Second Update on the Swedish Screening Study

This is the view point from 'The Prostate Cancer Charity':

The Prostate Cancer Charity comments on new research which suggests that prostate cancer screening can reduce mortality

The Prostate Cancer Charity comments on the findings of on an ongoing trial at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden, and published in The Lancet today (1 July), which suggests that screening men for prostate cancer can reduce prostate cancer mortality by almost half.

John Neate, Chief Executive of The Prostate Cancer Charity, explains: “This new research is an interesting addition to the growing body of evidence which suggests that a national screening programme based on the PSA test could lead to a reduction in deaths from prostate cancer. However, we need to remember that these new findings are the result of a relatively small scale study, and that equally, the mortality reduction rates are based on two small groups of men and any reduction in mortality rates would need to be proven through further research.

“Prostate cancer is a complicated disease and, unlike other common cancers, does not always require treatment. Although this and another much larger European study have found that PSA-based screening can significantly reduce prostate cancer mortality, screening has also been shown to lead to the over-diagnosis of harmless forms of the disease which may never cause a man any problems in his lifetime. This is because the PSA blood test cannot distinguish between the aggressive and harmless, slow growing forms of the disease.

“This growing body of research suggests that screening may be beneficial for some men as it may detect their cancer at an early stage, when treatment can be most effective. However, we would need more evidence to show that the benefits of screening outweigh the harms before screening could be introduced in the UK. Interest in the usefulness of the PSA test as a screening tool has grown significantly in recent years and in response to this, the UK National Screening Committee has been assessing all of the available evidence into prostate cancer screening and is currently consulting on the expert review which it has commissioned. The UK National Screening Committee’s current view is that PSA-based screening should not be introduced in this country.

“In the meantime, it is critical that we move swiftly to ensure that all men aged over 50, and younger men at higher risk of prostate cancer, are made aware of the PSA test, their right to request one and have the opportunity to make an informed decision about whether to have it. The Prostate Cancer Charity is actively working to develop a model of "universal informed choice" that could be used to give all eligible men this opportunity. We encourage every man with concerns about prostate cancer to visit their GP and ask for balanced information about the pros and cons of the PSA test to help them decide whether having it is right for them,” he added.

ENDS


The Prostate Cancer Charity comments...