Q&A

False-positive PSA associated with increased worry and fears

J Fam Pract. 2005 April;54(4):303-309
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  • Clinical Question: Do men who receive a false-positive prostate specific antigen (PSA) test result worry more about prostate cancer than men who receive a negative result?
  • Study Design: Cohort (prospective)
  • Setting: Outpatient (primary care)
  • Synopsis: The investigators identified 167 men from a group of consecutive men who had a negative biopsy following a suspicious PSA test. In other words, these men had a false-positive PSA result. For comparison, they also identified 233 men who had a normal PSA result. The men were mailed a brief questionnaire approximately 6 weeks after their biopsy or normal PSA test result.
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Bottom Line

False-positive results of screening tests are not benign; they have a psychological cost. Men who received false-positive PSA test results reported having thought and worried more about prostate cancer despite receiving a negative follow-up (prostate biopsy) result. They also think that the false-positive result makes them more likely to develop prostate cancer. Screening can be bad for our patients’ mental health. (Level of evidence [LOE]=1b)

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