*****This thread is setup mainly to gain information
relating to Mediwatch in a quick and easy way and IS IN NO WAY A
RECOMMENDATION TO BUY!********


Mediwatch-A Synopsis:
Mediwatch was established in 1996 and has developed a range of specialist
medical equipment for the diagnosis of urological disorders.The group joined the
AIM in 2000 through a reverse into Prostcare plc,which at the time was valued at
8m.While the vast majority of sales were generated in the UK,there was a
substantial indirect export business involving a number of agents,supplying into
Europe,North America,Australasia and Asia,notably Japan.
Group revenues are set to increase rapidly following the acquisition of the former
Medtronic Urodynamis Division,which has introduced a fundamental presence in
North America.The deal was in 2006 with the sales division building from 2007.
With the inclusion of the Medtronic systems now owned by Mediwatch they now
can offer a 'One Stop Shop' for the diagnosis of various urology disorders with the
benefit of Mediwatch systems having the ability to electronically send data from the
various tests to a central data base!Oh and plus the added bonus of PSAwatch and
now PCA3plus!

More than 30 million PSA tests are performed annually in the USA alone!

CHARTS

FUTURE EVENTS AND LATEST
NEWS

Just for the record and to even things up,this is Treblewide's view (near end
of 2008):

"in short 3p by chrimbo and a real chance if they do not get rid of management they
will go into receivership.....when they bough the MDT business I said at the time it
must have been a bag of shite as they only paid buttons for it.......looks like that was
fairly correct......i feel sorry for shareholders"

Treblewide has been filtered from my eyes for his abuse,lies and general behavior but
it's a free country (I think) so do as you see fit.


It started with:

Treblewide - 05 Jun 2007 15:49 - 33 of 1747
still short

Treblewide - 18 Jun 2007 00:24 - 69 of 1747
interesting stuff from that article...very few men die from prosate cancer and it is not an agressive disease....treatment can be worse than the disease.......kind of suggests their whole business model is based on sand to me.......but hey who wants a balanced view.

Treblewide - 18 Jun 2007 00:31 - 76 of 1754
exercise and sex may cause a raised PSA...so you guys may have stumbled on a test for fit shaggers :-)

I am gonna name Me-Di-Watch

Gonna-go-bust-soon-iwatch

Treblewide - 18 Jun 2007 10:59 - 85 of 1754
minder...i do not make light of prosate cancer....show me one post where I do...i make fun out of this company yes but not the disease so wind yer neck in pal.

show me any trace of a profit and i will maybe change my mind

Treblewide - 18 Jun 2007 15:54 - 97 of 1754
minder made a small loss yes which I have more than made up for shorting it........and i guess your average holding is 3p.....aye right.

Aalso I closed out my short at 8p for a loss of the spread if memory serves me correctly.

currently short from 13.25....i thank you and goodnight

Treblewide - 23 Jul 2007 12:36 - 154 of 1747
more of the same......thank god i still do not own shares in this lot...will they ever
make a penny profit....looks doubtful......cannot even manage a small supply chain.


ect ect ect

with the last few posts:

Treblewide - 30 Mar 2009 09:16 - 1704 of 1754
you are a lunatic mick.....words fail me.

and ps i only post under treblewide on any financial web site....i know you cannot say the same......you have been calling this as a buy and nothing but a buy for about 7 years...it says it all really about your stock picking ability

i notice the downtrend ins now establishing itself....re-visit of the lows again by the looks of things

Treblewide - 30 Mar 2009 22:41 - 1712 of 1754
mick no i dont know what each product does...i dont think that is important...the numbers tell everything and even though you must spend hours on web sites searching for stuff that is not even related to MDW you fail to grasp the basics...they consistently lost money and now seem to be making some...my call to 3p was correct and i think if they had not got their shit together they could have gone under

i was not interested in them as a long play while they were loosing money depsite whatever rubbish you posted regarding piss sticks or whatever you bang on about.

