Swedish model for PSA testing has little effect on mortality

The spontaneous PSA testing that has been applied in Sweden in recent decades has only had a marginal effect on mortality. An organized screening focused on those who have the most to gain would, however, reduce the risk of dying from prostate cancer by over 40 percent. This is shown by studies at the Sahlgrenska Academy.

The studies show that an organized test program both identifies more cancer cases in an early, curable phase and sharply reduces the risk of dying:

• In the group of men that was offered organized PSA screening, the risk of dying from prostate cancer decreased by 42 percent. In the group that was exposed to opportunistic screening, only a marginally reduced mortality was seen.
• Converted to a calculation example, one prostate cancer death per 13 men diagnosed with prostate cancer was prevented in organized screening compared with one prostate cancer death per 23 diagnosed men prevented in opportunistic screening.

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Swedish model for PSA testing has little effect on mortality

Sourde: University of Gothenburg