The European Randomized Study of Screening for Prostate Cancer (ERSPC): an update. Members of the ERSPC, Section Rotterdam.

Abstract

Screening for prostate cancer is controversial. While in some parts of the world screening is practised as a healthcare policy, it is strongly rejected in other areas, because solid evidence of effectiveness of screening combined with early treatment with respect to lowering the mortality of prostate cancer has not been shown. It is for this reason that a large European study is installed to establish or rule out the value of screening for this frequent disease. The present paper presents the goal of the study and elaborates on the value of presently available screening tests. Preliminary results with respect to the first round of screening in the Rotterdam area relating to 32,000 randomized men are presented. Evidence of effectiveness of screening through other studies and mechanisms is discussed.