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Prostate cancer screening: current issues

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Advances in Cancer Screening

Part of the book series: Cancer Treatment and Research ((CTAR,volume 86))

Abstract

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer among males in the United States (excluding skin cancer), and it accounts for more cancer deaths among males than all other cancers except lung cancer. An estimated 244,000 new prostate cancer cases and 40,400 deaths we anticipated in 1995 in the United States [1]. There are no established prevention strategies, although at least one approach using finasteride (Proscar™) is under investigation in a randomized trial [2]. Consequently, many have turned to early detection through screening as a means to control this disease. The potential for this approach has been heightened by the recent development of the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test and transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) to enhance the digital rectal examination (DRE). Although some may believe that one or some combination of these tests is valuable for early detection of prostate cancer, the operating characteristics of these modalities in a screening setting are not well understood, and they have yet to be rigorously evaluated in terms of effect on prostate cancer mortality. It is the purpose of this chapter to describe some of the problems and unresolved issues currently surrounding the evaluation and implementation of screening for prostate cancer.

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Authors
  1. Philip C. Prorok
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  2. Arnold L. Potosky
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  3. John K. Gohagan
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  4. Barnett S. Kramer
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of Toronto, Canada

    Anthony B. Miller

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© 1996 Kluwer Academic Publishers

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Prorok, P.C., Potosky, A.L., Gohagan, J.K., Kramer, B.S. (1996). Prostate cancer screening: current issues. In: Miller, A.B. (eds) Advances in Cancer Screening. Cancer Treatment and Research, vol 86. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4613-1265-9_7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4613-1265-9_7

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