[The significance and limitation of prostate specific antigen in the mass screening for prostate cancer].
The ultimate aim of the mass screening program is to decrease the prostate cancer mortality, which can be demonstrated only in a well designed and well controlled trial comparing screened and unscreened populations. However, there are not any trials which prove the effectiveness of mass screening for prostate cancer. Among the 3 modalities, prostate specific antigen (PSA) had the highest sensitivity and positive predictive value. However, PSA had the 20% probability to diagnose incorrectly the patient with prostate cancer as a normal. PSA had 10% possibility to detect clinically insignificant cancer. It is important to inform subjects not only the significance but also limitation of mass screening by PSA.
Imai
K
K
Department of Urology, Atagawa Onsen Hospital.
Yamanaka
H
H
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen / Q000097:blood*; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen