PSA screening--current controversy.

There is perhaps no more contentious issue in Urology in 1998 than how and if PSA screening for prostate cancer should be applied. The issue must be discussed in the absence of completed randomized clinical trials, and arguments must be supported by extrapolated clinical data in the medical literature. Because of data which can be interpreted often in two different manners, groups and organizations including patient's groups, governmental agencies, medical organizations, and managed care providers often find themselves at odds with each other with regards to recommendations regarding PSA screening. In order to put these issues into perspective, a series of five questions will be answered.