Study: More Men Screened for Prostate Cancer Than for Colorectal Cancer

Dartmouth Medical School researchers report that a significantly higher percentage of men are screened for prostate cancer than for colorectal cancer, despite the fact that prostate screening is of unproven value while colorectal screening can substantially reduce deatths from colon and rectal cancer.

Three out of four men over the age of 50 have had at least one prostate specific antigen (PSA) screening test for prostate cancer, the researchers reported, with more than half of men aged 50 to 69 reporting they had been screened within the past year.

In contrast, the researchers found that only two out of three American men over 50 had ever had any colorectal cancer test -- a colonoscopy, sigmoidoscopy or fecal occult blood test -- and only 45 percent reported they had been screened for colorectal cancer within the past five years.

The data, reported in the Journal of the American Medical Association, was collected as part of a survey of almost 50,000 U.S. men designed to compare the prevalences of PSA and colorectal cancer screening in men over age 40.

The researchers speculated the reason behind the more frequent use of the PSA test is that it is just a simple blood test, while colonoscopies and sigmoidoscopies are invasive procedures many men find unpleasant.

"Physicians should ensure that men who choose to be screened for cancer are aware of the known mortality benefit of colorectal cancer screening and the uncertain benefits of screening for prostate cancer," the researchers recommended.

Other Sources: Journal of the American Medical Association