Although a federal task force is prepared to recommend that routine blood tests to detect prostate cancer be discontinued, a Mayo Clinic urologist said he believes most of his colleagues will continue ordering the tests. While David Thiel agreed that prostate cancer is probably overdiagnosed and overtreated in elderly men, he said statistics suggest the test has been a lifesaver. About 45,000 men died of prostate cancer in 1995, while 28,000 died last year.
Florida Times-Union, Charlie Patton, 10/10/11
Additional coverage: Points Local