Charge that PSA Testing Leads to Over-Detection of Prostate Cancer Is 'Exaggeration,' Says 'Father' of PSA

by Jim Tucker | Prostablog.com | 10.06.2009 

URO TODAY: The common claim that PSA testing leads to high and unacceptable levels of prostate cancer over-detection and therefore over-treatment is an exaggeration, according to a presentation at the 107th annual meeting of the New York Section of the American Urology Association. Click here to read more.

In this 69-page slide presentation, Dr. William J. Catalona, the US "father" of the PSA test, analyses a number of studies of PSA testing and seeks to discredit those which show testing leads to over-diagnosis and treatment:

"Over-detection is a relatively small issue when considered in the context of the larger issue of preventing suffering and death from prostate cancer, especially when good clinical judgement is used and patients receive appropriate, effective and high quality treatment."

He is critical of what he calls the premature reporting of two big randomised studies of PSA testing earlier this year, saying much more follow-up time is needed before meaningful results can be obtained.

Notwithstanding that, Dr. Catalona, a professor at Northwestern University in the U.S., refers to the European study (ERSPC) in making this observation about whether men should choose to be tested:

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