Screening for Prostate Cancer in Older Patients (PLCO Screening Trial)

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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This clinical trial studies whether screening methods used to diagnose cancer of the prostate, lung, colon, rectum, or ovaries can reduce deaths from these cancers. Screening tests may help doctors find cancer cells early and plan better treatment for prostate cancer.

Detailed Description
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PRIMARY OBJECTIVES: I. To determine whether screening with digital rectal examination (DRE) plus serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) can reduce mortality from prostate cancer in men aged 55-74 at entry. SECONDARY OBJECTIVES: I. To assess screening variables, other than mortality, for each of the interventions including sensitivity, specificity, and positive predictive value. II. To assess the incidence, stage, and survival of cancer cases. III. To investigate the mortality predictive value of biologic and/or prognostic characterizations of tumor tissue as intermediate endpoints. IV. To conduct biomolecular and genetic research into factors associated with cancer carcinogenesis and promotion, as well as the early detection of these factors. OUTLINE: Participants in the overall PLCO study are stratified by screening center, gender, and age (55-59 vs 60-64 vs 65-69 vs 70-74). Participants are randomized to 1 of 2 arms (control vs screening). ARM I (Control): Participants receive standard medical care. Participants complete a Diet History Questionnaire (DHQ) at baseline. ARM II (Prostate Screening): Participants undergo blood sample collection for PSA analysis at baseline and annually for 5 years. Serum that is not used in the study will be stored in an NCI biorepository. Participants also undergo a DRE at baseline and annually for 3 years. A scheduling and tracking procedure is implemented to ensure regular attendance at repeat screens for participants screened negative or for those who are designated suspicious or positive at screening but for whom subsequent diagnostic procedures do not reveal prostate cancer (follow-up diagnostic procedures are through their own medical care environment). Participants diagnosed with prostate cancer via a screening test are referred for treatment in accordance with current accepted practice for appropriate stage of disease, patient age, and medical condition; a procedure is provided for contact with qualified medical personnel to insure appropriate therapy. Participants complete a Dietary Questionnaire (DQX) at baseline and DHQ at year 3. An Annual Study Update (ADU) (previously referred to as the Periodic Survey of Health [PSH] questionnaire) is mailed to each participant annually for 13 years to identify all prevalent and incident prostate cancers as all deaths that occur among both screened and control subjects during the trial. After completion of screening, participants are followed up for at least 13 years.

Official Title
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Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian (PLCO) Cancer Screening Trial

Conditions
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Prostate Carcinoma

Intervention / Treatment
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* Other: Laboratory Biomarker Analysis
* Procedure: Medical Examination
* Other: Screening Questionnaire Administration


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Exclusion Criteria: Men who at the time of randomization are less than 55 or greater than or equal to 75 years of age Individuals undergoing treatment for cancer at this time, excluding basal-cell and squamous-cell skin cancer Individuals with known prior cancer of the colon, rectum, lung, prostate This includes primary or metastatic PLCO cancers Individuals with previous surgical removal of the entire colon, one lung, or the entire prostate Individuals who are participating in another cancer screening or cancer primary prevention trial Males who have taken Proscar/Propecia/finasteride in the past 6 months NOTE: Individuals who are already enrolled in the trial when their physician prescribes finasteride are not prevented from taking this medication. As a result, these participants will continue to be screened and followed just as those participants who are not on finasteride. NOTE: Men who are taking Tamoxifen are not excluded from any part of the PLCO Screening Trial. Individuals who are unwilling or unable to sign the informed consent form Males who have had more than one PSA blood test in the past three years Individuals who have had a colonoscopy, sigmoidoscopy, or barium enema in the past three years

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 55 Years
Maximum Age: 74 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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Male

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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No

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Screening
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Single


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| No Intervention: Control<br>Participants receive standard medical care. Participants complete a DHQ at baseline. | |
| Active Comparator: Prostate Screening<br>Participants undergo blood sample collection for PSA analysis at baseline and annually for 5 years. Serum that is not used in the study will be stored in an NCI biorepository. Participants also undergo a DRE at baseline and annually for 3 years. Participants complete a DQX at baseline and DHQ at year 3. An ADU (previously referred to as the PSH questionnaire) is mailed to each participant annually for 13 years to identify all prevalent and incident prostate cancers as all deaths that occur among both screened and control subjects during the trial. | Other: Laboratory Biomarker Analysis<br>* Correlative studies<br>Procedure: Medical Examination<br>* Undergo DRE<br>* Other names: Medical Inspection;Other: Screening Questionnaire Administration<br>* Undergo questionnaire assessments<br>|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Prostate Cancer Deaths | Prostate cancer deaths confirmed in participants by a death review committee if available, otherwise by death certificate. | Events through 13 years of follow-up or through December 31, 2009; median follow-up 12.0 years. | 
| Prostate Cancer Death Rates | Prostate cancer deaths confirmed in participants by a death review committee if available, otherwise by death certificate. Rate is the number of deaths divided by person years of follow-up in the study. | Events through 13 years of follow-up or through December 31, 2009; median follow-up 12.0 years. | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Deaths From All Causes | Deaths from all causes were compared between the prostate cancer screening arm and the usual care arm. | Events through 13 years of follow-up or through December 31, 2009. | 
| Death Rates From All Causes | Deaths from all causes were compared between the prostate cancer screening arm and the usual care arm. Rate is the number of deaths divided by person years of follow-up in the study. | Events through 13 years of follow-up or through December 31, 2009. | 
| Prostate Cancer Incidence | Prostate cancer diagnoses confirmed by medical record abstraction. Incidence rate (cumulative) defined as prostate cancer diagnoses divided by person years at risk for prostate cancer. | Events through 13 years of follow-up or through December 31, 2009; median follow-up 12.0 years. | 
| Prostate Cancer Incidence Rates | Prostate cancer diagnoses confirmed by medical record abstraction. Incidence rate (cumulative) defined as prostate cancer diagnoses divided by person years at risk for prostate cancer. | Events through 13 years of follow-up or through December 31, 2009; median follow-up 12.0 years. | 
| Complications of Diagnostic Evaluation (DE) Following a Positive Screening Test | Number of positive screens with complications | One year from screening examination | 
| T0 (Baseline) PSA Screening Results | Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) result. | T0 (at study entry) | 
| T0 (Baseline) DRE Screening Results | Digital Rectal Examination (DRE) result. | T0 (at study entry) | 
| T1 PSA Screening Results | Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) result. | T1 (one year after entry) | 
| T1 DRE Screening Results | Digital Rectal Examination (DRE) result. | T1 (one year after entry) | 
| T2 PSA Screening Results | Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) result. | T2 (two years after entry) | 
| T2 DRE Screening Results | Digital Rectal Examination (DRE) results | T2 (two years after entry) | 
| T3 PSA Screening Results | Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) result | T3 (three years after entry) | 
| T3 DRE Screening Results | Digital Rectal examination (DRE) result | T3 (three years after entry) | 
| T4 PSA Screening Result | Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) result | T4 (four years after entry) | 
| T5 PSA Screening Results | Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) result. | T5 (five years after entry) |