and yes it was poor trading..having an avergae of 12 and averaging down to 6-7p while they were at 3p....is terrible trading...that cannot even be debated...the very fact you know so much about the products means you have fallen in love with this company......which is very dangerous when investing....

the numbers are the important things...i was right on 3p, the company is posting slightly better figures but we are in a bear market which has not bottomed yet so the price will fall further

you are a 1 trick pony that posts irrelevant links...dont bother to respond i can be bothered getting into a debate with you.....away and cut and paste some more flags

toodlepip

**************************************************************

I have been chased from here and now ADVFN,has the boy got a problem?

treblewide - 3 Aug'09 - 14:46 - 22345 of 22412


post 22342 is classic.....so mick advfn is not a good source when the consensus is sell?

begs the question why you spend so much time polluting it with your bull tripe?

question....so MDW share price has gone up, it has gone down etc etc...during all of that time has mick ever been able to find any subjectivity in his posting ie has he ever critisised anything?

i really think he may be getting paid by MDW...the whole thing is very bizzare.

mick i notice you referred to your threads as "promotion of Mediwatch"

can you confirm if you are getting financially rewarded by the company for this?

treblewide - 3 Aug'09 - 23:55 - 22371 of 22412


664k overdrawn....takes a long time to pay back at 39k profit every 6 months.

drawn down overdraft has increased by 170k and they paid 33k to service that overdraft and made 39k profit...as i keep saying my local fish and chip shop make more money than this lot.

margins have been squeezed...psa watch now off the agenda in terms of updates....not 1 single reason to buy and yet you lot think this share price will go up??.....am mystified why it would increase? genuinely why is this comapny under valued?? i cannot see it and dont bang on about fairfax saying they are going to make x amount...they have never been near to getting it right

if i were a holder i would be selling now at 6p if i could and buying back in the 2-3p range which the chart is saying is now a certainty....i expecta full year loss

i told you all to sell at 14p and at 11p (it is all there in black and white) and that it was going to 3 pence..i got abuse mick called me an idiot and suggested it was going to 50p......still a sell and my short (which was posted in real time over the road) is nicely in profit.

toodle pip...will log back in when it gets to 3p....



treblewide - 4 Aug'09 - 00:19 - 22373 of 22412


664k overdrawn....takes a long time to pay back at 39k profit every 6 months.

drawn down overdraft has increased by 170k and they paid 33k to service that overdraft and made 39k profit...as i keep saying my local fish and chip shop make more money than this lot.

margins have been squeezed...psa watch now off the agenda in terms of updates....not 1 single reason to buy and yet you lot think this share price will go up??.....am mystified why it would increase? genuinely why is this comapny under valued?? i cannot see it and dont bang on about fairfax saying they are going to make x amount...they have never been near to getting it right

if i were a holder i would be selling now at 6p if i could and buying back in the 2-3p range which the chart is saying is now a certainty....i expecta full year loss

i told you all to sell at 14p and at 11p (it is all there in black and white) and that it was going to 3 pence..i got abuse mick called me an idiot and suggested it was going to 50p......still a sell and my short (which was posted in real time over the road) is nicely in profit.

toodle pip...will log back in when it gets to 3p....

treblewide - 4 Aug'09 - 10:49 - 22379 of 22412


still time to get out at 6p.....dont understand why you would not sell at 6p when they are obviously going to half in value...if you are a long term mdw bull you can buy twice as many shares at 3p and maybe possibly one day see a profit on your holding?



treblewide - 4 Aug'09 - 12:44 - 22381 of 22412


last chance to sell at 6p for your shares folks


treblewide - 4 Aug'09 - 14:48 - 22387 of 22412


so question...is psawatch is so great...why has there been no huge surge in revenue figures from UK and Europe on the back of it being sold?

