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. 2008 Mar;3(Suppl 2):S87–S100. doi: 10.2215/CJN.03320807

Table 3.

Recommendations for cancers that are not routinely screened in the general populationa

Cancers Recommendations RCT Evidence of Screening that Earlier Intervention Works
Test Performances
Cost-Effectiveness, ICER ($/LYS)
Trials (n) Participants (n) Results Sensitivity (%) Specificity (%)
Prostate No general consensusUSPSTF found no evidence to recommend for or against routine screening using PSA and DRE (84) 2 (88) 57,511 No significant mortality reduction in the intervention group
  • PSA 72.1 (CI 66.7 to 100.0) (88)

  • DRE 53.2 (CI 49.0 to 69.2) (88)

  • PSA 93.2 (CI 63.1 to 100.0) (88)

  • DRE 83.6 (CI 18.0 to 99.5) (88)

65,000 to 125,000 (93)
ACS recommends annual screening using PSA and DRE in men older than 50 (18)
The American College of Physicians made no firm suggestions about screening and believes that the decision to screen should be individualized (85)
Hepatocellular No firm recommendation; however, screening using α-fetoprotein testing and abdominal ultrasound should be considered in high risk individuals (13) 2 (78) 19,884 No significant mortality reduction in the intervention group
  • α-Fetoprotein68.6 (78)

  • Ultrasound 84.3 (78)

  • Both 60.8 (78)

  • α-Fetoprotein 95 (78)

  • Ultrasound 97.1 (78)

  • Both 95 (78)

112,993 to 284,000 (82)
Lung No recommendation 6 (using CXR and/or sputum exam) (71) 103,441 No significant mortality reduction in the intervention group No data No data 19,000 to 62,000 (99)
Renal No recommendation No RCT to show screening using renal ultrasound improves cancer-specific and overall mortality No data No data No data
Skin Insufficient evidence to recommend for or against total body skin examination (64) 1 RCT using total body skin exam is now under way (65) Total body skin exam 94 (100) Total body skin exam 98 (100) 29,170 to 50,000 (66)
a

ACS, American Cancer Society; CXR, chest x-ray; DRE, digital rectal examination; PSA, prostate-specific antigen; RCT, randomized, controlled trial; USPSTF, US Preventive Services Task Force.