A Critical Point for the Detection and Treatment of Prostate Cancer
>Again, for prostate cancer screening to be effective, there must be a way to detect the cancer before it is clinically apparent, at which time it can be effectively treated to reduce morbidity and mortality. Unfortunately, the only way to know if this is the case is through a properly conducted, randomized, controlled trial. This means that a group of men at similar risk for prostate cancer are randomly assigned to regular screening or no screening. Then, when cancer is detected by screening, it is treated. The other group would be treated for prostate cancer only when it caused problems or was otherwise detected. Both groups would be followed indefinitely and the rates of advanced prostate cancer and prostate cancer deaths would be compared. If the screened group had lower rates, this would be proof that screening is effective and that there is a critical point in the course of prostate cancer at which it can be treated to alter its course. On the other hand, if there were no difference, this would mean that screening is not effective for prostate cancer and that there is no critical point in the course of the disease, which could be altered by screening.
