Prostate cancer

Radiation therapy

Prostate cancer screening

Prostate-specific antigen

Erectile dysfunction

Internal medicine

Prostate

Gynecology

Oncology

Medicine

Cancer

Medical Clinics of North America

More than any other cancer, prostate cancer screening with the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) tests increases the risk a man will have to face a diagnosis of prostate cancer. The best evidence from screening trials suggests a small but finite benefit from prostate cancer screening in terms of prostate cancer–specific mortality, about 1 fewer prostate cancer death per 1000 men screened over 10 years. The more serious harms of prostate cancer screening , such as erectile dysfunction and incontinence, result from cancer treatment with surgery or radiation, particularly for men whose PSA-detected cancers were never destined to cause morbidity or mortality.

Prevention of Prostate Cancer Morbidity and Mortality