|
|
|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1 November 1993 | Volume 119 Issue 9 | Pages 914-923
Objective: To critically evaluate the evidence for recommending the screening of asymptomatic men for prostate cancer with a blood test to detect a prostate-specific antigen (PSA).
Data Sources: Relevant articles on screening for prostate cancer were identified from MEDLINE searches, from the authors' files, and from the bibliographies of identified articles.
Study Selection: In the absence of controlled prospective trials, the studies are primarily retrospective and contain information about the sensitivity, specificity, and predictive values of tests used to screen for prostate cancer; the natural history of untreated prostate cancer; the morbidity, mortality, and costs of definitive treatment; and reviews of screening study biases.
Data Extraction: Potential treatment-related mortality and costs that could be incurred by screening were estimated using defined assumptions.
Results: Although screening for prostate cancer has the potential to save lives, because of possible over-diagnosis, screening and subsequent therapy could actually have a net unfavorable effect on mortality or quality of life or both. Given the performance characteristics of the test, widespread screening efforts would probably cost billions of dollars.
Conclusions: The net benefit from widespread screening is unclear. A randomized prospective study of the effect of screening on prostate cancer mortality has therefore been initiated by the National Cancer Institute.
Author and Article Information
From the Division of Cancer Prevention and Control, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland.
REVIEW
Prostate Cancer Screening: What We Know and What We Need To Know
![]()
Acknowledgments: The authors thank Drs. Paul Schellhammer (urology), Ian Thompson (urology), Donald Henson (pathology), and Peter Greenwald (public health) for the critical review and comments on the manuscript.
Related articles in Annals:
This article has been cited by other articles:
![]() |
E. P. Gelmann Complexities of Prostate-Cancer Risk N. Engl. J. Med., February 28, 2008; 358(9): 961 - 963. [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
F. Kamangar, G. M. Dores, and W. F. Anderson Patterns of Cancer Incidence, Mortality, and Prevalence Across Five Continents: Defining Priorities to Reduce Cancer Disparities in Different Geographic Regions of the World J. Clin. Oncol., May 10, 2006; 24(14): 2137 - 2150. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
H. L. Parnes Prostate Cancer: Phase III Prevention Trials Am. Assoc. Cancer Res. Educ. Book, April 1, 2005; 2005(1): 192 - 195. [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
O. W. Brawley and B. S. Kramer Cancer Screening in Theory and in Practice J. Clin. Oncol., January 10, 2005; 23(2): 293 - 300. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
H. L. Parnes, I. M. Thompson, and L. G. Ford Prevention of Hormone-Related Cancers: Prostate Cancer J. Clin. Oncol., January 10, 2005; 23(2): 368 - 377. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
J. Cullen, M. D. Schwartz, W. F. Lawrence, J. V. Selby, and J. S. Mandelblatt Short-Term Impact of Cancer Prevention and Screening Activities on Quality of Life J. Clin. Oncol., March 1, 2004; 22(5): 943 - 952. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
G. D. Murthy, D. P. Byron, and D. Pasquale Underutilization of Digital Rectal Examination When Screening for Prostate Cancer Arch Intern Med, February 9, 2004; 164(3): 313 - 316. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
K. Mistry and G. Cable Meta-Analysis of Prostate-Specific Antigen and Digital Rectal Examination as Screening Tests for Prostate Carcinoma J Am Board Fam Med, March 1, 2003; 16(2): 95 - 101. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
R. Etzioni, D. F. Penson, J. M. Legler, D. di Tommaso, R. Boer, P. H. Gann, and E. J. Feuer Overdiagnosis Due to Prostate-Specific Antigen Screening: Lessons From U.S. Prostate Cancer Incidence Trends J Natl Cancer Inst, July 3, 2002; 94(13): 981 - 990. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
W. G. Woods Substitute "Prostate Cancer" for "Neuroblastoma"? J. Clin. Oncol., March 1, 2002; 20(5): 1154 - 1155. [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