the whole reason a lot of you hold this is psawatch...it has not made them any money in Europe which could be argued when taken as a whole is not much smaller than the USA.....this company is not going to change overnight with US approval...at bets it would be a selling opportunity for long term holders

i really think a lot of you have to ignore some of the nonsense ramping going on here...the company is draining cash and there margins are reducing (despite this wonder PSA machine they have for sale)

i really think the future looks bleak for mediwatch...if someone can put in concise terminology why MDW is a buy i am all ears....dont point me at fairfax report...they are a bunch of clowns as well...that interim report is shocking and i mean really poor.

costs out of control...margins squeezed, cash running out...no real revenue growth, does this sound like a growth company to you?

sell at 6p


treblewide - 4 Aug'09 - 15:50 - 22391 of 22412


god i have heard it all now...mick can you counter my points about declining margins and cash issues without nonsense posts about peopel having insider information...what a crock and what a clown.

so just so i have this straight in my head...when you put in effort to ramp these shares it is all great and you expect cuddles? (and if anyone disagrees you throw your toys out the pram liek an old woman)

when i put up a few posts to explain why i am short it is an organised attempt to get the share price down because i have insider inforamtion from the US?

were you the Iraqi information minister in a previous role? lol


treblewide - 5 Aug'09 - 19:24 - 22409 of 22412


lol.....shares getting sold today at 5.75.....next stop 3p...

treblewide - 4 Aug'09 - 12:44 - 22381 of 22408 edit


last chance to sell at 6p for your shares folks




treblewide - 5 Aug'09 - 19:29 - 22410 of 22412


i wonder what thier overdraft is limited to....1M?

if so they have 12 months of life left at current perfomance...how many of you hlders have considered the chances of them going bust?....i would not rule it out...would love to know how much further the banks will let them go into debt before they pull the plug

treblewide - 5 Aug'09 - 19:37 - 22411 of 22412


seriously if i were a holder i would look at the interims and ask how much longer can they go on burning cash.......and with all the averaging down the bulls have done over the years i bet some are more exposed than they should be....good luck...think you might need it




ANYWAY

http://mediwatch.blogspot.com/

treblewide, yes if the DOW doesn't go to 4k then there will be lots of other chances LOL. Get real a degree of flexibility and reality required by you, but I think you have either fallen head overheels in love with the downside or you have no money to invest and are just pretending you count.

16/03/2009

Diagnostic specialist Mediwatch suggests its new distribution deal with leading US group Inverness Medical Innovations is the first of many deals.

New York-quoted Inverness, a world-leading maker of point-of-care medical tests, has signed a five-year agreement with AIM counter Mediwatch for the global distribution of the Rugby-based British companys flagship PSAwatch point-of-care measuring system for prostate cancer. Mediwatch, which specialises in urological disorders and already licences some of Invernesss technology, regards the PSAwatch deal, which brings it access to the US groups 1,000-strong sales force direct into GPs surgeries, as the precursor of more joint activities and the beginning of big things, says founder and chief executive Philip Stimpson, who recalls that the deal took two years to negotiate.

Mediwatch, which turned a 265,000 loss into pre-tax profits of 408,000 in the year to last October on turnover up 63% to 9.3m, is contemplating new joint ventures and alliances with other groups, says Stimpson. Company watchers expect some significant developments along these lines and even speculate about possible acquisitions before the end of the year.

http://www.growthcompany.co.uk/recommendations/1010802/mediwatch.thtml

minder..i think i have been really flexible....i was bearish on the stock and was proven correct i know want to buy but only where i see a good risk/reward ratio.

unlike you idiot perma-bulls who have been holding 50-60% losses on your holdings for years...now my friend that is being inflexible (and stupid) oh and ps if and when i do go long i will have a stop loss......i know you have not heard of it....go onto wikipedia..might save you a few quid old bean

treble,

I am not interested in anything you have to say and why your filtered,be off with you little boy.

Speaking of off,back at lunch.

lol........i was not talking to you ya daft old man...:-)

It must be noted that PSAwatch is not available in the US until FDA approvals are granted (due sometime this year) but news from the US has a major influence on the rest of the world,especially in the health sector.

