Transcript: "Should I Get Tested for Prostate Cancer?" Podcast

You may have asked yourself, "Should I get screened for prostate cancer?" The answer is, 
talk with your doctor, learn what's involved, then decide if prostate cancer testing is 
right for you.

In 2018, the United States Preventive Services Task Force, a group of health experts, 
concluded that men 55 to 69 benefit most from a prostate cancer screening test.
The main test for prostate cancer measures blood levels for prostate specific antigen, or 
PSA.

A higher than normal PSA level does not mean you have prostate cancer. PSA levels could 
be high for other reasons, like an enlarged prostate, prostate infection or taking 
certain medicines.

Your doctor may ask you to repeat the test or recommend a biopsy (taking a tiny sample of 
prostate tissue to send to the lab to check for cancer).

Before you get tested, ask your doctor about the possible benefits and harms of PSA 
testing.

Benefits include knowing your PSA level, which can help your doctor determine your chance 
of having prostate cancer. Also, finding prostate cancer early may make treatment easier.

However, the test can have negative consequences as well. Because PSA levels are 
sometimes high when cancer isn't present, the tests may give a false positive result, 
which can cause unnecessary worry and additional tests.

Furthermore, PSA testing can't always tell which prostate cancers are deadly and which 
ones won't cause problems. Most prostate cancers grow slowly, so treatment may not be 
needed right away and might do more harm than good.

Your doctor may recommend active surveillance, which includes regular checkups and tests 
to see if the cancer grows, then treat it if it does.

Prostate cancer treatment, however, can cause serious side effects, like impotence and 
loss of bladder control.

Learn more about PSA screening and prostate cancer at cdc.gov/cancer/prostate.