Cluster randomised triAl of PSA testing for Prostate cancer

ISRCTN ISRCTN92187251
DOI https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN92187251
Secondary identifying numbers N/A
Submission date
30/09/2004
Registration date
29/11/2004
Last edited
26/10/2022
Recruitment status
No longer recruiting
Overall study status
Completed
Condition category
Cancer
Prospectively registered
Protocol
Statistical analysis plan
Results
Individual participant data

Plain English Summary

Background and study aims
Screening for prostate cancer continues to cause controversy because of concerns about over-diagnosis and unnecessary treatment. The aim of this study is to help policy makers decide whether PSA testing for prostate cancer should be introduced by evaluating the effectiveness of PSA testing in reducing prostate cancer mortality (i.e. the number of deaths), and its cost-effectiveness (i.e. comparing the health-related costs in combination with the effectiveness of PSA testing, in order to assist policy makers in their decisions about how to achieve the best use of resources).

Who can participate?
Men aged 50 - 69 years from about 573 GP practices in eight UK centres (Sheffield, Newcastle, Bristol, Birmingham, Cardiff, Leeds, Cambridge and Leicester).

What does the study involve?
Participants will be randomly allocated to one of two groups. One group is invited to have a PSA test (‘population-based PSA testing’) and the other group continues to receive standard NHS care in the UK, based on the NHS prostate cancer risk management programme. The study involves medical records being looked at by trained researchers working with local NHS Trusts. Trained researchers will put information about any tests or treatment received for prostate problems onto a computer, making sure no personal details (name, address etc.) will be recorded. Data will be identified only by a study number.

What are the possible benefits and risks of participating?
The study will have no impact on an individual’s medical care. There are no direct benefits, although participation will contribute towards a better understanding of how prostate problems are currently diagnosed and managed by UK doctors.

Where is the study run from?
University of Bristol (UK)

When is the study starting and how long is it expected to run for?
March 2004 to March 2016

Who is funding the study?
Cancer Research UK (CRUK) (UK)

Who is the main contact?
Prof Richard Martin

https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/find-a-clinical-trial/a-trial-looking-at-a-single-blood-test-for-prostate-cancer-cap

Study website

Contact information

Prof Richard Martin
Scientific

School of Social and Community Medicine
University of Bristol
Canynge Hall
39 Whatley Road
Bristol
BS8 2PS
United Kingdom

Study information

Study designRandomised controlled trial
Primary study designInterventional
Secondary study designRandomised controlled trial
Study setting(s)GP practice
Study typeScreening
Participant information sheet Not available in web format, please use the contact details to request a patient information sheet
Scientific titleCluster randomised triAl of PSA testing for Prostate cancer
Study acronymCAP
Study hypothesisCurrent hypothesis as of 06/08/2014:
The hypothesis under investigation is that population screening in the form of prostate specific antigen (PSA) testing of men aged 50 - 69 years reduces mortality from prostate cancer.

The objective of the study is to evaluate the effectiveness of population screening for prostate cancer by establishing a cluster randomised trial allocating general practices to either population-based PSA testing (the ProtecT trial, ISRCTN20141297) or unscreened standard practice in order to: provide an unbiased estimate of the effect of a single screening round for prostate cancer on prostate cancer-specific and all-cause mortality in the population, and to contribute to the international effort to investigate the impact of prostate cancer screening.

Previous hypothesis:
The hypothesis under investigation is that population screening in the form of prostate specific antigen (PSA) testing of men aged 50 - 69 years reduces the overall mortality from prostate cancer.

The objective of the study is to evaluate the effectiveness of population screening for prostate cancer by establishing a cluster randomised trial allocating general practices to either intensive case-finding (the ProtecT trial) or unscreened standard practice in order to: provide an unbiased estimate of the effect of a single screening round for prostate cancer on prostate cancer-specific and all-cause mortality in the population, and to contribute to the international effort to investigate the impact of prostate cancer screening.
Ethics approval(s)Randomisation of practices into intervention (ISRCTN20141297) and control arms approved on 21/06/2001 (ref: MREC/01/4/025), also permitted follow-up of participants in the intervention arm. Multicentre Research Ethics Committee approval on 12/02/2004 (ref: MREC/03/4/093) gave permission for follow-up in the control arm, and review of medical records on 24/11/2005 (ref: 05/MRE04/78).
ConditionProstate cancer
InterventionCurrent interventions as of 06/08/2014:
General practices are randomised to participate in The ProtecT study (see ISRCTN20141297) or the control arm of the trial. In the ProtecT arm of the trial men are being invited to be tested for the presence of prostate cancer through population-based PSA testing. In the control arm men receive standard NHS care (NHS prostate cancer risk management programme).

