Evidence-based uncertainty: recent trial results on prostate-specific antigen testing and prostate cancer mortality

Smith, David P; Banks, Emily; Clements, Mark S; Gardiner, Robert A; Armstrong, Bruce K

doi:10.5694/j.1326-5377.2009.tb02752.x

Topics

Large-scale randomised controlled trials in Europe and the United States are informing evidence-based clinical advice

Population-wide prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening for prostate cancer is not recommended in Australia, primarily because of the lack of large-scale randomised trial evidence of a beneficial effect on prostate cancer mortality and the known harms of overdiagnosis and unnecessary treatment that may ensue. In spite of this, PSA testing is common; the limited evidence available suggests that more than 50% of Australian men over the age of 50 years have had the test.1,2

1 Cancer Epidemiology Research Unit, Cancer Council NSW, Sydney, NSW.
2 National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT.
3 University of Queensland Centre for Clinical Research, Brisbane, QLD.
4 Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital, Brisbane, QLD.
5 School of Public Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW.

Correspondence: dsmith@nswcc.org.au

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