Powered by the Evidence-based Practice Centers
Evidence Reports All of EHC
Evidence Reports All of EHC

SHARE:

FacebookTwitterFacebookPrintShare

PCA3 Testing in the Diagnosis and Management of Prostate Cancer: Future Research Needs

Systematic Review ARCHIVED Apr 1, 2013
Download PDF files for this report here.

Page Contents

People using assistive technology may not be able to fully access information in these files. For additional assistance, please contact us.

Archived: This report is greater than 3 years old. Findings may be used for research purposes, but should not be considered current.

This report is from AHRQ's series on Future Research Needs Projects.

Structured Abstract

Background

Cancer of the prostate is the second most common cancer and the second leading cause of cancer deaths in men in the United States. Screening to detect disease using the total prostate-specific antigen test is a common but controversial practice. The prostate cancer antigen-3 gene (PCA3) has recently been found to be overexpressed in prostate cancers, is measurable in urine, and may be a useful biomarker for improving the results of cancer screening programs.

Objectives

The objective of this report was to generate prioritized topics for future research on PCA3, building on evidence gaps identified in a prior draft Comparative Effectiveness Review (CER) and following an explicit stakeholder-driven nomination and prioritization process.

Data sources

Data sources included a draft CER on PCA3, a comprehensive literature search, and input from members of the Stakeholder Panel.

Methods

Building on evidence gaps identified in a draft CER on PCA3, a preliminary list of future research needs was developed. This was reviewed and refined using input from a diverse group of stakeholders with a common interest in prostate cancer. Stakeholders were asked to prioritize topics using the following elements: current importance, potential for significant health impact, incremental value, and feasibility. An iterative process, including the use of teleconferences and SurveyMonkey®, an online survey tool, was used to prioritize research needs and questions.

Results

Three high-priority research needs were identified, as well as seven research questions. These included the need for information on the comparative performance of PCA3 versus currently used prostate cancer biomarkers, studies on how PCA3 affects biopsy decisionmaking, and studies on how PCA3 affects long-term health outcomes.

Conclusions

A variety of future research needs were identified and prioritized to inform future study of PCA3. This research should help to determine the role PCA3 should play in the diagnosis and management of patients with prostate cancer.

Project Timeline

PCA3 Testing in the Diagnosis and Management of Prostate Cancer: Future Research Needs

Apr 1, 2013
Apr 1, 2013
Systematic Review Archived
Page last reviewed December 2019
Page originally created November 2017

Internet Citation: Systematic Review: PCA3 Testing in the Diagnosis and Management of Prostate Cancer: Future Research Needs. Content last reviewed December 2019. Effective Health Care Program, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville, MD.
https://effectivehealthcare.ahrq.gov/products/prostate-cancer-antigen-3-gene/research

Select to copy citation