Previous interventions:
Practices are randomised to participate in The ProtecT study (see ISRCTN20141297) or the comparison arm of the trial. In the ProtecT arm of the trial men are being invited to be tested for the presence of prostate cancer in a process of case-finding that is almost identical to population screening. In the comparison arm men are not subject to intensive case-finding for prostate cancer.
Intervention typeOther
Primary outcome measureCurrent primary outcome measure as of 04/02/2021:

Prostate cancer mortality at 15 years
See statistical analysis plan for further details: http://hdl.handle.net/1983/97a58ee2-e559-49e3-9029-954bd5dd5bd9
DOI: 10.17605/OSF.IO/7Y3G6

_____

Previous primary outcome measure:

Prostate cancer mortality at 10 years

Added 06/08/2014:
See statistical analysis plan for further details: http://hdl.handle.net/1983/6d41509f-ab93-4f96-9869-c320acbc4ae1
Secondary outcome measuresCurrent secondary outcome measures as of 04/02/2021:

Measured at 5 and 10, 15 and 20 years:
1. All-cause mortality
2. Disease status and staging
3. Cost-effectiveness: The projected lifetime effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of a range of UK-focused screening options, incorporating parameter estimates computed from CAP and ProtecT data to create a UK-specific decision analytic model
4. Health-related quality of life
5. Age-specific lead-time and over-diagnosis rates (utilising observed trial data)

_____

Previous secondary outcome measures as of 06/08/2014:

Measured at 5 and 10, 15 and 20 years:
1. All-cause mortality
2. Disease status and staging
3. Cost-effectiveness
4. Health-related quality of life

_____

Previous secondary outcome measures:

Measured at 5 and 10 years:
1. All-cause mortality
2. Disease status and staging
3. Cost-effectiveness
4. Health-related quality of life
Overall study start date01/03/2004
Overall study end date01/03/2016

Eligibility

Participant type(s)Patient
Age groupAdult
SexMale
Target number of participants416,000
Participant inclusion criteriaCurrent inclusion criteria as of 06/08/2014:
All men aged 50 - 69 years from 573 GP practices in eight UK centres (Sheffield, Newcastle, Bristol, Birmingham, Cardiff, Leeds, Cambridge, Leicester). An additional centre, Edinburgh, where routine data on cause of death did not undergo validation, will be included in a secondary analysis.

Previous inclusion criteria:
All men aged 50 - 69 years from approximately 400 GP practices in nine UK centres (Sheffield, Newcastle, Bristol, Birmingham, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Leeds, Cambridge, Leicester)
Participant exclusion criteriaCurrent exclusion criteria as of 06/08/2014:
Inclusion criteria not met. Men identified as already having a prostate cancer diagnosis.

Previous exclusion criteria:
Does not meet inclusion criteria
Recruitment start date01/03/2004
Recruitment end date01/03/2016

Locations

Countries of recruitment

  • England
  • United Kingdom

Study participating centre

University of Bristol
Bristol
BS8 2PS
United Kingdom

Sponsor information

University of Bristol (UK)
University/education

Senate House
Tyndall Avenue
Bristol
BS8 1TH
England
United Kingdom

Website http://www.bris.ac.uk/
ROR logo "ROR" https://ror.org/0524sp257

Funders

Funder type

Charity

Cancer Research UK (CRUK) (UK) (refs: C11043/A4286, C18281/A11326, C18281/A8145 and C18281/A15064)
Private sector organisation / Other non-profit organizations
Alternative name(s)
CR_UK, Cancer Research UK - London, CRUK
Location
United Kingdom

Results and Publications

Intention to publish date
Individual participant data (IPD) Intention to shareNo
IPD sharing plan summaryNot provided at time of registration
Publication and dissemination planStatistical analysis plan at https://osf.io/7y3g6 (added 04/02/2021)
IPD sharing planNot provided at time of registration

Study outputs

Output type Details Date created Date added Peer reviewed? Patient-facing?
Results article results 01/01/2008 Yes No
Results article results 01/04/2009 Yes No
Results article results 01/11/2010 Yes No
Results article results 01/11/2011 Yes No
Results article results 04/06/2013 Yes No
Results article results 10/06/2014 Yes No
Results article results 23/01/2015 Yes No
Results article results 29/04/2016 Yes No
Results article results 13/10/2016 Yes No
Results article results 06/03/2018 Yes No
Plain English results 26/10/2022 No Yes

Editorial Notes

25/10/2022: Cancer Research UK plain English results link added.
04/02/2021: The following changes were made to the trial record:
1. The primary outcome measure was changed.
2. The secondary outcome measures were changed.
3. The trial website was added.
4. Link to statistical analysis plan added to publication and dissemination plan.
08/03/2018: Publication reference added.
17/10/2016: Publication reference added.
05/05/2016: Publication reference added.
06/08/2014: The following changes were made to the trial record:
1. The public title was changed from 'Evaluating population-based screening for localised prostate cancer in the United Kingdom: an extension to the ProtecT treatment trial' to 'Cluster randomised triAl of PSA testing for Prostate cancer'.
2. The scientific title was changed from 'Evaluating population-based screening for localised prostate cancer in the United Kingdom: a randomised controlled extension to the ProtecT treatment trial' to 'Cluster randomised triAl of PSA testing for Prostate cancer '.
3. The overall trial end date was changed from 31/12/2015 to 01/03/2016.
4. The target number of participants was changed from 230,000 to 416,000.
17/03/2010: The overall trial end date was also changed from 01/05/2005 to 31/12/2015.