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IN YOUR PRIME
"Know Your PSA!"
A survivor of prostate cancer today is like Paul Revere, the storied
Boston patriot. He gallops through life, calling out warnings to
sons, brothers, uncles, friends and, yes, even strangers.
"Get tested," he cautions. "Know your PSA! It's your best
weapon."
To detect a malignant prostate, medical science has two early
warning tools: the digital rectal exam, or DRE. Commonly, this
incursion is performed with you holding your knees. This moment
is at least one sandwich short of a picnic.
Next, there is a quick-and-easy blood test, known by a trio of
initials. The presence of prostate cancer cells in your body results
in an elevated prostate specific antigen score. Thus: PSA.
West of Pittsburgh, in the town of North Huntington, PA, the
hometown Paul Revere is Robert (Bob) O'Connor, veritable poster
boy for screening.
"I was cutting the lawn," he said, beginning his narrative. "I heard
this crack.like a twig breaking. Then, I was flat on the ground
and I couldn't get up. The pain was terrible."
This was the unwelcome climax, following three months of
unsuccessful doctoring for persistent back pain. Three months
during which the patient was told, "You may have a virus."
Now, an oncologist explained to insurance salesman Bob
O'Connor that, at age 66, regrettably, he had advanced (Stage IV),
prostate cancer. Moreover, this aggressive disease had escaped the
prostate gland, or capsule, and spread to his spine. His condition
was incurable.
O'Connor was certain he was going to die-and soon. But, all this
happened three years ago.
"With the help of God, and a good oncologist," Bob O'Connor
said, picking up our interrupted dialogue, "I'm very much alive."
The reason for today's call, I instinctively knew, was the PSA test.
Recently, I had described it as an imperfect examination and controversial.
For example, the federal government's
National Cancer Institute does not recommend screening for all
men 50 and older.
"I'd like to give those bozos a piece of my mind," O'Connor
declares. "That test helped save my fanny. Do you know my PSA
was 114 when someone finally tested me?"
The normal PSA range is 0.0 to 4.0. For older men (70-plus),
allowances are made. A reading higher than 10, however, generally
causes great alarm and recommends a biopsy. (Note: serial PSA
tests can be significant to a diagnosis.)
"The heck with this controversy stuff. I say get to a doctor and
have the test done. Now, today!" O'Connor continued. "The test
may save one person's life-and allow them to enjoy more of
God's great days."
This grateful survivor, who, following radiation, receives hormonal
therapy from Dr. Dennis Misner, insisted on giving me news about
two of his grandchildren.
"Sean, who is four, jumped into my lap," O'Connor said. "He
squeezed my neck. It hurt, but it was a good hurt. It was wonderful
to be with him, to hold him. I wish those people who don't believe
testing is necessary could have seen Sean's face when he saw it
was his grandpa who had come to visit him.
"Sean and his two-year-old sister, Shannon, are just the latest gifts
to fall into my blessed life. Thanks, I say, to the tests which
discovered my cancer before it had gone any further."
This last represents O'Connor's primary message. His subliminal
one, however, says: "Please, don't wait until your PSA is 114, and
your cancer has metastasized to your spine."
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Outrageous Associations
