Adherence to a risk-adapted screening strategy for prostate cancer: First results of the PROBASE trial.

Abstract

PROBASE is a population-based, randomized trial of 46 495 German men recruited at age 45 to compare effects of risk-adapted prostate cancer (PCa) screening starting either immediately at age 45, or at a deferred age of 50 years. Based on prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels, men are classified into risk groups with different screening intervals: low-risk (<1.5 ng/ml, 5-yearly screening), intermediate-risk (1.5-2.99 ng/ml, 2 yearly), and high risk (>3 ng/ml, recommendation for immediate biopsy). Over the first 6 years of study participation, attendance rates to scheduled screening visits varied from 70.5% to 79.4%, depending on the study arm and risk group allocation, in addition 11.2% to 25.4% of men reported self-initiated PSA tests outside the PROBASE protocol. 38.5% of participants had a history of digital rectal examination or PSA testing prior to recruitment to PROBASE, frequently associated with family history of PCa. These men showed higher rates (33% to 57%, depending on subgroups) of self-initiated PSA testing in-between PROBASE screening rounds. In the high-risk groups (both arms), the biopsy acceptance rate was 64% overall, but was higher among men with screening PSA ≥4 ng/ml (>71%) and with PIRADS ≥3 findings upon multiparameter magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI) (>72%), compared with men with PSA ≥3 to 4 ng/ml (57%) or PIRADS score ≤ 2 (59%). Overall, PROBASE shows good acceptance of a risk-adapted PCa screening strategy in Germany. Implementation of such a strategy should be accompanied by a well-structured communication, to explain not only the benefits but also the harms of PSA screening.

• Authors: Agne Krilaviciute, Peter Albers, Jale Lakes, Jan Philipp Radtke, Kathleen Herkommer, Jürgen Gschwend, Inga Peters, Markus Kuczyk, Stefan A Koerber, Jürgen Debus, Glen Kristiansen, Lars Schimmöller, Gerald Antoch, Marcus Makowski, Frank Wacker, Heinz Schlemmer, Axel Benner, Frederik Giesel, Roswitha Siener, Christian Arsov, Boris Hadaschik, Nikolaus Becker, Rudolf Kaaks
• Journal: International journal of cancer (Int J Cancer) Vol. 152 Issue 5 Pg. 854-864 (03 01 2023) ISSN: 1097-0215 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 36121664 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Randomized Controlled Trial, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
• Copyright: © 2022 The Authors. International Journal of Cancer published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of UICC.

Chemical References

• ProBase
• Prostate-Specific Antigen

Topics

• Humans
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Biopsy
• Early Detection of Cancer (methods)
• Mass Screening (methods)
• Prostate-Specific Antigen
• Prostatic Neoplasms (diagnosis, pathology)
• Risk Factors