Lack of screening programme is an inequality

The lack of a screening programme for the early detection of prostate cancer represents an inequality – and structured and organised PSA screening programmes should begin in all European countries.

This is a main message of a major new Europa Uomo statement, which points to the fact that prostate cancer kills more men than breast cancer kills women, and evidence that at least 20,000 men’s lives could be saved by structured PSA-based screening.

The statement comes in the wake of the European Association of Urology’s announcement earlier in the year that it would be pushing for population-based prostate cancer screening programmes based on PSA testing across Europe. Europa Uomo supports that stance, and in June its General Assembly voted in favour of such a policy.

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“We are aware that the PSA-based, opportunistic screening programme started 30 years ago failed due to problems with over-diagnosis and overtreatment,” says the new Europa Uomo statement. “Today, we know, how to avoid these two problems. The PSA test can be now used cost-effectively to detect prostate cancer at an early stage.”

Follow these links to read and download the full statement, the structured screening proposals made by the European Association of Urology and a recent consensus statement on prostate cancer agreed by professional bodies and supported by Europa Uomo.