Pros And Cons Of Prostate Cancer Screening
Researchers
in the Netherlands say prostate cancer screening programs increase significantly
the number of cancers discovered in men ages 55 to 67.
Their study
also shows one-half of the cancers detected by such programs would not
have been found without the screening, a phenomenon called overdetection,
which can lead to unnecessary treatment and problems with impotence and
urinary incontinence.
The authors
estimated a single screening test at age 55 resulted in a lead time --
early diagnosis that increases chances of recovery -- of 12.3 years and
an overdetection rate of 27 percent.
A single screening
test at age 75 has an estimated lead time of six years and an 56 percent
overdetection rate.
Screening every
four years has a lead time of 11.2 years and an overdetection rate of 48
percent and annual screening has an estimated lead time of 12.3 years and
a 50-percent overdetection rate.
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