Do "rapid" PSA assays reduce anxiety and stress of prostate cancer patients undergoing regular review? A prospective evaluation.
OBJECTIVE
Waiting for prostate-specific antigen (PSA) results may create anxiety for patients. Recently developed "rapid" PSA assays have become available, which achieve laboratory sensitivity and specificity. The manufacturers claim these assays will help to reduce anxiety associated with PSA testing. The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that rapid received PSA results reduce patient anxiety.


METHODS
One hundred eighty-eight (n = 188) patients participated in a prospective randomized study. After obtaining informed consent, 67 patients were assigned to receive PSA results within 15 minutes of the blood sample being drawn, facilitating a discussion with the physician while in-clinic. One hundred twenty-one (n = 121) patients were assigned to receive their results within 1 to 4 days by telephone. Patients completed a baseline questionnaire about PSA testing and a follow-up questionnaire after they had received their PSA result by either method.


RESULTS
There were no significant differences in patient demographics between the "rapid" and "delayed" PSA test groups. Baseline measurements of stress and anxiety were low and not significantly different between the groups. Receiving a rapid PSA result did not significantly reduce stress and anxiety compared with a delayed result. However, 89% of patients receiving a rapid result would elect to have this method again.


CONCLUSIONS
The rapid PSA test did not prove to alleviate stress or anxiety associated with receiving results. However, the cohort assigned to the rapid PSA test would prefer to have their results rapidly to facilitate discussion regarding their future management.
Wilkinson
Simon
S
Midwest Urology Research Foundation, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA. simonmwilkinson@hotmail.com
Warren
Katherine
K
Ramsden
Alistair
A
Matthews
Alicia
A
Chodak
Gerald
G
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001007:Anxiety / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007118:Immunoassay / Q000379:methods / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen / Q000097:blood*; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000523:psychology*; D013997:Time Factors; D014342:Truth Disclosure
D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen