Studies focus on diagnostic testing and treatment for prostate cancer Studies focus on diagnostic testing and treatment for prostate cancer Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed non-skin cancer in men and the second leading cause of cancer death, with nearly 180,000 new cases and 37,000 deaths in 1999. Unfortunately, much controversy still surrounds the screening, diagnosis, and treatment of prostate cancer. The two studies are summarized here. Moran, W.P., Cohen, S.J., Preisser, J.S., and others. Factors influencing use of the prostate-specific antigen screening test in primary care.
Controversy continues without definitive evidence.
These researchers found that more than 400 primary care physicians in Colorado increased the odds of PSA testing of men aged 50 years and older by more than three-fold between 1992 and 1994. Their PSA screening increased from 24 percent of men in this age group in 1992 to 35 percent in 1993 and 40 percent in 1994. Fewer than one-third of the surveyed physicians reported being moderately or strongly influenced by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, which has recommended against the use of PSA and other prostate cancer screening interventions. Thus, the authors attribute at least part of the increase in PSA testing by these Colorado physicians to release of the ACS clinical practice guideline. Seidenfeld, J., Samson, D.J., Hasselblad, V., and others.