EFN

Two recently conducted large randomized trials suggest widespread prostate cancer screening substantially increases diagnosis without much evidence for a survival benefit.

The new studies indicates that the prostate cancer screening test, prostate specific antigen (PSA) has minimal value when it comes to finding prostate cancer, particularly in older men. The findings, published in CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians shows that routine PSA blood tests result in overdiagnosis of prostate cancer, resulting in unnecessary treatments , psychosocial harm, and treatments that are not needed, related to insignificant prostate cancer tumors.

It was determined in 1985, before PSA screening was available, an American man had an 8.7 per cent lifetime risk of being diagnosed with prostate cancer and a 2.5 percent lifetime risk of dying from the disease. Twenty years later, in 2005, an American man had a 17 per cent lifetime risk of being diagnosed with prostate cancer and a 3 per cent risk of dying from the disease.

The researchers said in the reports that for cancer screenings to be considered effective, they must lower the risk of death, lower suffering from a disease or reduce health-care costs, compared to not screening.

The researchers conclude that “men should discuss the now quantifiable risks as well as benefits of having a PSA test with their doctor and then share in making an informed decision,” and that “the weight of the decision should not be thrown into the patient’s lap.”