Population based cohort study of prostate specific antigen retesting intervals and trends in England

A population based cohort study in England found that PSA testing rates in primary care show regional variation, with lower testing rates observed in areas of higher deprivation. One quarter of all tests were paired with a symptom of prostate cancer. Of patients with multiple PSA tests, over 70% never presented with a raised PSA value. More than two thirds of PSA tests were repeated with two and a half years. The authors conclude that to ensure maximum benefit to patients while reducing the risk of overtesting, research is urgently needed to determine appropiate evidence based PSA retesting intervals.