• Department of Medicine and Section of Health Services Research, Baylor College of Medicine and Veterans Affairs Medical Center, 2002 Holcombe Boulevard, Houston, TX 77030, USA. mford@bcm.tmc.edu

OBJECTIVES: Little is known about screening behavior following a false-positive prostate cancer screening result, which we have defined as a screening result with "abnormal/suspicious" labeling that did not result in a prostate cancer diagnosis within 14 months. The purpose of this analysis was to examine whether age, race, education, or previous false-positive prostate cancer screening results via prostate-specific antigen or digital rectal exam predict decision to obtain subsequent prostate cancer screening.

METHODS: Data were drawn from the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian Cancer Screening Trial. The study sample consisted of 2,290 older men (mean age, 62.8 years; range, 55-75 years) who had false-positive (n = 318) or negative (n = 1,972) prostate-specific antigen or digital rectal exam baseline prostate cancer screening results. Multivariable logistic regression was used to assess the effect of false-positive results on subsequent prostate cancer screening behavior, adjusting for all covariates.

RESULTS: The multivariable model showed that being African American (P = 0.016), and having a high school education or less (P = 0.007), having a previous false-positive prostate cancer screening result (P < 0.001), were predictive of not returning for prostate cancer screening in the following screening trial year.

CONCLUSION: The study results highlight the importance of shared decision making between patients and their providers regarding the risks and benefits of prostate cancer screening, and follow-up options for abnormal prostate cancer screening results. Shared decision making may be especially important for African American men, whom prostate cancer disproportionately affects.