Urology Journal

Vol. 20 (2023)

Why Discovery of PSA was not Granted a Nobel Prize?

Urology Journal, Vol. 20 (2023), 25 December 2022 , Page 7703
https://doi.org/10.22037/uj.v20i.7703

Abstract

This essay draws attention to the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) discovery's lack of Nobel Prize acknowledgement despite its significance for prostate cancer (PCa) clinical practice. The Nobel Prize committee gives more weight to discoveries in basic research than to applications in medicine, which may account for PSA's lack of recognition. The prize has been dominated by the identification of cancer-causing viruses. Considering the subject from our -urologists- side, numerous pioneer researchers have uncovered PSA's presence and function, and its overuse in PCa screening has sparked debates about issues like overdiagnosis and overtreatment. We must concur that the factors contributing to PSA's underappreciation include the lack of a clear pioneer in its discovery and the contradictory opinions around its use. As a conclusion, PSA may have to wait for a better application before it receives recognition in the Nobel Prize.

Keywords:
  • prostate-specific antigene
  • Nobel Prize
  • prostate cancer

How to Cite

ÖZMAN, O. (2023). Why Discovery of PSA was not Granted a Nobel Prize?. Urology Journal, 20, 7703. https://doi.org/10.22037/uj.v20i.7703

References

1. Wehrli FW. On the 2003 Nobel Prize in medicine or physiology awarded to Paul C. Lauterbur and Sir Peter Mansfield. Magn. Reson. Med. 51, 1-3 (2004).
2. Lipsick J. A History of Cancer Research: Tumor Viruses. Cold Spring Harb. Perspect. Biol. 13, a035774 (2021).
3. Huggins C. How Charles Huggins made his Nobel prize winning discovery--in his own words: an historic audio recording. Interviewed by Willard Goodwin and Elmer Bell. Prostate. 72, 1718 (2012).
4. Rao AR, Motiwala HG, Karim OM. The discovery of prostate-specific antigen. BJU Int. 101, 5-10 (2008).
5. Research Corporation. Purified human prostate antigen. https://patents.justia.com/patent/4446122 (1981).
6. Özman O, Talat Z, Erözenci A. Prostat Spesifik Antijen’in Tarihi. Lokman Hekim Dergisi. 9, 184-188 (2019) [In Turkish].
7. Moyer VA; U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. Screening for prostate cancer: U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommendation statement. Ann. Intern. Med. 157, 120-34 (2012).
8. Fleshner K, Carlsson SV, Roobol MJ. The effect of the USPSTF PSA screening recommendation on prostate cancer incidence patterns in the USA. Nat. Rev. Urol. 14, 26-37 (2017).
9. US Preventive Services Task Force; Grossman DC, et al. Screening for Prostate Cancer: US Preventive Services Task Force Recommendation Statement. JAMA. 319, 1901-1913 (2018).
  • Abstract Viewed: 73 times
  • Just Accepted-7703 Downloaded: 44 times

Download Statastics

Information