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

Arnold, Peter C

doi:10.5694/j.1326-5377.2010.tb03437.x

Topics

To the Editor: The general practitioners’ dilemma is acute. Women asking for mammography and/or testing for ovarian cancer; men asking for prostate-specific antigen (PSA) testing for prostate cancer. The debate, fuelled by uncertain knowledge, rages in the general medical journals,1,2 including contributions in the 17 August 2009 issue of the MJA.3,4

Sydney, NSW.

Correspondence: parnold@ozemail.com.au

1. Jørgensen KJ, Gøtzsche PC. Overdiagnosis in publicly organised mammography screening programmes: systematic review of incidence trends. BMJ 2009; 339: b2587.
2. Brown PO, Palmer C. The preclinical natural history of serous ovarian cancer: defining the target for early detection. PLoS Med 2009; 6: e1000114. doi: 10.1371/journal.pmed.1000114.
3. Smith DP, Banks E, Clements MS, et al. Evidence-based uncertainty: recent trial results on prostate-specific antigen testing and prostate cancer mortality [editorial]. Med J Aust 2009; 191: 199-200. <MJA full text>
4. Barratt AL, Stockler MR. Screening for prostate cancer: explaining new trial results and their implications to patients [viewpoint]. Med J Aust 2009; 191: 226-229. <MJA full text>
5. Stamey TA, Caldwell M, McNeal JE, et al. The prostate specific antigen era in the United States is over for prostate cancer: what happened in the last 20 years? J Urol 2004; 172: 1297-1301.

Online responses are no longer available. Please refer to our instructions for authors page for more information.