Two tests are available to screen for prostate cancer: prostate-specific antigen (PSA) and digital rectal examination (DRE). The first of these is a blood test, and the second is a physical examination by a doctor where a finger is passed into the rectum to directly feel for enlargement or a nodule in the prostate gland. The subsequent diagnostic test is a prostatic biopsy taken through the rectum. This paper will discuss the use of PSA as part of a screening program. In clinical practice DRE is used to supplement rather than replace PSA. Wilson and Jungner described a.
