Prostate cancer: PSA screening does lower death risk, says review

A few days ago I posted about PSA screening for Prostrate Cancer which recommended against using this particular screen. The information came from the Canadian Task Force on Preventative Health. They do not recommend the PSA be used for screening for Prostate cancer. However, today I read a study that takes another position, so I thought I would share so you could make a more informed decision when you talk to your doctor about this test.

The PSA test is a blood test that is commonly used to detect possible prostate cancer. Elevated PSA levels may indicate the presence of prostate cancer, but can also be caused by other common non-cancer related conditions such as an enlarged prostate (also known as benign prostatic hyperplasia or BPH) or inflammation of the prostate gland (also known as prostatitis) due to an infection or other cause.

The study authors note that the guidelines for PSA screening were largely based on the results of two studies: the European Randomized Study of Screening for Prostate Cancer (ERSPC) and the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian Cancer Screening Trial (PLCO).

While results from the ERSPC suggested that PSA screening is linked to a reduction in prostate cancer-specific mortality, results from the PLCO showed that the screening offers no such benefit.

On reviewing these two studies with a mathematical model, however, the researchers found that they both demonstrated evidence of a significant reduction in prostate cancer death as a result of PSA screening.

For each study, the researchers compared the risk of prostate cancer death between men who did and did not undergo PSA screening.

Using their mathematical model, the team was able to account for differences in how each study was implemented, as well as any variations in practice settings.

When accounting for these differences, the researchers found that both studies showed that PSA screening is associated with a significant reduction in the risk of death from prostate cancer.

Based on these findings, the team suggests that current guidelines advising against screening for prostate cancer should undergo review.

However, each of is unique and I would recommend that you talk to your doctor about this test.

 2. Why does the CTFPHC recommend against PSA screening for prostate cancer?

The CTFPHC recommends against PSA screening because they found that the potential harms of screening outweigh the benefits.