Cochrane Review Finds PSA Test Cuts Prostate Deaths
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- Cochrane review (first author Juan Franco) reports moderate certainty that PSA testing cuts prostate‑cancer deaths, estimating about two fewer deaths per 1,000 men screened.
- The analysis incorporated long‑term data from the ERSPC study (up to 23‑year follow‑up), covering six trials with roughly 800,000 participants from Europe and North America.
- The new findings contrast with the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force stance, which after the 2013 Cochrane review discouraged PSA screening in 2008 (for men 75+) and 2012 (for all men).
- Simpa Salami (University of Michigan urology professor) says the evidence now supports targeted PSA screening for men most likely to benefit, emphasizing careful patient‑doctor decision‑making.
Why it matters: Men at risk of prostate cancer will see two fewer deaths per 1,000 screened, prompting doctors to reconsider PSA testing and shifting preventive‑care protocols nationwide.