Prostate cancer: A foe that can be defeated
BY Corky Siemaszko
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER

Tuesday, March 17th 2009, 4:00 AM

Few things are more chilling to men than the prospect of prostate cancer.

More than 200,000 new cases of prostate cancer will be diagnosed this year in the U.S. 10,500 in New York alone, experts say.

It is the second leading cause of death in American man nearly 30,000 will die of it this year.

Yet, prostate cancer is one of the most treatable forms of cancer if its caught in time.

If detected early, prostate cancer is curable, says Dr. Srikrishna Surasi, a urologist at Woodhull Hospital in Brooklyn.

That is why doctors recommend that men older than 40 especially African-American men and those with a family history of prostate cancer get their prostate checked annually.

All men older than 50 should also get a PSA test, which detects cancer by measuring the level of prostate-specific antigen in the bloodstream.


In the past six years, more than 120,000 New Yorkers have gotten free prostate exams courtesy of the Daily News and top medical professionals.

The News is planning to offer free PSA tests again this year, starting on Fathers Day.

http://www.nydailynews.com/lifestyle/health/2009/03/17/2009-03-17_prostate_cancer_a_foe_that_can_be_defeat.html

A bit old but still of interest and follows the general cancer trends of earlier posts regarding China and for that matter most of the world especially as modern ways of living/diet take a grip.


June 18, 2008

Movement Against Cancer Launches An All-Russia Cancer Awareness Campaign to Promote Early Screening and Cancer Detection Programs in Russia's Regions

MOSCOW, RUSSIA - Movement Against Cancer (MAC), cancer patient advocacy group in Russia, will conduct a public education campaign to urge people in Russia to undergo early screening tests and diagnostic procedures to detect breast cancer, colon cancer, stomach cancer, prostate cancer and cervical cancer - the types of cancer that could be cured if detected early.

One of the most serious problems with cancer treatment in Russia is a very low rate of early detection (stage I and stage II tumors), while in most cases the disease is diagnosed at very advanced stages when treatment options are less effective and much more costly. MAC efforts will be supported by the Russian government, which has launched a program to reduce cancer mortality rates.

http://www.cdi.org/russia/johnson/2008-119-45.cfm

Darth Vader treated for cancer
Tuesday, March 17, 2009, 16:39

The actor who played Darth Vader in the original Star Wars films has been treated for prostate cancer.
David Prowse, who wore the famous black suit and helmet to play the Dark Lord Of The Sith, rang Absolute Radio in an attempt to raise money for the Royal Marsden Hospital in London.
He told the Christian O'Connell Breakfast Show: "I'm involved with the Royal Marsden Hospital appeal because I'm undergoing treatment for prostate cancer, would you believe. I'm having my very last treatment this morning. I've had two months' radiotherapy treatment at the Royal Marsden. It's the most fantastic hospital you could ever wish to go to."
Prowse, 73, told the show he felt "fantastic".
"The only thing I've had is hot flushes and my wife tells me I'm going menopausal," he said.
"It's amazing what can be done so long as you catch it early. Every man over the age of 50 should have a PSA test (a blood test for prostate cancer) and that just gives you some indication of whether you have prostate problems."
James Earl Jones provided the voice for Vader in the films as Prowse's West Country accent was felt to be unsuitable for the part.


http://www.thisisbath.co.uk/showbiz/Darth-Vader-treated-cancer/article-776811-detail/article.html


The Brit is also well known in the U.K. for being the Green Cross Code Man, a superhero invented to promote a British road safety campaign for children in 1975.

20m boost for cancer treatment
Published Date: 17 March 2009

More than 20 million will be invested in cancer treatment equipment across Scotland, Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon has said.

Ms Sturgeon announced the funds at the Western General Hospital in Edinburgh, which operates a new machine to treat prostate and gynaecological cancers.


