To the Editor: Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) testing and prostate cancer, the focus of a number of recent articles in the Journal and a widely debated topic, are also the subject of an imminent position paper by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC). Given that there is general agreement on the potential for overdiagnosis and overtreatment of prostate cancer, it is important to continue our efforts to identify high-risk patients and patients for whom treatment is beneficial. The tools we have for this are the digital rectal examination, the PSA test and its refinements, and biopsy with Gleason scoring and its refinements.
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- 1. Del Mar CB, Glasziou PP, Hirst GH, et al. Should we screen for prostate cancer? A re-examination of the evidence. Med J Aust 2013; 198: 525-527. <MJA full text>
- 2. McKenzie PR, Delahunt B, Kench JG, et al. Prostate specific antigen testing: age-related interpretation in early prostate cancer detection. Pathology 2013; 45: 343-345.
- 3. Hugosson J, Carlsson SV. The dilemmas of prostate cancer screening. Med J Aust 2013; 198: 528-529. <MJA full text>
- 4. Martin AJ, Lord SJ, Verry HE, et al. Risk assessment to guide prostate cancer screening decisions: a cost-effectiveness analysis. Med J Aust 2013; 198: 546-550. <MJA full text>
- 5. Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia. Position statement. Prostate specific antigen testing: age-related interpretation in early prostate cancer detection. http://www.rcpa.edu.au//static/File/Asset%20library/public%20documents/Policy%20Manual/Position%20Statements/PSA%20Statement.pdf (accessed Aug 2013).
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