Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39970139›Full record

ArticlePloS one2025

Impact of patients' age and comorbidities on prostate cancer overdiagnosis in clinical practice.

Abraham Beltrán, Lucy Parker, Irene Moral-Pérez, Juan Pablo Caballero-Romeu, Elisa Chilet-Rosell, Ildefonso Hernández-Aguado, Pablo Alonso-Coello, Elena Ronda, Luis Gómez-Pérez, Blanca Lumbreras

Erratum issuedAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in PloS one, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. An erratum has been issued. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Abraham BeltránDepartment of Public Health, History of Science and Gynecology, Miguel Hernandez University, San Juan de Alicante, Spain.
Lucy ParkerDepartment of Public Health, History of Science and Gynecology, Miguel Hernandez University, San Juan de Alicante, Spain.
Irene Moral-PérezEAP Sardenya, Institut de Recerca Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain.
Juan Pablo Caballero-RomeuDepartment of Urology, Dr. Balmis General University Hospital, Alicante Institute for Health and Biomedical Research (ISABIAL), Alicante, Spain.
Elisa Chilet-RosellDepartment of Public Health, History of Science and Gynecology, Miguel Hernandez University, San Juan de Alicante, Spain.
Ildefonso Hernández-AguadoDepartment of Public Health, History of Science and Gynecology, Miguel Hernandez University, San Juan de Alicante, Spain.
Pablo Alonso-CoelloCIBER of Epidemiology and Public Health, CIBERESP, Madrid, Spain.
Elena RondaCIBER of Epidemiology and Public Health, CIBERESP, Madrid, Spain.ORCID 0000-0003-1886-466X
Luis Gómez-PérezDepartment of Urology, University General Hospital of Elche, Elche, Spain.
Blanca LumbrerasDepartment of Public Health, History of Science and Gynecology, Miguel Hernandez University, San Juan de Alicante, Spain.ORCID 0000-0003-1665-0860

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionOverdiagnosis in PSA-based prostate cancer (PCa) screening is primarily studied in younger, healthier populations from clinical trials. This study aimed to evaluate the probability of overdiagnosis in PCa screening within a clinical practice context, focusing on its relationship with PSA levels, Gleason scores, and subsequent clinical procedures.

methodsWe conducted a retrospective cohort analysis of 1,070 asymptomatic men over 40 years old diagnosed with PCa between 2004 and 2022, following a positive PSA test. The patients were followed until December 31, 2022, with a median follow-up time of 5.7 years (IQR 3.2-8.6). The primary outcome was the probability of overdiagnosis, assessed through life expectancy and the Charlson Comorbidity Index, considering lead times of 5, 10, and 15 years.

resultsWe found that patients with PSA levels >10 ng/dL and/or Gleason scores ≥8 were generally older and had more comorbidities than those with PSA levels 4-10 ng/dL and/or Gleason scores ≤7. The probability of overdiagnosis was significantly higher in patients with PSA levels >10 ng/dL (41.4%, IQR 21.5-73.9) and Gleason scores ≥8 (42.6%, IQR 14.9-38.9), compared to those with PSA levels 4-10 ng/dL (20.1%, IQR 12.8-30.4) and Gleason scores ≤7 (26.6%, IQR 23.6-68.6). Notably, 71.7% of patients did not receive pharmacological treatment. Patients with higher PSA levels also experienced greater radiation exposure from diagnostic imaging (median 19.9 mSv vs. 14.7 mSv, p = 0.004).

conclusionsThese findings underscore the high likelihood of overdiagnosis in older patients with elevated PSA levels and significant comorbidities, highlighting the need for careful consideration of patient comorbidities before PSA testing.

Indexed as

OverdiagnosisProstatic NeoplasmsAdultAgedAge FactorsComorbidityEarly Detection of CancerHumansMaleMiddle AgedNeoplasm GradingProstate-Specific AntigenRetrospective StudiesProstate-Specific Antigen

Identifiers

PMID39970139
PMCPMC11838881

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.