The Prostate Cancer Prevention Trial and Its Implications for Clinical Practice: A European Consensus

The findings from the Prostate Cancer Prevention Trial (PCPT) and how they relate to the management of prostate disease were reviewed by leading European urologists during a meeting held in December 2005. The consensus opinions that were reached were endorsed by the European Association of Urology and are documented here. The key points of the consensus are as follows: (1) The overall results from the PCPT are of importance to the urologic community. (2) The PCPT data provide additional support for the use of finasteride in the management of men with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTSs)/benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). (3) It is recommended that prostate management guidelines be updated to include the results from both the Medical Therapy of Prostatic Symptoms (MTOPS) Study and the PCPT. (4) The increased incidence of diagnosed high-grade cancer in the finasteride group compared with placebo is probably a consequence of improved detection. (5) For men who are concerned about prostate cancer, it may be appropriate to discuss chemoprevention with finasteride. (6) Urologists are encouraged to disseminate these recommendations among other health care professionals.