Men who had prostate cancer biopsy tests done have no reason to be fearful in light of the Newfoundland and Labrador government's queries about the accuracy of their tests, physicians say.

Dr. Joe Tumilty said the chances of a patient receiving the wrong prostate cancer treatment are 'extremely low.'
(CBC)

Robert Thompson, a senior government official chairing a task force on adverse health effects, asked in late March for an expert opinion on whether other types of tests in a St. John's pathology lab needed to be reviewed.

The request, sent to Ontario pathology expert Dr. Greg Flynn, was obtained by CBC News. Flynn advised Thompson that he saw no need for a retrospective review of samples.

Flynn said that a widespread retrospective review would find errors, and possibly show that some patients had had unnecessary surgery or radiation therapy, but that the numbers would be small.

Dr. Nash Denic, the chief of laboratory medicine at Eastern Health, said a review of samples in Calgary as part of a quality assurance program has backed up original findings.

"We are sending [them] out for a second opinion … just to see how we are doing, and I am quite pleased with the results that we have received," Denic said.

As well, Dr. Joe Tumilty, president of the Newfoundland and Labrador Medical Association, said the test in question is a small part of the diagnostic process, and Flynn's advice shows no need for alarm.

"The chances that this test that is in question has caused anyone to have wrong treatment would be extremely low," Tumilty said.

"I don't think it should be lumped in the same category as the hormone receptor question, with the breast cancer testing."