Researchers are warning that men who regularly dodge prostate cancer screening appointments are 45% more likely to die from the disease.
Prostate cancer is the most common cancer among men and the second-leading cause of cancer deaths, according to UC San Francisco (UCSF).
But if screening programs are introduced on a national scale — particularly those that measure levels of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) in the blood — they could give men earlier access to treatment, experts say.
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The study collects information from seven European nations — Finland, the Netherlands, Italy, Sweden, Switzerland, Belgium and Spain. It is said to be the world’s largest prostate cancer screening study, said SWNS.
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Long-term data from this entity consistently shows that PSA screening programs can lead to a 20% reduced risk of dying from prostate cancer.
‘Stark contrast’
Researchers from Erasmus MC Cancer Institute at the University Medical Centre in the Netherlands led the analysis, said SWNS.
That group had a 45% higher risk of dying from prostate cancer compared with those who attended screening appointments, according to the findings.
Choosing not to participate in screening is a choice that may be driven by a complex collection of factors, said one expert. (iStock)
When comparing outcomes with the control group – men who were never invited to have screenings – those who attended the screening appointments had a 23% lower risk of dying from prostate cancer, while non-attenders faced a 39% higher risk, SWNS reported.
Lead study author Renée Leenen, M.D., Ph.D., said the choice not to participate in screening may be driven by a complex collection of factors.
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Said Leenen, who is with the Erasmus CM Cancer Institute in the Netherlands, “It may be that men who opted not to attend a screening appointment are care avoiders — meaning they’re less likely to engage in healthy behaviors and preventative care in general.”
Experts “need to better understand who these men are, why they choose not to attend appointments and how to motivate them.”
She added, “This is the opposite behavior of people who are perhaps more health-conscious and are more likely to attend a screening appointment … Our study identifies that men who were invited for screening, but do not attend screening appointments, are at a significantly higher risk of dying from prostate cancer compared to men who were not offered screening or accepted an invitation for screening.”
Long-term data from this entity consistently shows that PSA screening programs can lead to a 20% reduced risk of dying from prostate cancer. (iStock)
Dr. Leenen said that experts “need to better understand who these men are, why they choose not to attend appointments and how to motivate them.”
Doing so, she added, “will help us design population-based prostate cancer screening programs that encourage higher rates of informed participation … Tackling attendance rates in this way could be a big factor in the long-term success of a national prostate screening program,” SWNS reported.
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Fox News’ senior medical analyst Dr. Marc Siegel, who was not involved in the new study on prostate cancer risks, previously called out the need for regular medical screenings.
Siegel has emphasized the need to “diagnose it early for better outcomes.”
