The importance of PSA screening for prostate-specific antigen

  1. Prostate cancer is the most common malignancy in men in the United States, accounting for 25% of malignancies in men and a mortality rate of 9%.  2. Due to the introduction of prostate-specific antigen screening, the proportion of patients with high-risk prostate cancer in the United States has gradually decreased.  3. The prognosis of high-risk prostate cancer is significantly worse than that of the low- and intermediate-risk group.  4. The incidence of prostate cancer in China is on the rise.  5. Due to the lack of PSA screening, the majority of domestic limited prostate cancer is composed of high-risk prostate cancer patients.  6. Prostate-specific antigen screening.  (1) PSA as a single test has a higher positive diagnostic prediction rate for prostate cancer, and can also improve the diagnosis rate of limited prostate cancer and increase the chance of radical prostate cancer treatment.  (2) Timing of PSA screening: The American Urological Association (AUA) and the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) recommend that men over the age of 50 should undergo routine rectal examinations and PSA screening annually. For the population of men with a family history of prostate cancer, annual examinations should be performed starting at age 45. Expert consensus in Taiwan, China, implemented the US recommendations.  (3) China reached a consensus after expert discussion that men over 50 years of age with lower urinary tract symptoms (including urinary frequency, urgency, painful urination, hematuria, and urinary retention) should undergo routine PSA and rectal finger examination, and for the population of men with a family history of prostate cancer, regular examination and follow-up should begin at age 45. Men with abnormal rectal examinations, clinical signs (e.g. bone pain, fractures, etc.) or imaging abnormalities should undergo PSA examinations.