There continues to be considerable debate about whether men should have PSA (prostate-specific antigen) testing, but have you noticed there seems to be no such debate about DREs—digital rectal exams? Both are quick tests that serve similar purposes (diagnosing prostate issues, among others), so I have to wonder why the PSA bashers don’t also attack the DRE. Could it be they’ve never had one? I am not among the PSA bashers and frankly wish they would stop discouraging its use. …

Ah, the beloved DRE—digital rectal exam. As it happens, it’s the most convenient method for a doctor to cop a feel of the prostate to determine its size, its texture, and its potential lumpiness. It provides one of very few diagnostic clues for prostate cancer, so we put up with it. But—and I think I can speak for nearly all DRE recipients—we don’t especially like it, at least not at first. Once a year? Twice a year? Whatever the frequency, …