Initial outcomes of a municipality-led prostate cancer screening program: Analysis of the osaka city system in a community clinic setting

In Japan, prostate cancer screening is primarily conducted under municipal administration. In 2021, Osaka City, Japan, launched a publicly funded program for prostate-specific antigen (PSA) testing. This study analyzed participation trends and referral rates in a community clinic, descriptively reporting early program implementation. This retrospective observational study was conducted at a community clinic in Osaka City, Japan. Sixty men who underwent Osaka City's prostate cancer screening at our clinic between fiscal years 2021 and 2025 were included. Age-specific PSA cut-off values defined by the municipal program were applied. Changes in the number of examinees over time were descriptively summarized. The numbers of participants were 5 in 2021, 6 in 2022, 20 in 2023, 23 in 2024, and 6 in 2025. Five men (8.3%) required further examination; one case was diagnosed with prostate cancer, and four had benign conditions. This single-center descriptive study provides clinic-level data on the early implementation of a municipality-led prostate cancer screening program in Japan and may inform future evaluations and policy discussions regarding municipal screening initiatives. • Municipality-led prostate cancer screening was reported in Osaka City, Japan. • Age-specific prostate antigen cut-off values were applied in routine practice. • Clinic-level participation numbers and referral outcomes were summarized. • Annual participation numbers were described. • Preliminary descriptive information on municipal screening is provided.