"Ensuring that we are able to offer modern, dynamic equipment to improve the detection and treatment of cancer is vital," she said.


http://www.linlithgowgazette.co.uk/latest-scottish-news/20m-boost-for-cancer-treatment.5079831.jp


Call for all over-50 men to be given a prostate cancer test
Date: 17 March 2009

EVERY man over 50 should be offered a prostate cancer test, a Capital charity has said.

After the first conference of its kind in the city, Prostate Cancer Support Scotland said the move was crucial to reducing the number of deaths from the disease.

More than 200 delegates attended the event at Edinburgh University last week and heard speeches from a range of experts and patients.

Among the statements made was one from the country's deputy chief medical officer Dr Aileen Keel, who said "men over 50 should not be denied a (blood) test by their GP if asked for it".

The charity has backed up the sentiment, saying it would save lives and prevent anxiety in those who are wrongly diagnosed on more basic assessments.

A spokesman said: "As men are blissfully unaware of prostate cancer symptoms and usually do not even know the location or function of their prostate, GPs need to take the initiative, explain the disease and ask each male patient over 50 if he wants a test."

http://news.scotsman.com/health/Call-for-all-over50-men.5078569.jp

Nigeria is the 8th largest country in the world by population:

Nigeria: Why Cancer is on the Rise in Country
Sola Ogundipe and Chioma Obinna
16 June 2008

"The burden of cancer in Nigeria is appreciable. According to the World Health Organisation, there are an estimated 100,000 new cancer cases in the country each year although observers believe the figure could become as high as 500,000 new cases annually by 2010.

It is feared that by 2020, cancer incidence for Nigerian males and females may rise to 90.7/100,000 and 100.9/100,000 respectively. It is also anticipated that by 2020, death rates from cancer in Nigerian males and females may reach 72.7/100,000 and 76/100,000 respectively.

But this only represents a tip of the iceberg if projections by the World Health Organization (WHO) are anything to go by."



"Adebamowo states that, ironically, while improvements in public health and increased funding for health care initiatives are leading to a decrease in incidence of communicable diseases, the attendant increase in life expectancy is precipitating an increase in the incidence of all cancers, as a higher proportion of the population reaches the complex diseases-bearing age.

His words: "Several other factors are likely to change the pattern and prevalence of cancer in Nigeria in the coming decades: greater awareness of cancer, improved access to health care through new programmes such as the National Health Insurance Scheme, empowerment of women, and steadily improving economic and social factors will increase rates of cancer diagnosis, at the same time that an increased rate of obesity, reduced physical activity, and more "Westernized" diets are likely to contribute to the development of more types of cancer.""


"But it's not all gloom. A Consultative Committee on National Cancer Control exists to formulate policy guidelines relating to the prevention and management of cancer in Nigeria. But even with existence of professional bodies such as the Nigerian Cancer Society, the Society of oncology and Cancer Research in Nigeria, and several other local and international bodies actively promoting cancer control and prevention, the incidence of cancer has continued to escalate. So there is ongoing cancer research in Nigeria.

The country is participating in the International Haplotype Mapping Project - a partnership of scientists and funding agencies from Canada, China, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States designed to develop a public resource that will help researchers find genes associated with human disease. There are collaborating centers to increase access to high-quality cancer clinical trials for Nigerian patients with cancer, monitored by a national ethics regulatory infrastructure to ensure that research is conducted according to the highest ethical and scientific standards.

Essentially, the most common cancers documented in Nigeria to date are cancers of the uterus and breast for women and liver and prostate cancers for men."



"The case of prostate cancer is just as serious. Indeed an increased incidence of prostate cancer among Nigerian men (and African-American men generally) has been attributed mainly to the introduction of screening techniques, which have enabled earlier diagnosis of patients. Two sets of registry reviews of male cancer patients to assess the current trends in prostate cancer in Nigeria showed that from 1980-1988 and 1989-1996, prostate cancer had gained prominence as one of the most common causes of cancer death.

