Men most certainly should be screened for prostate cancer

In your March 4 paper was an article bannered: "Should men be tested for prostate cancer?" The article had a shortened version of some questions and answers about the American Cancer Society revised guidelines for prostate screening. Basically what these revised guidelines say is that what men don't know won't hurt them. And besides if they did know they would just be confused about what to do about it.

Well the ACS is flat wrong! Men need to know about and take responsibility for their own health. They should include a PSA screen in the same blood draw used to check their cholesterol and blood sugar. And along with listening to their heart and lungs, looking in their ears and testing reflexes with that little hammer a good physician will perform a digital rectal exam (DRE). And if their physician says that they don't need to bother with the PSA and DRE they should find a better physician.

As for the American Cancer Society they should change the name of their "Relay for Life" to "Run from Life" because that is what they are advising men to do.

Jim W Bennett

Prostate Cancer Survivors