The Bristol prostate cancer pilot screening study--a 3-year follow-up.
OBJECTIVE
To undertake a follow-up study of 472 men who were screened 3 years previously, in general practice, for prostate cancer, and to investigate the efficacy and patient acceptability of a 3-year screening interval.


METHODS
Eligible men (n = 472) were sent postal invitations to attend their Health Centre in North Bristol. Serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) was the initial screening test. Men with PSA > 4 ng/ml (Hybritech) were referred to the Department of Urology for digital rectal examination and transrectal ultrasound +/- biopsy.


RESULTS
A total of 132 (28%) men were excluded because of intercurrent illness, death and migration. Two hundred of 340 (59%) men were re-screened. Thirty-seven men had an elevated PSA and were referred as above. Seventeen men had prostatic biopsies, resulting in the diagnosis of six carcinomas; five were localized to the prostate and one was metastatic. In the latter patient, the PSA had risen from 2 to 120 ng/ml over 3 years.


CONCLUSIONS
Serum PSA alone can be used as an acceptable repeat screening test to detect prostate cancer in general practice, but 3-year repeat screening will not always protect the individual against the interval development of metastatic disease.
Brewster
S F
SF
Department of Urology, Southmead Hospital, Bristol, UK.
Kemple
T
T
MacIver
A G
AG
Astley
J P
JP
Gingell
J C
JC
D000368:Aged; D005194:Family Practice; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D008875:Middle Aged; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D010865:Pilot Projects; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen / Q000097:blood; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000517:prevention & control*; D013997:Time Factors
D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen