[Screening for prostate cancer: arguments "against"].
Prostate cancer screening is controversial since PSA assay has been made available. Screening supporters consider that early diagnosis allows better and less aggressive treatment. These arguments lie on longitudinal cohort studies without controls. Randomized studies are required to assess the correlation between screening and mortality lowering. Two studies are being performed and their results will be available within three or four years. Consequently, the validity of screening is unknown. Nevertheless, the analysis of various parameters demonstrates that the reduction of cancer mortality related to screening is low. According to these data and as recommended by health institutions prostate cancer screening is not required. At the present time, detection asked by the patient himself remains the good attitude between negligence and excessive attitude.
Perrin
P
P
Centre Hospitalier Lyon Sud, Chemin Grand Revoyet, 69495 Pierre-Bénite, France. paul.perrin@chu-lyon.fr
D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen / Q000097:blood; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis*
D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen