Cancer screening

[AutisticHouseMove]

I don't go for cervical screening.

I was having a chat with someone this morning who goes religiously. I haven't been for 24 years and have only actually had 1.

So I thought I'd do some 'research'.

Of women who are unscreened - 1% could die from cervical cancer compared with 0.2% of screened women.

Yet, 2.44% of men will die from prostate cancer - 14% of all male cancer deaths and its the second highest cause of cancer deaths in men. 66% of men will develop it in their lifetime.

So why a national 3 yearly invasive screening programme for women and not for men?

A nurse told me that the problem with the PSA blood test is that it can give reassuringly ‘normal’ results but the man may still have prostate cancer, it can give really abnormal results that mean they have got prostate cancer but that it is so slow growing that it wouldn’t kill them before they reached the unlikely age of 125 years old, they could also have an abnormal results after vigorous exercise. A rectal examination could reveal an enlarged-but absolutely normal-prostate and my understanding (apologies if I’ve got it wrong) is that prostate cancer diagnosis is confirmed by biopsy, not quite as quick and simple as a smear I guess so the time and resources needed are different & Maybe men wouldn’t routinely turn up for 3 yearly biopsies?

You sound a bit cross that women should go for their smear tests.
I'll keep going thanks.

I'm not sure of the point you are trying to make.

The two cancers, tests and treatments aren't directly comparable.

I'll continue to attend my screening.

It takes a minute and is important for my health. I'll keep going thanks.

You don't have to go for a smear, you get to go for a smear. I'm sure loads of men would love to be checked every few years for prostate cancer if a ten minute nurse appointment would do the job.

Having watched a family member die in her 20s from cervical cancer, I'll put up with an occasional smear test, thanks.

Nothing is worth risking what she went through.

Prostate?
Because there isn't a reliable screening test.

The ones which have good enough tests are for bowel, breast and cervical cancers.

It would be good if there were more cancers with effective screening programmes

Can you cite your source please for the 66 % OP?

prostatecanceruk.org/prostate-information/about-prostate-cancer#:~:text=In%20the%20UK%2C%20about%201,family%20history%20of%20prostate%20cancer.

So the stats you've quoted say that unscreened women are 5 x more likely to die of cervical cancer than those who are screened. Think I'll keep going for mine...

A smear test saved my life. Just before my 30th birthday I had my abnormal cells removed and cervical cancer confirmed. Another biopsy under GA followed by a total hysterectomy a month later. I appreciate screening can be invasive but not as invasive as the other treatments I had to have. I cannot stress enough how important it is to have them.

I've been quite happy having smears for 40 odd years. Dh has prostate examinations/ tests annually.

a smear test catches a LOT of pre cancerous cells which can be removed. For contest There is a department (Colposcopy) in every hospital doing this every day in every city.

What bothers me is how women talk to each other about it.
There is a thread in AIBU right now where OP asked how she can communicate to her GP that she does not want a smear.
She has been called selfish, stupid, told to sort her will out, told that she should not be allowed to access NHS treatment if she gets cervical cancer, told that anyone who declines a smear should get no NHS treatment for anything at all.
Batshit.

You don't see men talk to each other like that for not having their prostate checked.

More men die with prostate cancer than of prostate cancer. It is more common in older men when it is slower growing. Younger men get it less frequently but more aggressively.

You’re totally entitled not to go for your cervical screening. I don’t either. Comparing cervical screening with prostrate screening is pointless. They’re different tests for very different potential problems.

All screening is optional and thus is down to personal choice. Everyone makes their own risk assessment, because it is not clear cut. Nobody should be bullied for choosing to attend/not attend screening - as per the other thread.