[Mass screening for prostate cancer in Tokushima City: the results of 2001].

Purpose: Screening with prostate specific antigen (PSA) only to detect prostate cancer was started in Tokushima City from 2001 as one of health check lists. We evaluated the first year result.

Materials And Methods: Fifty-five years old or elder men living in Tokushima City who wants to measure serum PSA level to screen for prostate cancer were entered to screening program. The men whose PSA levels detected as over normal; range were recommended to visit to urologists for further examination to detect prostate cancer include prostate biopsy. The results of further examination were reported to Tokushima City and evaluated.

Results: The population of fifty-five or elder men in Tokushima City was 25,416 and 9,019 (35.5%) men were measured serum PSA levels. In 801 (8.9%) men, PSA levels were over normal range, and recommended further examination to detect prostate cancer. 451 (56.3%) men visited to urologists for further examination, and prostate biopsy was performed in 231 (51.2%) men. Finally, 121 men were diagnosed as prostate cancer, 52.1% of 231 men performed prostate biopsy, 26.7% of 451 men visited to urologist for further examination, 1.34% of 9,019 men measured serum PSA levels. Patient number for each clinical stages were 49 in B0, 16 in B1, 16 in B2, 29 in C, one in D1, and 10 in D2. Patients number in each age range were 3 in 55-59, 11 in 60-64, 22 in 65-69, 37 in 70-74, 33 in 75-79, 15 in 80 or elder. Patient number of Stage B and 74 years old or younger was 48 (39.7%).

Conclusion: Prostate cancer was detected in 1.34% of 9,019 men who measured serum PSA levels, and early stage B was two thirds. PSA screening to detect prostate cancer as one of health check-lists in Tokushima City was useful to detect early prostate cancer.