Watchful Waiting Following Abnormal Results Could Lead to Stage 4 Prostate Cancer
By: J. Hernandez
Submitted: 2010-11-10 01:05:43 | Word Count: 608
Doctors ordinarily employ two tests to screen male patients for prostate cancer. The idea is to diagnose the cancer in the beginning stages while treatment is likely to cure the cancer rather than wait until the cancer progresses and spreads and is no longer curable. The first test is the digital examination. During this examination the doctor uses a gloved finger to physically examine the prostate gland for any signs of enlargement, hardening, or the existence of nodules, any of which could be a sign of cancer. The second is a blood test known as the PSA test. An abnormally high result reveals the chance of prostate cancer.
Elevated PSA test results may, however, be caused by variables other than cancer, like inflammation of the prostate or infection. Such elevated PSA readings are called "false positives." A biopsy has risks, like the risk of infection and the risk of excessive bleeding. Because of these two issues a number of doctors advise that men follow a plan of "watchful waiting." Under such a plan the physician monitors the patient's elevated PSA during a time spanning of months or even years. During this time a number of doctors advise that the man try non cancer related treatments, for example, for infection, under the theory that if the PSA is high for a reason different from prostate cancer it is possible that the treatment could lower the PSA back to normal levels.
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The danger with doing this is that the doctor may let too much time pass before doing any further tests to determine if the high PSA level is a result of prostate cancer. If waiting leads to the spread of the cancer beyond the prostate capsule then the man will lose the chace for a cure For patients whose cancer is detected while it is still only within the capsule, the likelihood is better than ninety percent that they will continue to be alive 5 years after diagnosis. The number is lower for the more aggressive forms of prostate cancer. This measure is called the 5-year survival rate.
Treatment options for advanced prostate cancer may include hormone therapy, radiation therapy, orchiectomy (the surgical removal of the testicles), and maybe even chemotherapy. Treatment will normally lead to a major decrease in the PSA levels for some time. Eventually, however, treatment will no longer keep the cancer at bay. At this point the cancer will again start spreading. This is typically associated with a new rise in the PSA level. Once the treatment no longer works, the cancer again starts spreading and eventually kills the man. This year, an estimated 90,000 men will die in the U.S. from metastatic prostate cancer.
How many of these 90,000 deaths will be because of a doctor counseling the manhis patient to follow the "watchful waiting" method and then did nothing while the cancer spread? Perhaps we may never know how many of these men's lives may have been saved had the doctor instead recommended the patient get a biopsy.
Yet, if you or a member of your family were among those whose physician heldup the detection of prostate cancer until it metastasized, you ought to consult with an experienced medical malpractice attorney immediately. The physician may be liable under a medical malpractice claim.
Author Resource:-
Mr. Hernandez is an attorney accepting medical malpractice and wrongful death cases. To get more information prostate cancer and other cancer matters including breast cancer metastasis visit the websites
