The Number of Screening Cycles Needed to Reduce Prostate Cancer Mortality in the Finnish Section of the European Randomized Study of Prostate Cancer (ERSPC).

The European Randomized Study of Screening for Prostate Cancer (ERSPC) has shown a 21% reduction in prostate cancer mortality by PSA-based screening. The aim of the study is to evaluate screening effect on prostate cancer incidence and mortality in relation to number of screening rounds attended. Prostate cancer incidence was increased among screened men, but was not directly related to the number of screening rounds. Prostate cancer mortality was decreased in men screened twice or three times, but did not materially differ in those who did not attend the screening, and in men screened once compared with the control arm. The largest mortality reduction was in men screened three times [HR 0.17; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.09-0.33]. However, a reduction was also seen in lung cancer (HR 0.59; 95% CI, 0.47-0.73) and overall mortality (HR 0.56; 95% CI, 0.52-0.60). Assuming a similar relative reduction being due to selection bias and screening in prostate cancer as other causes of death (40% reduction), approximately half of the observed prostate cancer mortality reduction by repeated screening is likely to be noncausal and a real screening effect may account for up to 40% reduction in men screened three times. Prostate cancer mortality reduction can only be achieved by repeated screening cycles.

Informations de copyright

©2018 American Association for Cancer Research.