ABSTRACT
Screening for prostate cancer (PC) remains a controversial issue. While the value of early detection and the application of screening tests to individuals has been shown to lead to the diagnosis of usually confined and curable prostate cancer, the value of screening on a population basis has not been proven. In most healthcare systems, screening for prostate cancer will only become acceptable and financed once a significant prostate cancer mortality reduction has been shown in a randomized controlled study comparing a screening with a control arm. Other prerequisites relate to knowledge of the natural history, the effectiveness and acceptability of screening tests, the availability of effective treatment, and the lack of negative effects on quality of life, which might not be in balance with a potential advantage in terms of preventing prostate cancer related deaths.
