Prostate cancer risk increases by 45% among men who share one troubling behavior

Researchers are warning that men who regularly dodge prostate cancer screening appointments are 45% more likely to die from the disease. 

But if screening programs are introduced on a national scale - particularly those that measure levels of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) in the blood - they could give men earlier access to treatment, experts say.

They would thus have a better chance of being cured, according to reporting by news agency SWNS and others. 

That's according to data from the European Randomised Study of Screening for Prostate Cancer (ERSPC).

The study collects information from seven European nations - Finland, the Netherlands, Italy, Sweden, Switzerland, Belgium and Spain. It is said to be the world's largest prostate cancer screening study, said SWNS.

Long-term data from this entity consistently shows that PSA screening programs can lead to a 20% reduced risk of dying from prostate cancer.

It reveals a "stark contrast" that emphasizes the potential consequences of screening avoidance.

Researchers from Erasmus MC Cancer Institute at the University Medical Centre in the Netherlands led the analysis, said SWNS.

Of the 72,460 men invited to partake in the screenings, around one in six were non-attenders and skipped every single appointment.

When comparing outcomes with the control group - men who were never invited to have screenings - those who attended the screening appointments had a 23% lower risk of dying from prostate cancer, while non-attenders faced a 39% higher risk, SWNS reported.

Lead study author Renée Leenen, M.D., Ph.D., said the choice not to participate in screening may be driven by a complex collection of factors.

Dr. Leenen said that experts "need to better understand who these men are, why they choose not to attend appointments and how to motivate them."

Urologist Tobias Nordström, M.D., Ph.D., of the Karolinska Institute in Sweden, said, "We need to better understand why these men might actively choose not to participate in screening, despite being invited to attend, and how this behavior is linked to worse outcomes when they get a diagnosis."

The findings from the study are scheduled to be presented this weekend at the European Association of Urology (EAU) Congress in Madrid, Spain, said SWNS.

Siegel has emphasized the need to "diagnose it early for better outcomes."

Angelica Stabile of Fox News Digital contributed reporting.