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Review
. 2010 May;20(3):185-8.
doi: 10.1097/MOU.0b013e3283384047.

Prostate-specific antigen screening: pro

Stacy Loeb  1 , William J Catalona
Affiliations
Review

Prostate-specific antigen screening: pro

Stacy Loeb et al. Curr Opin Urol. 2010 May.

Abstract

Purpose of review: Prostate cancer is the most common noncutaneous malignancy among men in the USA and is most frequently diagnosed through prostate-specific antigen (PSA)-based screening. Nevertheless, PSA testing has become increasingly controversial. In this review, we will present the evidence supporting the role of PSA in prostate cancer screening.

Recent findings: Numerous studies have shown that the risk of current and future prostate cancer is directly related to the serum PSA level. Moreover, increasing PSA levels predict a greater risk of adverse pathologic features and worse disease-specific survival. Substantial epidemiologic evidence has suggested a reduction in advanced disease and improvements in prostate cancer survival rates since the introduction of PSA-based screening. Recently, evidence from a randomized trial further validated that PSA testing reduces both metastatic disease and prostate cancer-specific mortality.

Summary: PSA is a valid marker for prostate cancer and its aggressiveness. Level 1 evidence is now available that PSA-based screening reduces both the rate of metastatic disease and prostate cancer-specific mortality.

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