Prostate cancer PSA screening tests do more harm than good

Are so-called PSA tests recommended?

Researchers found that routine testing for prostate cancer seems to do more harm than good. Moreover, these tests do not save human lives by early diagnosis in patients without symptoms, according to a recent study. The use of the tests is thus fundamentally called into question.

Researchers at the University of Bristol found that routine prostate cancer routines often cause more harm than they do. The physicians published the results of their study in the English-language journal "Journal of the American Medical Association" (JAMA).

Researchers studied more than 400,000 men

More than 400,000 men were involved in the current study, which looked at the effectiveness of so-called prostate-specific antigen tests (PSA tests). Nearly 190,000 participants had participated in a PSA test, while 220,000 subjects had not performed such a test. In Germany, men have the option of prostate cancer screening from the age of 45 years. This includes the scanning of the genitals and the associated lymph nodes in the groin. A PSA test is not provided. The decision for or against such a test should be made only after a conversation with a physician, advise the experts.

PSA tests can not effectively detect prostate cancer

The researchers stated that PSA testing in non-symptomatic men may indicate illnesses that are unlikely to cause harm. On the other hand, the study may overlook diseases that can be fatal. This highlights the shortcomings of a single PSA test as a way to effectively identify prostate cancer. The study found that after one decade, both groups of subjects studied had the same percentage of men who died of prostate cancer (0.29 percent). The PSA test does not identify the intricacies of the disease and may also cause harm to those affected, the doctors say. In the future, there are more precise ways to save the lives of affected men.

PSA test can not save lives

"Our big study has highlighted a much discussed topic. We found that a single PSA test for men without symptoms of prostate cancer does not save lives after an average follow-up time of ten years, "said study author Professor Richard Martin of the University of Bristol in a press release.

PSA testing can cause problems

The results highlight the many problems posed by the PSA test. These include, for example, unnecessary anxiety and unnecessary treatment by diagnosing cancer on the prostate of men who do not have cancer. In addition, some dangerous types of prostate cancer are not detected.

Aggressive prostate cancer must be recognized as soon as possible

Prostate cancer is the second most common cause of death in men in the UK Emma Turner from University of Bristol. Now better ways to diagnose aggressive types of prostate cancer, which urgently require early treatment, the expert continues. While some types of prostate cancer are aggressive and fatal, others are clinically insignificant and would never cause harm or death if left unrecognized. Ideally, aggressive prostate cancer must be detected and treated as early as possible, the physicians emphasize.

Negative effects of the PSA test

If men are worried about prostate cancer, they should definitely talk to a doctor about this condition. It is important that GP consultations with their patients on the PSA test are based on the most recent findings and properly represent the risk of serious harm. Although PSA is an uncomplicated blood test, the subsequent diagnosis and treatment process can have a negative impact on a man's life, such as the risk of biopsy infection or sepsis. In addition, incontinence may also develop and the sexual functions and bowel function may be compromised by the treatment. (As)