Prostate cancer: A review paper of the evidence in relation to prostate cancer screening in the Irish Defence Forces

The lack of national guidelines for prostate cancer (PCa) screening in Ireland has historically led to ad-hoc screening practices among healthcare providers. This review focuses on evidence for and against prostate cancer screening among military personnel in Ireland, set against the backdrop of evolving guidelines and practices both in Ireland and internationally. A review of published literature was conducted, incorporating data from various studies and guidelines relevant to prostate cancer screening. To assess the risk specific to the Defence Forces Ireland, both civilian and military sources were cited. This included national surveys, landmark trials, and guidelines from the Irish College of General Practitioners (ICGP), the National Cancer Control Programme (NCCP), and international bodies like the UK National Screening Committee (NSC) and the American Urological Association (AUA). Synthesising these numerous, high quality, resources, led to a conclusion that the evidence does not support prostate cancer screening in the Irish military as there is no reduction in overall mortality from this process.