Prostate Cancer Screening with PSA

/
 
 
 
 

PSA-based prostate cancer screening for men aged 55–69 offers both benefits and risks:

General:

  • All men aged over 50 can ask for a PSA test, even if they don’t have symptoms, and black men at higher risk can ask at age of 45.

  • Due to the potential risks and harms associated with PSA screening, it is recommended that men aged 55 to 69 engage in shared decision-making with their healthcare provider to determine if screening is appropriate for them.

Prostate Cancer Infographics

For every 1,000 men screened:

  • 240 receive a positive test result, but many are false positives leading to unnecessary biopsies.

  • 100 are confirmed to have prostate cancer.

  • 80 undergo treatment.

Benefits:

  • 3 avoid cancer spreading.

  • 1 avoids death from prostate cancer.

Risks:

  • 50 may experience erectile dysfunction.

  • 15 may develop urinary incontinence.

  • 5 still die from prostate cancer despite screening and treatment.

  • 20–50% are overdiagnosed with cancers that wouldn’t have caused harm.

Summary:

While screening can prevent some cancer progressions and deaths, it also carries significant risks, including false positives, overdiagnosis, and treatment side effects. Deciding to undergo PSA screening should be a personal choice made in consultation with a healthcare provider.