Prostate Cancer Screening and the Associated Controversy

Prostate cancer is the most common malignancy diagnosed in men and the second leading cause of cancer death for men in the United States. Widespread use of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening led to a decrease in mortality; however, PSA screening may have led to overdiagnosis and overtreatment of clinically insignificant cancers. The US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) released a statement recommending against the use of PSA, which was met with concern from professional organizations. This article reviews the epidemiology of prostate cancer, data from the largest screening trials, USPSTF recommendation statement, and current strategies used to improve overdiagnosis and overtreatment.