SIUSLAW NEWS | SATURDAY, AUGUST 10, 2019 | 5A
Community Voices
Us TOO Florence — Experience counts in prostate cancer screening
By Bob Horney
Special to Siuslaw News
Being born in 1938, I
became part of the routine
PSA testing as I turned 50.
That was an exciting time
for men because, prior to
PSA testing, a diagnosis
of prostate cancer was de-
pendent on an abnormal
digital rectal exam (DRE)
or the development of
symptoms.
In either case, curative
treatment was greatly
diminished. That was a
time when, according to
Patrick Walsh of Johns
Hopkins, only 68 percent
of newly diagnosed men
had localized cancer and
21 percent were already
metastatic.
Consider the differ-
ence when Dr. Walsh an-
nounced in 2013, “Today,
91 percent are diagnosed
with localized disease and
only four percent have
metastases.”
Those figures that Dr.
Walsh mentioned can
also be seen resulting in
lives saved as per the fol-
lowing details: In 1992,
age-adjusted
prostate
cancer mortality rate was
39.3 per 100,000 males.
By 2010, the age-adjust-
ed mortality had fallen to
21.8 per 100,000 males.
The National Cancer
Institute attributed 45 to
70 percent of the reduced
mortality directly to PSA
screening.
With all that success
screening for the most
frequently
diagnosed
non-skin cancer in males
and the second-leading
cause of cancer death
in our male population,
the American Acade-
my of Family Physicians
(AAFP) now recom-
mends that men “not be
routinely screened for
prostate cancer using a
prostate-specific antigen
(PSA) test or digital rectal
exam.”
According to the AAFP,
the digital rectal exam
does not improve de-
tection of prostate can-
cer and should not be
performed as a part of
screening.
Dr. Reid Blackwelder,
M.D., 2015 board chair of
the AAFP and professor
of family medicine at East
Tennessee State Universi-
ty in Kingsport, explains
there is “too much vari-
ability” with DRE results
in the primary care set-
ting.
“Different
clinicians
will have different find-
ings with the same pa-
tient. Also, there is no
standard training for
DRE,” he said.
Maybe these factors are
why the AAFP says the
DRE does not improve
detection of prostate can-
cer?
“Furthermore,
the
DRE, when it does detect
prostate cancer, is often
not really working as a
screening test,” pointed
out Dr. Blackwelder, “be-
cause patients who have a
palpable cancer typically
have symptoms. If a pa-
tient has symptoms, then
the DRE is an important
test.”
Dr. Blackwelder’s com-
ments are mighty good
reasons for the AAFP to
stop standing (or sitting)
in the way of men getting
to the urologists who are
trained and have the ex-
pertise in performing the
DRE as part of asymp-
tomatic prostate cancer
screening.
Instead of stopping
screening and waiting for
symptoms to announce
prostate cancer (then re-
ferring us to a urologist)
just admit we are better
off in the hands of urol-
ogists for prostate can-
cer screening in the first
place.
The very idea that the
DRE is worthless in de-
tecting prostate cancer is
shoving a lot of men “un-
der the bus.” The differ-
ence is in who’s finger is
feeling the prostate.
Dr. David Penson,
M.D., MPH, chair of the
Dept. of Urological Sur-
gery at Vanderbilt Uni-
versity Medical Center
in Nashville, Tenn., says
this regarding the AAFP
and USPSTF: “They fun-
damentally do not see
any value to prostate can-
cer screening; that’s their
opinion,” he emphasized,
adding that it is this that
he takes issue with. “They
are not making their de-
cision based on evidence.
They are taking the data
and then they are grafting
their opinion onto it, so
they are making the de-
cision of what is right for
the patient.”
He adds that there is
general agreement “that
the PSA is an imperfect
test. The DRE is also an
imperfect test, but the
two together actually of-
fer more than either one
alone.”
This is very personal for
me and the 20-25 percent
of men diagnosed with a
normal PSA, but abnor-
mal DRE. My PSA was
high/normal, but stable, I
had no symptoms and the
cancer had already left
the prostate. (The late Dr.
Peter Bergreen nailed it!)
We’re told with most
medical procedures to
find someone who has
done lots of them — ex-
perience counts.
In prostate cancer
screening, those are our
urologists at Oregon
Urology Institute!
Fire & Rescue — Fresh new recruit flourishes
By Capt. Pete “Boa” Warren
Special to Siuslaw News
One of the best parts
of my job as a Recruit-
ment Officer is bring-
ing in a fresh new
recruit. I relish the
opportunity to watch
someone
transform
into an active first re-
sponder from our ini-
tial meeting — then,
going after other chal-
lenges and opportuni-
ties out there.
