THE BRISTOL PROSTATE-CANCER PILOT SCREENING STUDY - A 3-YEAR FOLLOW-UP

Objective To undertake a follow-up study of 472 men who were screened 3 years previously, in general practice, for prostate cancer, and to investigate the efficacy and patient acceptability of a 3-year screening interval. Subjects and methods Eligible men (n=472) were sent postal invitations to attend their Health Centre in North Bristol. Serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) was the initial screening test. Men with PSA >4 ng/ml (Hybritech) were referred to the Department of Urology for digital rectal examination and transrectal ultrasound +/- biopsy. Results A total of 132 (28%) men were excluded because of intercurrent illness, death and migration. Two hundred of 340 (59%) men were re-screened. Thirty-seven men had an elevated PSA and were referred as above. Seventeen men had prostatic biopsies, resulting in the diagnosis of six carcinomas; five were localized to the prostate and one was metastatic. In the latter patient, the PSA had risen from 2 to 120 ng/ml over 3 years. Conclusion Serum PSA alone can be used as an acceptable repeat screening test to detect prostate cancer in general practice, but 3-year repeat screening will not always protect the individual against the interval development of metastatic disease.