Abstract
Prostate cancer (PC) screening remains a controversial topic, although it has been studied for more than two decades. Since the 1990s, when the use of Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) began in clinical practice, the mortality rate from PC has decreased by around 50%. Prostate cancer screening policies, early diagnosis and treatment are pointed out as responsible to 45%-70% of this reduction.() On the other hand, indiscriminate screening can lead to problems because of unnecessary prostate biopsies, and their possible side effects, [...]
Highlights
The controversy became even greater when in 2012 the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) discouraged the use of ProstateSpecific Antigen (PSA) as a tool for Prostate cancer (PC) screening, regardless of patient’s age.(2)
At the time that USPSTF recommended against the use of PSA, their arguments were based on two high-quality studies that assessed mortality in screened and nonscreened groups
The results showed the need to screen 1,410 men and treat 48 patients to prevent 1 death by PC
Summary
The controversy became even greater when in 2012 the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) discouraged the use of PSA as a tool for PC screening (grade D recommendation), regardless of patient’s age.(2). Because sextant biopsies were done (random, including six fragments), which currently are considered inadequate, the study showed a PC incidence of 8.2% in the Screened Group and 4.8% in the Control Group, with 20% relative reduction in the risk of death from this neoplasia, after a mean follow-up of 9 years.
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