One memorable ad-
dition to our volunteer
force and staff mem-
ber is Firefighter Holly
Lais.
J OIN U S I N W ORSHIP
THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST
OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS
Located at Munsel Lake Road and North Fork Road
Worship Services 10:00 AM Sunday
All are welcome! 541-997-7268
FLORENCE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
Worship Services 10:00 a.m. Sunday
Adult Classes at 9am; Children’s Sunday School at 10:30m
Coffee Fellowship Following Service
2nd & Kingwood • (541) 997-6025
FOURSQUARE CHURCH
COMMUNITY BAPTIST CHURCH
4590 Hwy. 101, Across from Fred Meyer –- 997-7418
Sunday School, 9:30a.m. – Worship, 10:45
Wed. Prayer - 6:00 p.m. –Wed. Ministries 1-8 Grade 7 p.m.
1624 Highway 101 (next to A&W) –- 997-6337
Pastor George Pagel – Something for the entire family.
Sun. Services: 10:45 a.m., Wed. Bible Study 7 p.m.
Website:florence4square.com
CROSS ROAD ASSEMBLY OF GOD
NEW LIFE LUTHERAN CHURCH, E.L.C.A.
Corner of 10th & Maple –997-3533
Wednesday, 7 p.m. - Family Connections
Adult Bible Class, 9:30am on Sundays.
Sunday Services, 9am and 10:45am.
florencecrossroadag.org • office@florencecrossroadag.org
21st & Spruce Street – 997-8113
Pastor Rachel Simonson – All are welcome
Adult Forum 9:00 a.m. – Sunday school !0:30
Worship Service Sun. 10:30 a.m.
www.florencenewlife Lutheran.org
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH - SBC
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF THE SIUSLAW
1935 25th St. – 997-7660 • Pastor, Ron Allen
Series “People of the Bible.” on Wednesdays 6 p.m.
A friendly place to worship, vacationers welcome.
Sun.; 11am & 6pm, Sunday school 9:45am.
FLORENCE CHRISTIAN CHURCH
2nd & Ivy – 997-2961 –Non-Denominational
Worship Service: 9:00 am & 10:30 am
Middle School and High School youth groups meet on
Wednesday.
FLORENCE CHURCH OF CHRIST
Pre-Denominational (Romans 16:16)
1833 Tamarack Street (2 blocks east of Hwy. 101 on 18th St.)
Bible Study: Sunday 10 a.m.; Worship: Sunday 11 a.m.
www.churchofchristflorence.org
FLORENCE CHURCH OF THE NAZARENE
12th and Nopal –997-9020 • Worship Service 10:30 a.m.
Saturdays, Mens’ Breakfast @ 8 a.m.
Online Worship Service@ florencenaz.church
Wednesdays Celebrate Recovery 5 pm
facebook:florenceoregonchurchofthenazarene
FLORENCE EVANGELICAL CHURCH
1318 Rhododendron Dr. • 541-997-2523
Sunday Service 11am ( Children Sunday School)
Mid-Week Activities, all ages.
RELIGIOUS SOCIETY OF FRIENDS (QUAKERS)
“War is still not the answer.” FCNL
We worship in homes at 11am Sundays
Call 997-4237 or 902-9511 for locations.
RESURRECTION LUTHERAN CHURCH,
L.C.M.S.
Every Sun., Bible Class 9 a.m., Worship Service 10 a.m.
85294 Hwy. 101 S. – 997-8038
DVD of Weekly worship service available.
Pastor Randy Benscoter
ST. ANDREW’S EPISCOPAL CHURCH
2135 19th St. –- 997-6600
8:30am, Tuesdays, Morning Prayer
Sunday Services: 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. - Wed, 11 a.m.
Everyone Welcome – Come walk our Labyrinth.
SAINT MARY, OUR LADY OF THE
DUNES
CATHOLIC CHURCH
Masses: Sat. 5:30 p.m., Sun. 11:00 a.m.
1.5 miles south of river on Hwy 101 – 997-2312
FLORENCE UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST FELLOWSHIP
87738 Hwy 101 at Heceta Beach Road
RUAUU? All are welcome to explore the answer.
Sunday Worship Service ~ 10:00 a.m.
www.FlorenceUUF.org - (541) 997.2840
Join Us In Worship
4 lines, approx 15 words,
$10 a week
4 week Minimum
Deadline
3 p.m. Mondays.
