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Marva M. Price, RN, DrPH, FAAN, School of Nursing, Duke University, Box 3322 DUMC, Durham, NC 27710 and Seronda A. Jackson, MS, PhD/C, School of Public Health, UNC-Chapel Hill, CB#7435, McGavran-Greenberg Hall, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7435, 919-684-3786x245, seronda@unc.edu.
Research has identified elevated prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels and rates of change in PSA levels between consecutive visits as early clinical markers for prostate cancer development. Data for this study comes from a nurse-run free annual community-based prostate cancer screening program. This is the first known study evaluating rate of change in PSA measures in a community-based screening population. Participant PSA levels were observed from 1998-2003. Descriptive analyses were performed in SAS v8. Longitudinal data was collected on 1,565 predominately African-American and White volunteer screening participants. Forty-seven percent was black; forty-six percent was white. Thirty-nine percent attended at least two annual screening visits. Eleven percent had PSA levels above the cutoff for a normal PSA. Of those with abnormal PSA’s 38% of African-Americans were in their 60’s, while 44% of whites were in their 70’s at baseline. There were 57 men with a rate of change in PSA levels between two consecutive visits greater than the suggested cutpoint of one. Eighteen participants had a running average of rate of change over three consecutive annual visits beyond the cutpoint of 0.75. Forty percent of these were between 60 and 69 at their initial visit. Sixty-one percent was white and 39% was African-American. This analysis provides methods to examine the significance of PSA findings in an assumed well population. Further, this study provides evidence for careful monitoring at normal range and sequential PSA levels. Findings from this study could lead to guidance in best practices for community-based annual prostate cancer screening programs.
Learning Objectives:
Keywords: Cancer Screening,
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.