As a result of the consensus obtained at The Great PSA Debate in November 2009, the Prostate Cancer Support Federation has played a leading role, working with the University of Warwick, and the Institute of Cancer Research, in setting up a major trial, which, if successful, will change clinical practice in the diagnosis of early stage prostate cancer within a few years.
Put simply, the aim of the trial is to demonstrate that screening, using additional criteria in combination, such as PSA free-to-total ratio, urinary symptoms, ethnicity and family history of the disease, will detect dangerous disease without the penalty of unnecessary biopsy, which is the main current objection to the introduction of screening.
Details are still being worked out, but, thanks to the generosity of many member organisations, funding has been secured to initiate trial design, ethical approval and a first tranche of GP participants.
To learn more about this important trial, which is attracting interest from some key researchers in prostate cancer, come to the Federation's Autumn Workshop, “Research in Prostate Cancer – Patients Lead”, at the University of Warwick on 10th November 2010.
The Prostate Cancer Support Federation is a member of
This page was updated on 2nd September 2010
