Reduced prostate cancer screening has a negative impact on stage migration: the Australian experience

In conclusion, the RACGP guidelines recommending against prostate cancer screening in 2009 correlates strongly with more advanced disease found at RP. This could indicate that patients were presenting later with more advanced disease. However, the increasing use of surveillance of low-grade and favourable intermediate-risk disease and also the potential increasing use of surgery for higher-volume or -grade prostate cancer at diagnosis could impact on the interpretation of our findings. Most international guidelines, as well as the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia Guidelines, have now recommended prostate cancer screening in men aged 50-69 years and it is commendable that the latest 2024 RACGP guidelines have been updated to reflect the new evidence supporting prostate cancer screening.