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PSA testing in general practice: can we do more now?
Author(s) -
Pinnock Carole B
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
medical journal of australia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.904
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1326-5377
pISSN - 0025-729X
DOI - 10.5694/j.1326-5377.2004.tb05989.x
Subject(s) - principal (computer security) , citation , library science , psychology , medicine , computer science , operating system
The Medical Journal of Australia ISSN: 0025-729X 19 April 2004 180 8 379-381 ©The Medical Journal of Australia 2004 www.mja.com.au Conference Report THE DEBATE OVER PROSTATE-SPECIFIC ANTIGEN (PSA) testing for prostate cancer has been prolonged, public, and sometimes acrimonious. Despite this, a common theme is present in most evidence-based guidelines produced to date: while population-based screening cannot be advocated currently, individuals considering a test should be fully informed about the pros and cons and make their own decisions.1-3 The US Preventive Services Taskforce adds that individuals “be assisted in considering their personal preference and risk profile”. However, none of these guidelines address the issue of how to ensure such “informed choice”. The Australian Prostate Cancer Collaboration* (APCC), with support from the National Cancer Control Initiative, convened a workshop on informed choice for prostate cancer testing. The meeting was part of the Conjoint 4th National Prostate Cancer Symposium and the 5th Annual APCC Meeting held at Royal Melbourne Hospital in August 2003. The workshop participants (about 50 people) comprised urologists, GPs, nurses, members of non-government cancer organisations, patients and consumers. The diverse views presented at the workshop suggested that an active approach to managing the PSA testing issue in general practice is needed.