An analysis of adult male cancers examined every decade since independence actually confirmed that prostate cancer is the number one cancer in Nigerian men and constitutes 11-12 per cent of all male cancers. The average age of onset of symptoms is 64-71. The inference from these findings is that despite the absence of adequate screening programmes in Nigeria, the number of prostate cancer cases has increased. But there is argument that known risk factors probably contribute to a varying degree. For instance it is often said that men who are generally of average build or in the low-to-normal range for body mass index are likely to be more at risk. Also, the role of genetics cannot be underplayed. Actually, it is believed that more cases of prostate cancer probably would be recorded if regular and extended screenings were undertaken."


http://allafrica.com/stories/200806170258.html

http://pcafrica.files.wordpress.com/2008/10/prostate-cancer-the-absolute-basics.pdf

I think my MA (400) is proving to be quite an interesting indicator especially if you close one eye and tilt yer head to one side! :-)


Anyway,MDW over the years have steadily and professionally gone about building their business up to a position they are in today and this is just the start,in my opinion!

Forget about past SP values and the ups and downs as MDW are a growth company where short term speculation and manipulation from a few posters across the boards have played a part which is all part of the game,I suppose,

MDW have gained strong links with high profile companies like Bard,Bostwick Labs and now Inverness while still growing as a strong company in their own right!

The MDW team include well respected experts who I believe are driven to make the company a huge success which may or may not end up in MDW getting bought out in a year or two but at a very much higher price than we see today,I can wait.

It also must be remembered that PSAwatch will have had very little effect,if any in MDW reaching profit status in the last three half yearly results.MDW have stated a figure of 60 million PSA tests before PSAwatch is made available but I believe a figure of nearer 200 million tests will be see nover the next two years with emerging/developing countries trying to tackle prostate cancer by public awareness and initial testing.

Therefore the question is what percentage of PSA testing will be done using PSAwatch with the cost saving,accuracy and portability that it provides? Now that is the question!

I wonder if Dr Hilary Jones will be allowed to mention the PSA test as the web chat is for The Prostate Cancer Charity,should be interesting anyway.

17 March 2009

GMTV's Dr Hilary Jones hosts live web chat for Prostate Cancer Awareness Month
GMTVs resident health expert, Dr Hilary Jones, will be making prostate cancer matter, as he hosts a live web chat for The Prostate Cancer Charitys first ever awareness month.

Dr Hilary will appear live in the studio on Wednesday, as he answers questions from members of the public about prostate cancer. He will be offering crucial information on the symptoms, treatment and diagnosis of the disease. The Prostate Cancer Charitys specialist support and information nurse, Pat Cohen, will also be on hand to take questions.

The footage will feature across a range of websites including Tiscali, Female First, My Prime and many more, including the Charitys own website.

The live web chat is being held at 11am, on Wednesday 18 March

http://www.prostate-cancer.org.uk/news/news_detail.asp?id=1248

The next event MDW will be exhibiting at is the Symposium on Female Urology and Urogynecology (FUUS),this is all part of MDW's push into the USA markets through 2009 where it's quite possible we will see double or even treble (not you :-) ) last years USA revenue,just my opinion.

http://www.urogyn-cme.org/pages.asp?id=17

Looks like the PCC are slowly removing their head from the sand!

The Prostate Cancer Charity Comments On The Results Of The World's Largest PSA Screening Study, UK
Main Category: Prostate / Prostate Cancer
Also Included In: Cancer / Oncology
Article Date: 18 Mar 2009

"Particularly, in light of this new research evidence, we will be carrying out our own stakeholder review. This review will reassess our position on prostate cancer screening and lead to proposals for new mechanisms and models, for example, a call up programme, for proactively engaging men in discussions about their prostate health - ensuring that they receive adequate information about the advantages and disadvantages of the PSA test, enabling them to make an informed choice.

http://www.medilexicon.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=142698

More Canadians surviving after cancer diagnosis
Updated Wed. Mar. 18 2009 10:32 AM ET

The number of Canadians living with cancer and surviving is rising, thanks to better detection, reports Statistics Canada.

