Screening for breast and prostate cancer: a survey of Texas primary care physicians

Screening for breast and prostate cancer is underutilized, and according to previous studies, physicians often fail to comply with recommended screening guidelines. We surveyed Texas physicians to determine their screening behaviors and their compliance with National recommendations. For women aged 40 through 49 years, 75.5% of respondents recommend mammography every 1 to 2 years, and 8.4% suggest it annually. For women 50 years and older, 16.1% of clinicians screen every 1 to 2 years, and 81.4% recommend annual mammography. Thus, 71.7% of physicians match or exceed the American Cancer Society guidelines for screening mammography in women 40 years and older. Texas physicians also report a high rate of prostate cancer screening, with more than 90% of respondents offering testing by age 60 years. The screening method preferred by 72.0% of clinicians combines digital rectal examination and the prostate-specific antigen blood test. Overall, the screening practices reported by this sample of Texas physicians compare very favorably with those reported by other groups.