08

From Joe Drewry ('58) of VA - 08/15/08, 10:14 PM - " Lydia Powell Mugler's husband Charley died today, 8/15/08":

18 - Etta L. Baker ('57) AND Darlene Willis Marshall (Hampton HS - '68) of VA;

19 - Jimmy DeBerry ('64) of VA AND

Dave Spriggs ('64) of VA;

20 -

Chip Clark ('65) of Northern VA AND Eddie Vest ('68) of VA;

23 - Charles Allen ('57) AND My Cousin, Cheryl White Wilson (John Marshall HS - '64) of VA!

Mea Culpa!! Thanks to

Dave Spriggs ('64 - of VA) for checking out what Snopes says -- shoulda done so myself before I forwarded the info!!

However, what Snopes has to say does NOT change my mind by one iota. I would still have mailed that email to you, and here's why:

First off, having had prostate cancer myself 10 years ago, I reacted to this subject emotionally, thinking from the way the email was written that the CA-125 test shows something equivalent to the male's PSA levels. What little I've read on the subject seems to indicate this is so. Maybe so, maybe no. So I didn't bother to check Snopes. (Didn't really care, in this case.)

But, it's interesting that the PSA test itself has likewise come under fire by many doctors and other experts in the last decade or two, claiming that it, too, gives too many false positives and negatives to even be of value, just as Snopes implies about the CA-125 test.

So my VEHEMENT answer to those who put it down: I wouldn't be alive now if it weren't for the early detection given by the "faulty" PSA test. I know several other men in the same boat.

Matter of fact, if you don't discover the cancer until you're symptomatic, you're probably dead already. It's just a matter of how quickly your final demise will be.

To me the real key to the value either of these tests is the competency of your physician. Fortunately mine used the early warning to order up other tests, which confirmed the original finding, which led to a biopsy, yada, yada, yada. He didn't simply try to pressure me into surgery, or anything. His approach was: let's investigate further. Hopefully any sensible Doc would do the same.

And that's my response to what Snopes has to say about CA-125 -- use it as a tool. I get the impression that the CA-125 test, too, can be used as an indicator to investigate further.

IMHO, you ladies should discuss the possibilities with your physician, not just simply reject it because of someone's or some website's opinion. Check it out further for yourself. Why? Because there are several other qualified experts with opinions directly opposite of Snopes and their experts on this matter.

To simply reject a possibly life-saving test because it's controversial is putting your life at risk. A controversial test saved mine!

So my original email/recommendation stands, in spite of Snopes!!

As I said at the start, mainly since I consider this a life and death matter (which it is, in fact), I can get a little emotional on this subject (which I have proven, have I not?).

And herewith, I end my rant!!

We've All Been There!!! GIGGLES! Thanks, Joyce!