PSA Test for Prostate Cancer Recommendations (May 2018)

Link Details

PSA Test for Prostate Cancer Recommendations (May 2018)

What are the PSA Test recommendations for prostate cancer? The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) now recommends against PSA-based screening for prostate cancer for men over 70. The guideline was updated in May 2018. For men aged 55 to 69 years, USPSTF says the decision to undergo periodic prostate-specific antigen (PSA)–based screening for prostate cancer should be an individual one. They note that screening offers a small potential benefit of reducing the chance of death from prostate cancer in some men. However, many men will experience potential harms of screening, including false-positive results that require additional testing and possible prostate biopsy; overdiagnosis and overtreatment; and treatment complications, such as incontinence and erectile dysfunction. There is a possibility that the benefits of PSA-based screening for prostate cancer do not outweigh the harms.