As at least some readers will be aware, data from two major screening studies were published today in the New England Journal of Medicine. The “New” Prostate Cancer InfoLink wishes to read these studies with great care before commenting on the data.
For those who wish to read the studies for themselves, here are the links to the full text:
- Andriole et al. Mortality results from a randomized prostate-cancer screening trial
- Schröder et al. Screening and prostate-cancer mortality in a randomized European study
We shall have more to say about these studies in due course.
I find it very very interesting the way different journalists and countries treat these two studies.
From the BBC
Routine prostate cancer screening could cut death rates from the disease by 20%, a major study suggests.
The results, which suggest 2,000 lives a year could be saved in the UK, have prompted a review of the current policy not to offer routine NHS screening.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7949028.stm
From the New York Times
The PSA blood test — the screening test for prostate cancer — saves few if any lives and exposes large numbers of men to risky and unnecessary treatment, two large and rigorous studies have found.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/19/health/19cancer.html