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Should I Be Screened For Prostate Cancer?

Five Things Every Man Should Know about Prostate Cancer Screening  

Should I or shouldn’t I?  That’s the question that men face when it comes to being screened for prostate cancer.  Controversies center on the potential for false-positives or overtreatment.  So, what should men know before they decide on screening?

"Despite the flaws, screening remains the best available tool for spotting the first signs of prostate cancer,” said Wendy Poage, President of the Prostate Conditions Education Council (PCEC), the nation’s leading resource for information on prostate health.

Here are five key facts you should know about prostate cancer screening:

Screening is Not A Diagnosis  -Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) blood tests and the Digital Rectal Exam (DRE) provide valuable information to men and their doctors, but these tests are not a conclusive diagnosis.  Abnormal results are a “red flag” that a prostate biopsy may be needed to check for prostate cancer.     

High PSA Levels Offer a Warning Sign - There is no “magic number” that tells whether cancer is present.  Generally, a PSA level above 2.5 nanograms of PSA per milliliter of blood is considered high, but the rate of change in your PSA is even more important.  This is why having a PSA on a regular basis is important, starting with a baseline PSA at the age of 35.

Regular Prostate Screenings Based on PSA Baseline - Men should be screened for prostate cancer on a regular basis; however, how often depends on the baseline PSA test, which should be started at the age of 35.  PCEC recommends men and their doctor’s follow the below guidelines for additional PSA monitoring:
-Men with a PSA result less than 1.0ng/ml should be retested in five years
-Men with a PSA result between 1-2.0ng/ml should be retested every other year.
-Men who have a PSA greater than 2.0ng/ml should receive annual PSA testing 

Diagnosis Does Not Always Require Immediate Treatment - Not all men who are diagnosed with prostate cancer need to be treated immediately.  In cases where the tumor is small and not spreading aggressively, some patients undergo periodic testing instead to check whether the whether the disease has progressed and treatment is needed.  This is often referred to as active surveillance or watchful waiting.
 
Free and Low-Cost Screenings are Available - PCEC offers men’s health screenings across the country in September, as well as throughout the year.  These include tests for cholesterol, body mass index, testosterone and benign prostatic hyperplasia as well as prostate cancer. 
 
"Routine screenings offer an opportunity to catch the disease in its early stages," Poage said. "Having the advantage of an early diagnosis is crucial for the one in six men who will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in his lifetime.” 

What Is The Controversy Over Screening? Key Points on PSA Screening

 Information From PCEC on Early Detection

  • Learn what an Expert Tells His Sons about Prostate Cancer - Click Here
  • Read the Blog by PCEC's Experts - Click Here
  • Be Informed and View the Pros and Cons of Screening - Click Here
  • Read our Current Press Release on Screening - Click Here
  • View our White Paper on Care Coordination - Click Here
  • Read our Mat Release on Being Your Own Advocate - Click Here
  • Review Information on Prostate Cancer and Detection - Click Here
  • Review our PLCO Data Press Release - Click Here
  • Listen to PCEC Councilman Dr. Michael Lutz appearing on Graceful Aging on Screening - Click Here
 

Information From Other Resources

  • Watch a Video on Screening from Dr. Brantly Thrasher on the use of PSA -Click Here
  • Read a Letter from Newt Gingrich - Click Here
  • Watch a Video from Dr. John Lynch on Prostate Cancer Screening - Click Here