1. Voluntary screening program for prostate cancer: detection rate and cost.
- Author
-
Abramson N, Cotton S, Eckels R, and Baldock J
- Subjects
- Aged, Biopsy economics, Carcinoma diagnosis, Carcinoma economics, Carcinoma prevention & control, Carcinoma therapy, Costs and Cost Analysis, Florida, Health Care Costs, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Physical Examination economics, Prostate-Specific Antigen blood, Prostatic Neoplasms diagnosis, Prostatic Neoplasms economics, Prostatic Neoplasms therapy, Reproducibility of Results, Mass Screening economics, Mass Screening methods, Prostatic Neoplasms prevention & control
- Abstract
In a community-wide screening program conducted in Jacksonville, Florida, 564 participants received free screening for prostate cancer. Frequency of positive results of prostate-specific antigen measurement and digital rectal examination was comparable to that found in similar programs in other communities. The estimated cost for each participant was $231, and the cost to discover each cancer was $7,240. If one also includes initial therapy in cost estimates, then the cost per participant was $520, and the cost to find and treat each patient was $16,300. The value of screening for prostate cancer must be judged by treatment outcome and underlying costs.
- Published
- 1994
- Full Text
- View/download PDF