Prostate‐specific antigen screening: A kind of Russian roulette regardless of race or risk

Reply to “Prostate‐specific antigen screening: A kind of Russian roulette regardless of race or risk”

“…Thank you for the opportunity to respond to Dr Takeshi Takahashi's comments about our recent publication highlighting the current state of prostate cancer screening and possible strategies for meeting the holistic needs of men at high risk for prostate cancer in the United Kingdom. 1 I also appreciate Takahashi for taking a keen interest in the published article. In his letter, he emphasizes the insignificant benefit of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening in men 2 .…”

“…In our article, 1 Ball and I acknowledged how research into prostate cancer prediction has moved past PSA screening. Although the drawbacks of the PSA test and subsequent innovations in prostate cancer screening that are based on PSA testing remain to be fully elucidated in the commentary, I agree that the data presented by Fenton et al 7 could further buttress the points already made.…”

“…In addition, using only the PSA test, even in combination with digital rectal examination, is not recommended in the United Kingdom. 1,8,9 Although men are becoming more enlightened about the pros and cons of getting a PSA test and learning that it may not be in their best interest, they often present with huge concerns about their prostate health. 10 It may be considered that questions regarding prostate cancer screening cannot be avoided during medical counselling.…”

“…It is important to reiterate that there are no guidelines suggesting the use of PSA-based tests for prostate cancer screening in the United Kingdom, and neither have any screening tools been adopted. 1,8,9 However, where screening is required, it becomes essential to perform necessary assessments while considering underlying risk factors in men.…”