PSA Testing Saves Lives

Regular PSA testing can reduce prostate cancer death by 20 per cent, according to the largest study ever conducted on prostate cancer screening.

The European Randomized Study of Screening for Prostate Cancer (ERSPC) followed over 162,000 men in several European countries for over a decade. Men aged 55-69 were examined with the PSA test and retested, on average, every four years.

The study found that early detection of disease increased, while the number of deaths from the spread of cancer dropped. On average, out of every 1,408 men tested, 48 were treated for the presence of prostate cancer and this resulted in a saved life.

Coordinator of the ERSPC, Professor Fritz Schroder, asserts that the study “provides decision makers on screening policies with important new data on the effectiveness of the PSA testing in preventing deaths.”

The extensive ERSPC began in the early 1990s and continues to provide valuable data on prostate cancer screening. Currently, the ERSPC is doing additional research into patients’ quality of life.

For the full story:
Schroder, et al.
The New England Journal of Medicine (2009, March 26)
Screening and Prostate-Cancer Mortality in a Randomized European Study


** While the PSA test is an increadibly useful tool in the fight against prostate cancer, individuals should be aware of both the pros and cons of the test.  Learn More...