His and Her Health

According to a report in the Jan. 9, 2012, “Journal Watch,” screening with prostate-specific antigen (PSA) testing does not lower the risk for death from prostate cancer, according to a 13- year follow-up report from the PLCO trial. The abstract for the follow up report was published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. This finding extends the trial's 10-year results, which similarly showed no mortality benefit. “Journal Watch” noted that the PLCO trial, some 77,000 men aged 55 to 74 were either randomly placed in 6 years of PSA testing plus 4 years of digital rectal examinations, or to usual care (which could include opportunistic screening). “At 13 years' follow-up, there was no difference between the groups in prostate cancer mortality. The incidence of prostate cancer, however, was significantly higher with screening than with usual care (108.4 vs. 97.1 per 10,000 person-years),” “Journal Watch” reported. The researchers conclude: "There is no evidence of a benefit [from screening]. Indeed, there is evidence of harms, in part associated with the false-positive tests, but also with the over diagnosis inseparable from PSA screening."

[Report] Advises Against Routine Prostate Cancer Screening