Of everyone alive in Canada on January 1, 2005, 695,000 had been diagnosed with an invasive cancer at some point in the previous 10 years. That's about 2.2 per cent of the Canadian population, or about 1 in 46 people.

Some individuals experienced more than one invasive cancer over the 10-year period, so the number of cancer cases actually totalled 723,000.

The two most common cancers were breast, prostate, which together accounted for just over half of all cases diagnosed in the previous decade. They were the most common not only because of the relatively high numbers of cases diagnosed, but also because of favourable survival rates.

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20090318/statscan_cancer_090318/20090318?hub=Health

Brookside star Dean Sullivan teams up with Arrowe Park Hospital for prostate cancer awareness campaignMar 18 2009 Birkenhead News

FORMER Brookside star Dean Sullivan has joined forces with Arrowe Park Hospitals Works Department to improve awareness of prostate cancer.

The actor is starring in a DVD made by the hospitals Works Department, produced to encourage more men to seek medical attention and boost their chances of successful treatment.

Staff in the all-male department, which includes plumbers, electricians and maintenance workers, launched their South of Border campaign in 2005 to highlight signs and symptoms of the disease.

Dean said: Prostate cancer is one of the fastest-growing forms of the disease in the UK and yet a lot of men still do not even know where the prostate gland is.

Plumber Jimmy McGannon, who is heading the campaign, said: We have already had a great response from people across Wirral and further afield and producing a short film is just another way of reinforcing the message.

http://www.wirralnews.co.uk/wirral-news/local-wirral-news/2009/03/18/brookside-star-dean-sullivan-teams-up-with-arrowe-park-hospital-for-prostate-cancer-awareness-campaign-80491-23164100/


http://www.whnt.nhs.uk/newsevents/newsitem.aspx?StoryId=2929

and the Video

Prostate screening to be reviewed

Routine prostate cancer screening could cut death rates from the disease by 20%, a major study suggests.

The results, which suggest 2,000 lives a year could be saved in the UK, have prompted a review of the current policy not to offer routine NHS screening.

The study, based on results from 162,000 men, assessed the impact of testing levels of a protein called prostate specific antigen (PSA).

It is published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/7949028.stm

Prostate cancer screening could see every man over 50 tested

All men over the age of 50 could be tested for prostate cancer after the largest international study ever conducted suggested that screening could save thousands of lives a year in Britain.

By Kate Devlin in Stockholm and Andrew Porter
Last Updated: 9:12PM GMT 18 Mar 2009

Mark Emberton, consultant urologist at University College Hospital London, said that the Government was right to study the findings of the research, which was presented at the annual European Association of Urology Conference in Stockholm, Sweden and published online in the New England Journal of Medicine, closely.

"It's interesting that this finding is positive, that it shows that screening saves lives, as many thought it would not. It is good that the Government is planning to look at its implications for policy, especially if we can reduce the side effects of treatment in the future.

"GPs should be prepared for more men coming forward in the light of this study and asking for a PSA test."


http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/5012682/Prostate-cancer-screening-could-see-every-man-over-50-tested.html

Of interest with an ouch! thrown in:

A Comparative Study of Prostate Cancer Detection and Management in China and in France - Abstract

Thursday, 19 March 2009
Department of Urology, Cochin Hospital, Paris, France.

To compare the detection and management of prostate cancer in one French and six Chinese urological institutions.

All the patients subjected to prostate biopsy for suspected prostate cancer in six Chinese urological institutions and in the department of urology of the Cochin hospital, France, between January 2003 and December 2005 were included. The characteristics of patients and tumors, and the management of prostate cancer were then analyzed.

