A Swedish study published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ) has revealed that screening men for prostate cancer does not reduce mortality rate. In the UK, it is found that one in four men is suffering from prostate cancer. It kills around 10,000 people in the UK every year.

The study included 9,026 Swedish men. Nearly 1,500 of them were randomly chosen for screening every three years between 1987 and 1996. The study was conducted in two steps: first step test was performed by digital rectal examination and in the second step a test was conducted by using prostate specific antigen testing. Even after 20 years of follow-up, the rate of death from prostate cancer did not differ significantly between men in the screening group and those in the control group.

Prostate cancer, although potentially deadly, takes time to grow well. Prostate cancer can be treated with surgery and radiation therapy and saves lives but it can cause erectile dysfunction and problems with the bowel or urination.