title: [Screening for prostate cancer].
abstract: Prostate cancer screening has been a controversial for decades. The recently published findings of large trials have further intensified the debate. The prospect of reducing mortality from prostate cancer is measured against the risk of over-diagnosing the disease. In individual cases, the trade-off between possible benefits and harms is possible to ascertain, so general recommendations in favor of or against PSA tests for individuals cannot be made. The majority of men, however, are not well-informed on the possible advantages and drawbacks of screening. This situation urgently needs to be corrected. The PSA test is promoted to healthy men, who need to be provided with especially detailed information. If not provided with clear and unbiased information on the risks associated with the test (above all over-diagnosis and over-treatment), these men cannot be considered to be fully informed.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Qualität und Wirtschaftlichkeit im Gesundheitswesen, Köln. klaus.koch@iqwig.de
authors.forename: Klaus
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Koch
authors.forename: Roland
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Büchter
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lange
mesh_terms: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis*; D003952:Diagnostic Imaging / Q000639:trends*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000639:trends*; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000517:prevention & control*
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor