Prostate cancer decisions considered for Ben Stiller—and everyone after
Comic actor Ben Stiller’s reveal on his victory over prostate cancer has drawn heavy coverage well beyond the celebrity press. Much of the reporting has rightly noted the big-heartedness of his public service but, curiously, hasn’t questioned his assertion that it was specifically PSA testing that saved his life.
Much—but not all.
Huffington Post health writer Anna Almendrala, for one, has done yeoman’s work explaining why PSA testing is controversial, risk stratification is smart and most men wouldn’t be wise to follow Stiller into the PSA lab (so to speak).
Stiller’s case “presents a complex truth about this particular illness,” Almendrala writes. “While it’s difficult to convince prostate cancer survivors otherwise, early screening is less likely to save a life than it is to result in serious medical complications that harm people more than the tumor ever would.”
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Dave P. has worked in journalism, marketing and public relations for more than 30 years, frequently concentrating on hospitals, healthcare technology and Catholic communications. He has also specialized in fundraising communications, ghostwriting for CEOs of local, national and global charities, nonprofits and foundations.