Qualità delle raccomandazioni o raccomandazioni di qualità? Il caso antigene prostatico specifico nello screening del carcinoma della prostata

AUTHORS

ABSTRACT

Quality of recommendations or recommandations of quality? The case of PSA-based screening for prostate cancer

Quality of recommendations or recommandations of quality? The case of PSA-based screening for prostate cancer. The l’US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) has recently revisited the evidence on PSA-based screening for prostate cancer recognizing the consistent 25% to 30% relative reduction in deaths from prostate cancer observed in two clinical trials. The most recent Task Force recommendation statement, supported by the evidence report and systematic review, has rightly changed the recommendation for prostate cancer screening – from a grade of D to a grade of C – stating that men aged 55 to 69 years should make an informed decision whether to undergo screening. This change was based on a better understanding of the evidence supporting early detection and recognition that active surveillance, rather than treatment, of low-risk cancers was becoming much more common. The USPSTF has provided a timely and careful approach to reassessment of the benefits and harms of PSA-based screening for prostate cancer. Patients, together with their physicians, should decide whether prostate cancer screening is right for the individual patient.

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