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Screening digital rectal examination and prostate cancer mortality: a case-control study
K E Richert-Boe1, L L Humphrey, A G Glass
1Section of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Oregon Health Sciences University, Portland, USA.
Journal of Medical Screening
|August 27, 1998
Summary
Digital rectal examination (DRE) is a common prostate cancer screening method, but this study found it does not significantly reduce prostate cancer mortality. Further research may be needed to confirm these findings.
Area of Science:
- Urology
- Oncology
- Preventive Medicine
Background:
- Prostate cancer is a leading cause of cancer death in US men.
- Digital rectal examination (DRE) is a widely used but unproven screening tool for prostate cancer.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the effectiveness of screening digital rectal examination (DRE) in reducing prostate cancer mortality.
- To assess the association between DRE screening and fatal prostate cancer outcomes.
Main Methods:
- A case-control study was conducted using data from a large health maintenance organization.
- 150 men with fatal prostate cancer and 299 age-matched controls were analyzed.
- Screening DRE history within 10 years of diagnosis was determined from medical records.
Main Results:
- No significant difference in DRE screening history was observed between men who died from prostate cancer and controls (OR=0.84, 95% CI: 0.48-1.46).
- Results remained consistent when using a 5-year screening interval or excluding men with benign prostatic hypertrophy.
Conclusions:
- Screening digital rectal examination (DRE) does not appear to significantly reduce prostate cancer mortality.
- The current data suggest limited effectiveness of DRE as a standalone screening tool for reducing prostate cancer deaths.