In the Chinese institutions, 95.8% of patients undergoing prostate biopsy presented with urinary disorders. The rate of abnormal digital rectal examination (DRE) ranged from 29.2% to 45.1%. In the French institution, 72.7% of prostate biopsies were performed as a result of prostate cancer screening, and the rate of abnormal DRE was 16.8%. In the Chinese institutions, a total of 979 patients underwent prostate biopsy, with median PSA values varying between 10.2 ng/ml and 33 ng/ml among the institutions. Overall, 408 cases of prostate cancer were diagnosed, with median PSA values varying between 24.3 ng/dl and 174.9 ng/dl and 19.4% of tumors were clinically localized. In the French institution, 565 patients underwent prostate biopsy, with a median PSA value of 7.4 ng/ml and 251 cases of prostate cancer were diagnosed, with a median PSA value of 8.1 ng/ml and 80.9% of tumors were clinically localized. In the Chinese institutions, the majority of patients received surgical or medical castration. The rate of patients subjected to surgical castration varied between 24.2% and 100%. Radical prostatectomy (RP) was performed in only three Chinese hospitals, in which the percentage of patients treated with RP varied between 12.1% and 31.1%. In the French institution, RP was the most common treatment of prostate cancer (43.8% of patients).

In China, most patients subjected to prostate biopsy suffer from urinary symptoms and have elevated PSA levels. The lack of mass screening for prostate cancer results in a high rate of advanced tumors with nodal involvement and/or metastases. RP is rarely performed in Chinese hospitals, and castration represents the usual treatment of prostate cancer.

Written by:
Peyromaure EM, Mao K, Sun Y, Xia S, Jiang N, Zhang S, Wang G, Liu Z, DebrB.

At last,a sensible view on the two recent papers:

Leader In Prostate Health Urges Prostate Cancer Screening In Face Of Contradicting DataArticle Date: 19 Mar 2009 - 3:00 PDT

While the study designs differ, together they offer an opportunity for comparison.

"More time and further investigation is needed to fully understand and evaluate the impact of prostate cancer screening on mortality before discontinuing screening practices," said Dr. E. David Crawford, one of the principal investigators of the prostate component of the PLCO study and head of the Urologic Oncology Department at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center. Dr. Crawford is also the founder and chairman of the PCEC.

"Since the Prostate-Specific Antigen test was made available, we have seen a decrease in deaths attributed to prostate cancer. At this point, it is inappropriate to summarily deny screenings for patients based on these data," said Wendy Poage, president of the PCEC.

While the cancer community continues to seek long-term results, there is already a wealth of research that shows the Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) test as a valuable tool to assist in the diagnosis of prostate cancer, as well as an enlarged prostate. These studies show evidence that screening is associated with a fall in mortality. While not perfect, the PSA test is the best screening tool available right now. That is why the PCEC actively participates in research to help advance PSAs, the development of new biomarkers and other technologies.

"The truth is too many men, nearly 30,000, are dying from this disease, which is survivable when discovered early," said Poage. "We know for a fact that some men will be diagnosed with aggressive prostate cancer that will eventually take their life. If caught early, through screening, these lives could be saved. Discouraging or withholding screening without firm evidence could cost men their lives."

The PCEC encourages men to "Choose to Know - and Know to Choose." This means they should choose to know their PSA values, just as they would their cholesterol, and know that there are many choices and variables in determining if they need a biopsy and subsequent treatment if cancer is found. The organization recommends a baseline prostate health assessment, including PSA and digital rectal exam (DRE), for all men at 40 years of age and at 35 for men at high risk (including those with a family history of prostate cancer and African-American men). Based on this assessment, men with a PSA less than 1ng/ml should begin annual screening starting at age 50. Those who have a PSA greater than 1ng/ml should discuss additional testing and screening with their doctor. The PCEC recommends annual screenings for these men. However, the PCEC does not advocate for screenings if a man's life expectancy is less than 10 years.

"For all we know, additional data from the trial may show a mortality benefit with screening. As prostate cancer, in general, is a slow growing disease, in the future the data may conclude that there is a benefit to prostate cancer screening," continued Poage.

Both studies are ongoing with further updates anticipated. The PCEC applauds the investigators of both trials for their contributions.

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