Health Alert: The PSA Scam

Is this test accurate for cancer prevention?

The man who discovered the PSA (Prostate-Specific Antigen) claims it’s inaccurate for cancer prevention and is being misused, and despite losing his own father to prostate cancer, refuses to have the test done himself.

Dr. Richard J. Ablin was among a group of three doctors who were the first to discover the PSA protein in 1970. They were looking for an immunological marker they could use to test for the recurrence of metastatic prostate cancer that had been treated with surgical removal of the prostate. What they found was the PSA, a protein present in both healthy and diseased prostate glands. Once the prostate had been removed, if this protein was present when tested, then they knew the cancer was recurring.

The Problem with the PSA

These pioneering scientists supported the use of the PSA test for the recurrence of metastatic prostate cancer, but opposed its use as a screening or detection tool for early prostate cancer, because it simply isn’t accurate for this. In both 1985 and 1993 meetings with the FDA, even doctors who supported the use of the PSA for prevention and screening of prostate cancer admitted it doesn’t detect cancer, and it has been shown in multiple studies to have a 78% false positive rate. Despite these facts, the FDA approved its use as a screening tool in 1994.

The approval of this test as a screening tool was a financial boom to urologists, who saw huge increases in their practice volume for evaluation of men with elevated PSA levels. The results, however, have been disappointing, as these original scientists predicted. Results are so erratic that, despite the cut-off level for normal being 4.0, a man with a PSA of 0.5 can have cancer, while a man with a PSA of 11.0 can be cancer-free.

The statistics show PSA is so unreliable, as an example, if you had an elevated PSA test in 2010 that lead to biopsy, cancer diagnosis and subsequent cancer treatment, there is a 1 in 50 chance that by 2020 or later, you will have been saved of dying from prostate cancer. But the dark side is you have a 49 in 50 chance that you were treated unnecessarily. As another example, if you PSA test 1000 men as a prostate cancer screening, and take another 1000 men and do nothing, 8 men out of each group will die of prostate cancer – the risk of dying from prostate cancer is the same, whether they chose PSA screening or not.

Unnecessary Harm

A man’s quality of life is dramatically affected by unnecessary prostate cancer treatments. Prostate cancer treatment leaves over 60 percent of men with long-term impotence and unable to have sexual intercourse, and over 40 percent of men with long-term urinary incontinence and having to wear a diaper at all times. All men are sterile and infertile after prostate cancer treatment, and if they choose to bank sperm, only 50% of those sperm will live, making fatherhood difficult, if not impossible.

Despite extensive PSA screening, prostate cancer is still the second leading cause of cancer death in men, with number one being lung cancer. Finally, after 20 years of its overuse, in 2013, The American Urological Association (AUA) came forward with the statement that the PSA should no longer be used routinely. The US Preventative Task Force (USPTF) also came forward with the same recommendation, yet these recommendations are largely being ignored. The motivations behind the continued use of the PSA are no doubt fear and greed.

In addition to being a killer, prostate cancer is the second most common cancer found in men, with number one being melanoma. To date, there is no screening test available that differentiates the aggressive form of prostate cancer from the more common, slow-growing, age-related form. Because of this, doctors feel justified in exposing their patients to the unnecessary risks associated with false positives and subsequent cancer treatment. PSA testing is also a moneymaker. Looking at statistics only from Medicare and the VA, over 3 billion dollars are spent yearly on PSA testing asymptomatic men. Compare this to the $300 million allotted to the National Cancer Institute for urological research, it seems financially we have our priorities backwards.

Choose Your Treatment Wisely

First things first – if your doctor insists on preventative prostate testing, ask for the Prostate Health Index (PHI), instead of the PSA. The PHI is a more sensitive version of the PSA, with 2 additional proteins included that seem to be cancer-specific. A 2015 study showed nearly 40 percent of the negative biopsies that had been done could have been avoided if the PHI had been done first.

Second, if your PSA or PHI is elevated, consider transrectal ultrasound imaging before a biopsy or other surgical intervention. This ultrasound does not carry the risk for infection that biopsy does, and creates an image of the gland that shows even small tumors or irregularities.

Last but not least, as they say, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Be proactive and protect the health of your prostate.

Protect Your Prostate Naturally

Here are 5 ways you can protect your prostate health:

1. The Prostate Obeys the Law of Gravity. Heavy metals are called “heavy” for a reason. These dense metals and the chemicals associated with them settle in the lowest places of the body first, typically in the groin and the feet. These heavy metals accumulate from common sources like lead in drinking water and mercury in fish and high fructose corn syrup, or less common sources like our veterans have encountered with Agent Blue, which was used along with Agent Orange in Vietnam, and contained high levels of arsenic. Hair loss, insomnia, fatigue, memory loss, or headaches can be additional clues you have high levels of heavy metals. A Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis (TMA) which is a test done on your hair sample that shows not only toxic heavy metal levels but essential mineral levels as well. The detailed report you receive along with your test results will give you recommendations for diet, supplements, and lifestyle changes to achieve healthy metal and mineral levels.
2. Dark, Moist Areas of the Body Attract Fungal Infections. The groin is prone to fungal infections like Candida yeast, and the prostate is not immune. Sexual partners can pass Candida yeast back and forth to each other, and these infections can penetrate into deeper tissues like the prostate, even causing prostatitis. A diet low in sugar (known to feed both yeast and cancer), along with keeping the groin clean and dry, and safe sex practices, will go a long way toward preventing fungal issues.  A good probiotic can also help keep the yeast at bay.
3. Boost Your Cancer-Fighting Vitamin D Levels. Studies done in 2015 and 2016 showed men with low levels of Vitamin D were more likely to have aggressive forms of prostate cancer that metastasize, and men who supplemented with Vitamin D for 60 days prior to prostate removal surgery showed improvement and even tumor shrinkage when the prostates were studied upon removal. Just 15 minutes of sun exposure on bare skin each day is all that’s needed for your body to make Vitamin D, and 5,000 IU of Vitamin D3 in supplement form can be used when sun exposure isn’t possible.
4. Shake Things Up with Aerobic Exercise. Harvard University studied over 7000 men who chose active surveillance of their prostate cancer over treatment. The men who participated regularly in vigorous exercise like running, biking, tennis, or swimming had an over 60 percent lower risk of prostate cancer death and experienced better cardiovascular health, not to mention the endorphins all that activity created to lift their moods. For a better quality of life and better prostate health, become more physically active and make aerobic exercise part of your daily life.
5. Supplement with Prostate-Specific Inflammation Fighters. Ours is not the only culture to deal with prostate issues, and by studying natural remedies around the world, we’ve discovered turmeric, IP-6, zinc, fiber, fish oil, tree nuts, coconut oil, avocadoes, pygeum, and saw palmetto to be among the most popular and effective food-based and herbal alternatives out there for better prostate health. A diet incorporating these anti-inflammatory foods is the perfect prescription for a healthy prostate.