International journal of urology : official journal of the Japanese Urological Association
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The objective of this study was to assess disease-associated pain and quality of life (QOL) in patients with prostate cancer (PC). A total of 102 PC patients (clinical stage B, C: 20, D2: 82) patients were enrolled. QOL was assessed using the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy, General and Prostate (FACT-G/P). ⋯ Ten patients under morphine analgesics maintained better QOL in almost all domains, compared with the seven patients without any painkillers. Combined use of FACT and pain scales enhances the objective assessment of QOL and pain status in PC patients. Control of disease-associated pain is crucial to improving QOL in stage D2 PC patients.
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The most recent epidemiological survey revealed that the mortality rate for prostate cancer in Japan has increased and has been getting very close to that in the USA, where it has decreased since 1992. The low exposure rate of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening in Japan and the high exposure rate of PSA screening in the USA may result in completely deferent trends in the mortality rate of prostate cancer between the two countries. ⋯ The fact sheet on screening for prostate cancer should indicate the most recent reliable clinical research on screening for prostate cancer and its demerits including false-negative and false-positive PSA test results and prostate biopsy, overdetection and overtreatment. However, it should be explained to the public that the demerits for PSA screening will be clarified step by step during screening, and in general, men having more information on screening results (PSA level, pathological findings of biopsy specimens, clinical stage, etc.) can understand their current situation better than those having no information on screening results, including PSA levels.