Prostate-specific antigen testing and prostate cancer screening.

Abstract

Prostate specific antigen (PSA) screening is an integral part of current screening for prostate cancer. Together with digital rectal examinations, it is recommended annually by the American Cancer Society. PSA screening has resulted in a significant stage migration in the past decades. Different forms of PSA, including free PSA, volume adjusted, complexed, intact, or pro-PSA, are being used in the screening process. Other aspects of the screening process include age at diagnosis, survival, overdiagnosis, and overtreatment. Recent studies have cast doubt on whether PSA screening positively affects mortality and how the quality of life of patients may be affected by screening. Future considerations include the need for more longitudinal studies as well as further study of the PSA components that may become more relevant in the future.