A Lesson Learned By NOT Doing What Biden Did - Nothing

Most men, by the time they are thirty-five, annually need to do a prostate exam, both digitally and the blood test, known as a Prostatic Specific Antigen test or PSA. While the digital test is uncomfortable, it is a ten second test, giving you another year of peace.

The PSA has acceptable levels for specific age ranges, which rise based on a man's age. Under 1 is great, while over 4 needs to be addressed, which could result in cancer.

Certainly, as a man passes 60 years old, that number will be higher, but generally, a range of 2 to 3 is the norm for many men.

It was reported in many media sources that former President Biden hasn’t had a PSA test done since 2014, and his most recent test revealed his PSA was over 9.0. Totally unacceptable on both counts.

While the test has been around since the 1970s, in 1987, the test was proposed as a screening tool for early detection of prostate cancer. The use of PSA testing for prostate cancer screening became widespread in the 1990s, leading to a significant increase in the detection rate of prostate cancer. 

Again, no excuse for Biden or his doctors not to utilize this safe method for early detection.

“Prior to Friday, President Biden had never been diagnosed with prostate cancer,” a Biden rep went on in response to speculation that the 82-year-old had been secretly diagnosed while in office.

Sunday’s announcement that Biden had an “aggressive” form of prostate cancer that had spread to his bones shocked longtime members of the Democrat’s inner circle, some of whom expressed befuddlement that the disease could have advanced to such a stage without being detected.

If it is caught early, generally it can be treated and can be stopped from advancing to the point where virtually nothing can be done, as in Biden’s case. Had he gone to have the test annually, its advancement could have been halted.

Dr Zeke Emanuel, a well-respected oncologist and architect of the Affordable Care Act, told MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” in a Monday appearance that Biden has “had this for many years, maybe even a decade, growing there and spreading.”

He continued, “He did not develop it in the last 100 to 200 days,” Emanuel added. “He had it while he was president. He probably had it at the start of his presidency in 2021.”

This sad fact should be a wake-up call for men to get at least the PSA test every year. Most insurance plans, including Medicare will pay for it.

Women generally get their cancer testing done every year because of the prevelance of breast cancer and other cancers as they age. When you go for your test, you should remind the men in your life to get theirs done at the same time.

We are an aging population and we need to take some basic steps to deal with our health to prevent problems. It really is the responsible thing to do.

Getting older is tough, so do what you can to give yourself a chance and give yourself peace of mind.