Targeted screening could prevent one in six prostate cancer deaths

Nearly one in six deaths from prostate cancer could be prevented if targeted screening was introduced for men at a higher genetic risk of the disease, according to a new UCL-led computer modelling study. Prostate cancer is the most common form of cancer in men with around 130 new cases diagnosed in the UK every day and more than 10,000 men a year dying as a result of the disease. However, unlike breast and cervical cancer there is currently no national screening programme for this disease in the UK. A blood test that detects raised levels of the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) can be used to screen for prostate cancer. However, this test is not a reliable indicator as it does not accurately distinguish between dangerous cancers from harmless ones - leading to both unnecessary operations and missed cancers that are harmful. The study, published in PLOS Medicine , modelled the harms and benefits of introducing four-yearly PSA screening for all men aged 55 to 69 versus more targeted checks for those at higher risk of the disease. The researchers concluded that the best approach would be to screen men at a slightly higher genetic risk - nearly half of men in that age group - as this would have the biggest health benefit, preventing deaths from prostate cancer while minimising unnecessary treatments for harmless tumours.