My friend is considering a PSA blood test for prostate cancer. I want to understand the key advantages and disadvantages of this test, as described on the Prostate Cancer UK website. Please summarize both the benefits and drawbacks to help my friend make an informed decision.
Navigate to prostatecanceruk.org. Use the search functionality to find the 'PSA blood test' page. Once on the 'PSA blood test' page, locate the section detailing the advantages and disadvantages of the test. Identify and list the main advantages of the PSA test. Identify and list the main disadvantages of the PSA test.
Successfully navigate to the 'PSA blood test' page on prostatecanceruk.org. Identify at least two key advantages of the PSA test (e.g., can help find cancer early, can help decide on treatment). Identify at least two key disadvantages of the PSA test, including: - That it can miss some prostate cancers (false negatives). - That it can suggest cancer when there isn't one (false positives), potentially leading to anxiety and unnecessary biopsies. - That it might detect slow-growing cancers that would never cause harm (overdiagnosis), leading to unnecessary treatment. - That treatment for prostate cancer can cause side effects like problems with erections or bladder control (overtreatment). Present a balanced summary of both advantages and disadvantages.