Prostate, Lung, Colorectal & Ovarian (PLCO) Screening trial

Introduction

NIH-sponsored cancer screening trial, begun in 1993 76,000 men, age 54-75

Prostate cancer arm

• annual PSA & digital rectal exam (DRE) vs no screening
• 34,000 men in screening arm

Key outcome will be prostate cancer mortality

Results:

• in round 1 of testing
  • 8% with abnormal PSA (> 4 ng/mL), 8% with abnormal DRE,
  • 14% witheither abnormal PSA or abnormal DRE = 4801
  • 1501 (31%) with abnormal screen underwent prostate biopsy within 1 year
  • cancer diagnosed in 556 (1.6% of cohort)
  • after 3 years, cumulative biopsy rate 64% of those with elevated PSA

Additional terms

• prostate cancer