Research Highlights
Study finds prostate-cancer screenings may not boost survival
January 9, 2006
A VA study found no survival advantage for older men who had been screened for prostate cancer, compared to those who had not been screened. A team led by Dr. John Concato of the West Haven VA and Yale University identified 501 men who had received a diagnosis of prostate cancer between 1991 and 1995 and died by 1999. They also selected a comparison group of 501 living men, with or without prostate cancer. Surprisingly, the prostate-cancer screening rate among the deceased men was higher than among the men still alive. The authors concluded: "…Based on available evidence, including the present study, recommendations regarding screening for prostate cancer should not endorse routine testing of asymptomatic men to reduce mortality. Rather, the uncertainty of screening should be explained to patients in a process of 'verbal informed consent,' promoting informed decision making."
Concato J, Wells CK, Horwitz RI, Penson D, Fincke G, Berlowitz DR, Froehlich G, Blake D, Vickers MA, Gehr GA, Raheb NH, Sullivan G, Peduzzi P. The effectiveness of screening for prostate cancer: a nested case-control study.
Arch Intern Med. 2006 Jan 9;166(1):38-43.
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