[Mass screening for prostatic cancer in Hisayama town, Fukuoka]

A mass screening for prostatic cancer was conducted in Hisayama town, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan from 1988 to 1989. As the primary screening questionnaire survey about urination and measurement of serum prostate specific antigen (PSA) were performed in 789 of the 1025 male residents over 50 years old (77.0%). For the second screening with digital rectal examination and transrectal ultrasonography, 184 subjects (23.3%) were picked up. Prostatic cancer was suspected in 33 (4.2%) of the 134 subjects who actually underwent the second screening examination. Prostatic biopsy and other examinations such as measurement of prostatic acid phosphatase and gamma-seminoprotein, urinalysis and radiographic examination were performed in 26 as the third screening, and prostatic cancer was detected in 5 (0.63%); 3 in stage B and 2 in stage C. Four of the 5 subjects with prostatic cancer had complained no urinary symptoms on questionnaire. Serum PSA was useful for detecting early stage prostatic cancer.