A new American Cancer Society report points to a rise in advanced prostate cancer cases, the first increase seen in 20 years. Doctors are available to discuss this alarming trend and the need to revisit national PSA screening guidelines.
Dr. Jeff Michalski, President of the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) and a professor at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, says the increase in late-stage cancers rates will likely lead to an increase in prostate cancer mortality, and that the report is a clear call for the USPSTF to re-evaluate their screening recommendations.
The ACS data echo findings of a recent study of >5 million patients at Veterans Affairs clinics, which linked lower screening rates with an increase in metastatic prostate cancers. The study was presented at ASTRO’s Annual Meeting and published in JAMA Oncology.
That study also found above-average rates of screening among Black veterans, and experts can speak to the importance of screening access to reduce race-based disparities in cancer outcomes.
