Finasteride – some cancer specialists believe the drug can reduce the risk of developing prostate cancer by 30 percent. The drug is available from Merck & Company, as Proscar, and from six companies as a generic to shrink the prostate in older men whose prostates can enlarge, making urination difficult. The drug is available as a generic for about $2.00 a day, and millions of men safely take it now to shrink their prostates, its approved use. So what is the issue?
Prostate cancer is unlike any other cancer because it is relatively slow-growing and while it can kill, it often is not lethal. Many cancer specialists say a major problem is that men are getting screened, discovering they have cancers that may or may not be dangerous, and opting for treatments that can leave them impotent or incontinent. Read about the issue in this article from the New York Times.
So the question is: do we offer a drug to prevent the consequences of overtreatment? Think about it!