“The best approach is to have a significant conversation with your physician about the risks and benefits of screening. It's shared decision making,” says William G. Nelson, M.D., Ph.D., director of the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins. “People have different attitudes about what they’d like to do with their health. If someone had a brother who had prostate cancer and became very sick, that person may be very concerned about prostate cancer and may want to take maximum advantage of screening in an effort to reduce the chance that his life might be threatened by prostate cancer. If, on the other hand, a person knows two or three other men who have had bad side effects from treatment, they might not want to pursue screening. Still others are concerned about overtreatment for prostate cancer.”
Watch an AACR Webinar about cancer screening.
Yes, I totally agree with you that the patient should discuss his preferences with the doctor as it will help in determining whether Prostate Cancer Screening exam is right for you. Thanks.
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