Other types of cancer screening

There is ongoing research also on other cancer screenings. So far no sufficient scientific evidence has been available to initiate them.

Prostate cancer

Finland has participated in a European joint study that found that PSA-based screening reduces the deaths from prostate cancer by one-fifth (1.). Despite this, prostate screening is still not recommended in any European country due to the disadvantages it has caused, including considerable overdiagnosis and overtreatment.

Lung cancer

The screening of smokers using low dose computed tomography has cut lung cancer mortality by one-fifth (2.). However, such screening is currently not recommended due to the extent of unnecessary follow-up measures that are used. The screening of lung cancer is being studied through renewed testing methods in the Netherlands and other countries.

Ovarian cancer and gastric cancer

An extensive evaluation  of ovarian cancer screening is currently underway and the mortality estimates will be completed in the next few years (3.). Gastric cancer screening has been studied in countries with high incidence of this cancer (4.). In countries with a low rate of gastric cancer such as Finland, screening is not considered necessary.

References

  1. Hugosson J, Roobol MJ, Månsson M, et al.  A 16-yr Follow-up of the European Randomized Study of Screening for Prostate Cancer. Eur Urol. 2019; 76(1): 43–51.
  2. van der Aalst C, ten Haaf K, de Koning H. Lung cancer screening: latest developments and unanswered questions. Lancet Respir Med 2016; 4: 749-61.
  3. Jacobs IJ, Menon U, Ryan A ym. Ovarian cancer screening and mortality in the UK Collaborative Trial of Ovarian Cancer Screening (UKCTOCS): a randomized controlled trial. Lancet 2016; 387: 945–56.
  4. Ford A, Fordman D, Hunt RH ym. Helicobacter pylori eradication therapy to prevent gastric cancer in healthy asymptomatic individuals: systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. BMJ 2014; 348: g3174.