Should I Get Screened for Prostate Cancer?

In 2018, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) made the following recommendations about prostate cancer screening—

• Men who are 55 to 69 years old should make individual decisions about being screened for prostate cancer with a prostate specific antigen (PSA) test.
• Before deciding, men should talk to their doctor about the benefits and harms of screening for prostate cancer, including the benefits and harms of other tests and treatment.
• Men who are 70 years old and older should not be screened for prostate cancer routinely.

This recommendation applies to men who—

• Are at average risk for prostate cancer.
• Are at increased risk for prostate cancer.
• Do not have symptoms of prostate cancer.
• Have never been diagnosed with prostate cancer.

Other organizations, like the American Urological Association and the American Cancer Society, may have other recommendations.

Talk to Your Doctor

If you are thinking about being screened, you and your doctor should consider—

• If you have a family history of prostate cancer.
• If you are African American.
• If you have other medical conditions that may make it difficult for you to be treated for prostate cancer if it is found, or that may make you less likely to benefit from screening.
• How you value the potential benefits and harms of screening, diagnosis, and treatment.