IT was with some concern that I read the recent letter about PSA blood testing for men. Statistics can be misleading and at times dangerous.

It is implied that 47 out of 48 men undergoing radical treatment (that is, 98 per cent) will not be cured of prostate cancer.

This has not been my experience and is, I believe, untrue.

Your correspondent fails to mention that the recently published study carried out in the whole of Europe (but not the UK) showed a 20 per cent reduction in deaths from prostate cancer.

It is mentioned that 10 per cent of prostate cancers are diagnosed by examination when the PSA is within the normal range.

That implies that 90 per cent are diagnosed when the PSA is not within the normal range.

The PSA blood test is not a perfect test and is prone to both false positive and false negative results. It rarely diagnoses prostate cancer but acts as an indicator of prostate disease which may be quite benign but still in need of treatment.

It can also act as an indicator to suggest further investigations which can help to diagnose prostate cancer as an early and curable stage.

It is reassuring to know that men in Herefordshire can already have a PSA blood test from their GP after first talking through the issues for and against screening.

Clearly, Herefordshire GPs are more enlightened than their colleagues in the rest of the country where it has been my experience that men are regularly refused this simple test by GPs who seem reluctant to encourage patients to take an interest in men’s health.

If every man in Herefordshire over the age of 50 has had a PSA test then nobody will turn up at The Welsh Social Club, 1 Hinton Road, Hereford, between 10am and 1pm on Saturday.

I hope so.