Pages: 45 - 48
Article topics: Decision-making, Screening
Prostate cancer screening in asymptomatic men is contentious and there is currently no national screening programme in the UK. Routine asymptomatic prostate-specific antigen (PSA) testing is often considered ineffective due to its diagnostic limitations and risks of overdiagnosis and subsequent overtreatment. This project undertaken by the author’s trust utilised the Prostate Cancer UK toolkit to engage men in making informed, personalised decisions regarding PSA testing. Men identified as being at elevated risk were contacted by text message and offered information about the risks and benefits of PSA testing, access to a personalised risk checker from Prostate Cancer UK and a direct testing pathway. The approach aimed to support informed decision-making in prostate cancer screening using the PSA blood test.