An analysis of world media reporting of two recent large randomized prospective trials investigating screening for prostate cancer

Abstract

What's known on the subject? and What does the study add? The media is a powerful tool and the policy makers as well as the public are highly susceptible to media reporting of events. The interpretation of the two large randomised prostate cancer trials (ERSPC and PLCO) published in the NEJM in 2009 were conflicted in their results regarding the benefits of screening. What is agreed upon is that the methodology for the PLCO trial was somewhat flawed but also that both trials were reported on too early - prostate cancer has an extraordinarily long leadtime and time to mortality from diagnosis. The paper adds valuable data for the first time a comprehensive prospective analysis of the establis..