Early detection saved my life twice.
Routine PSA tests established a baseline and detected the sudden rise. As a result I am stage II and nearly five years out of treatment with continuous zero PSA. My survival rate was/is probably in the high 90s.
A routine physical with a chest xray detected lung cancer. This was not routine screening but was the result of an abundance of caution on the part of my family doc. My five year survival rate at that point was 0. After surgery my rate went up to 45% and after chemo went up to 65%. I am 3 years out of treatment for LCa and so far in the 35% that make it for 5 years.
Most lung cancer patients aren't nearly as fortunate. It usually is not detected until stage III/IV when symptoms show up in in some other part of the body. There is no routine screening and the overall survival rate at 5 years is 30%.
Early detection and agressive treatment saves lives. Why can't the powers that be see this.
Jim