To be included in this directory contact
the Siuslaw News at 997-3441, or drop off
information at 148 Maple St., Old Town, Florence.
process and subse-
quently entered the fire
academy.
Firefighting is chal-
lenging work to say
the least. One person’s
weakness is another
person’s strength.
As we say, you don’t
have to be a knuckle
dragger to be an effec-
tive force in depart-
ment.
Holly, while small in
stature, makes up for
it in other ways. Not
only is she a volunteer,
but she’s gone from
working part-time to
fulltime in the admin-
istration office. It’s
always a plus to have
someone who’s serving
in a position to under-
stand the intricacies of
firefighters she serves
and responds with.
When not working
or responding to emer-
gencies, Holly is go-
ing to school. It’s not
uncommon to see her
burning the midnight
oil in the office after-
hours, where there’s
peace and quiet. Well,
at least until the alarms
goe off and she’s hus-
tling into her turnouts
to go on the next call.
Holly is one of many
who’ve
discovered
what firefighting is all
about.
Do you know of any-
one else who’d like to
wear a pair of firefight-
er turnouts?
The Moral of the Story —
Pillow talk
Traditional Worship Service 10:00 a.m. , Reverend Greg Wood
Sunday School and Nursery – Organ and Choir
All Welcome. Come as you are.
3996 N Hwy 101 997-7136
FLORENCE SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST
4445 Hwy 101 (South of Fred Meyer) – 997-3951
Worship on Saturday 10:30 A.M.
Adult/Children’s Sabbath School 9:15 A.M.
Holly was the first re-
cruit I contacted when
I started looking for
potential firefighters
near the end of 2016.
While working out at
Coastal Fitness, I saw
a young lady on the
treadmill in front of
me wearing a medical
air transport company
sweatshirt. As soon as
she finished, I started a
conversation about her
shirt. Low and behold,
it was from her broth-
er Jeremiah, who had
been on the depart-
ment from my same
academy I was in!
A few days later, af-
ter a chat and walk-
through, Holly decided
to start the application
By Karen D. Nichols
Special to Siuslaw News
Bedding down with
the love of your life.
Aah!
When Ralph and I
suffered from back-
aches, we made ap-
pointments with the
chiropractor and acu-
puncturist. They rec-
ommended body pil-
lows.
While in Eugene, we
stopped at Bed Bath &
Beyond.
Pillow—$29.99!
Case, $19.99!
Get
two?
Better
try one. Like walk-
ing with a drunken
friend, I dragged the
super-sized pillow to
checkout. Wrestling, it
landed in the backseat.
I drew a marker face on
it.
On our way home,
we joked about our
backseat friend — a lit-
tle pillow talk.
At home, it was in-
stallation time.
Ralph chuckled, say-
ing “It’ll look like a
dead body under the
spread.”
I grabbed the pillow,
turning it end-over-
end, and used a sharp
pair of scissors to get
through the wrapper.
I extricated it without
needing stitches.
The pillowslip’s mea-
surements matched the
pillow’s exactly — not
a good thing. A larger
case doesn’t strangle
the pillow. Opening
the case, I stuffed it in.
Pillow clenched in my
teeth, I yanked, just
like dressing a giant
baby in a petite-sized
onesy.
Oops! Arms too
short!
“Rats!”
Fingernail
gone.
“Ralph!”
Mr. Pillow took on a
cantankerous person-
ality.
While I held the pil-
low, Ralph shoved as
I tugged. Laughter
ceased before Mr. pil-
low wore his new skin-
tight epidermis.
Whose idea was this
anyway?
Throwing the covers
back, Mr. Pillow re-
fused to scoot between
Ralph and me. The
pillowcase and sheets
seemed Velcroed. Mr.
Pillow didn’t want to
join us.
After another tug-o-
war, the pillow landed
in place.
I read my novel until
my eyelids drooped.
Tussling about trying
not to wake Ralph, I
nested with Mr. P...
Uh oh! On my side,
my hip ached.
When I tried turning
over, Mr. P. and I went
to war.
All night, I couldn’t
turn over, take him
with me, or throw him
out.
Mr. P. was a bundling
board separating Ralph
and me.
It had to go!
Into the fireplace?
I pictured it fight-
ing, flinging flames
and burning our house
down.
Maybe it could be a
gift to the Chiroprac-
tor...
Moral: Watch who
you invite for pillow
talk.