Letters: Screening for prostate cancer

Re “Abandon PSA tests for men, key panel advises,” May 22

When I was diagnosed with prostate cancer after a PSA screening and follow-up tests, I was told it could take 15 years to pose a threat. My doctor told me he would recommend doing nothing if I were in my 70s. Because I was 49, it made sense to have surgery right away. Why wait until the cancer spreads, making surgery riskier and more expensive?

So I was appalled that the task force recommended dropping this beneficial test based on a 10-year study. How many men in the study could have had a problem 15 years or more in the future?

Adam Beneschan

Mission Viejo

Dr. Richard J. Ablin of the University of Arizona, developer of the PSA test, called the prostate test a “public health disaster.”

That anyone would question the logic of this article indicates that we do not have healthcare in America; we have a for-profit medical business.

Jim Hayes

Fallbrook

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