R. A. Smith, A. C. von Eschenbach, R. Wender, B. Levin, T. Byers, D. Rothenberger, D. Brooks, W. Creasman, C. Cohen, C. Runowicz, et al. American Cancer Society Guidelines for the Early Detection of Cancer: Update of Early Detection Guidelines for Prostate, Colorectal, and Endometrial Cancers: ALSO: Update 2001--Testing for Early Lung Cancer Detection CA Cancer J Clin, January 1, 2001; 51(1): 38 - 75. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
E. J. Feuer, R. M. Merrill, and B. F. Hankey Cancer Surveillance Series: Interpreting Trends in Prostate Cancer—Part II: Cause of Death Misclassification and the Recent Rise and Fall in Prostate Cancer Mortality J Natl Cancer Inst, June 16, 1999; 91(12): 1025 - 1032. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
X. Bosch and O. Bernadich Increased Serum Prostate-Specific Antigen in a Man and a Woman with Hepatitis A N. Engl. J. Med., December 18, 1997; 337(25): 1849 - 1850. [Full Text] |
||||
![]() |
M. M. Collins, D. F. Ransohoff, and M. J. Barry Early Detection of Prostate Cancer: Serendipity Strikes Again JAMA, November 12, 1997; 278(18): 1516 - 1519. [Abstract] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
O. J. Austin, S. Valente, L. A. Hasse, and J. R. Kues Determinants of Prostate-Specific Antigen Test Use in Prostate Cancer Screening by Primary Care Physicians Arch Fam Med, September 1, 1997; 6(5): 453 - 458. [Abstract] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
E.S. Wolfe and W.W. Wolfe Discussion of the controversies associated with prostate cancer screening Perspectives in Public Health, June 1, 1997; 117(3): 151 - 155. [Abstract] |
||||
![]() |
W. Burke, M. Daly, J. Garber, J. Botkin, M. J. E. Kahn, P. Lynch, A. McTiernan, K. Offit, J. Perlman, G. Petersen, et al. Recommendations for Follow-up Care of Individuals With an Inherited Predisposition to Cancer: II. BRCA1 and BRCA2 JAMA, March 26, 1997; 277(12): 997 - 1003. [Abstract] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
A. M. D. Wolf, J. F. Nasser, A. M. Wolf, and J. B. Schorling The Impact of Informed Consent on Patient Interest in Prostate-Specific Antigen Screening Arch Intern Med, June 24, 1996; 156(12): 1333 - 1336. [Abstract] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
A. M. D. Wolf and D. M. Becker Cancer Screening and Informed Patient Discussions Arch Intern Med, May 27, 1996; 156(10): 1069 - 1072. [Abstract] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
S. H. Woolf Screening for Prostate Cancer with Prostate-Specific Antigen -- An Examination of the Evidence N. Engl. J. Med., November 23, 1995; 333(21): 1401 - 1405. [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
P. C. Albertsen, D. G. Fryback, B. E. Storer, T. F. Kolon, and J. Fine Long-term Survival Among Men With Conservatively Treated Localized Prostate Cancer JAMA, August 23, 1995; 274(8): 626 - 631. [Abstract] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
R. B. Williams, M. Boles, and R. E. Johnson Use of Prostate-Specific Antigen for Prostate Cancer Screening in Primary Care Practice Arch Fam Med, April 1, 1995; 4(4): 311 - 315. [Abstract] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
R. D Etzioni, R. J Connor, P. C Prorok, and S. G Self Design and analysis of cancer screening trials Statistical Methods in Medical Research, March 1, 1995; 4(1): 3 - 17. [Abstract] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
Internal Medicine Clinic Research Consortium, C. M. Andruss, T. J. Dinella, D. S. Macpherson, A. P. Pietropaoli, L. Tsao, J. Wachman, J. Whittle, C. M. Andruss, M. L. Cameron, et al. Effect of Digital Rectal Examination on Serum Prostate-Specific Antigen in a Primary Care Setting Arch Intern Med, February 27, 1995; 155(4): 389 - 392. [Abstract] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
A. L. Potosky, B. A. Miller, P. C. Albertsen, and B. S. Kramer The Role of Increasing Detection in the Rising Incidence of Prostate Cancer JAMA, February 15, 1995; 273(7): 548 - 552. [Abstract] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
P. H. Lange New Information About Prostate-Specific Antigen and the Paradoxes of Prostate Cancer JAMA, January 25, 1995; 273(4): 336 - 337. [Abstract] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
M. D. Krahn, J. E. Mahoney, M. H. Eckman, J. Trachtenberg, S. G. Pauker, and A. S. Detsky Screening for Prostate Cancer: A Decision Analytic View JAMA, September 14, 1994; 272(10): 773 - 780. [Abstract] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
G. W. Chodak Urology JAMA, June 1, 1994; 271(21): 1717 - 1718. [Abstract] [PDF] |
||||