PSA has prostate cancer. End this stupid system in favour of one far better that I bet will save the NHS money and lives.
You may be right - you may not be, I have no way of knowing. But the medical profession seem to find it useful. 
The problem is that people perceive the PSA test to be a diagnostic test and it’s simply not. It’s a measurement and the equivalent of a check engine light that suggests it’s worth taking a closer look.
There does appear to be a more promising test coming down the line but, as ever, these things take time to be validated and pass into the mainstream.
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See the last line of my previous post, two brothers absolutely true.
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