Revised Screening Guidelines for Prostate Cancer

Source: American Cancer Society

Men should discuss the benefits and risks of prostate cancer screening with their doctors, according to revised prostate cancer screening guidelines from the American Cancer Society (ACS).  Yes. That’s what they said.  Not much of a guideline is it?

Okay they say a little more.  But really, only a little.  The American Cancer Society recommends that doctors more heavily involve patients in the decision of whether to get screened for prostate cancer.

ACS recommends that men with no symptoms of prostate cancer who are in relatively good health and can expect to live at least 10 more years have the opportunity to make an informed decision with their doctor about screening after learning about the uncertainties, risks, and potential benefits associated with prostate cancer screening. These talks should start at age 50. Men with no symptoms who are not expected to live more than 10 years (because of age or poor health) should not be offered prostate cancer screening. For them, the risks likely outweigh the benefits, researchers have concluded.

ACS recommends men at high risk – African-American men and men who have a father, brother, or son diagnosed with prostate cancer before age 65 – begin those conversations earlier, at age 45. Men at higher risk – those with multiple family members affected by the disease before age 65 – should start even earlier, at age 40.

For men who choose to be screened after discussing the pros and cons with their doctor, the new guidelines make the digital rectal exam (DRE) optional and offer the option of extending the time between screening for men with low PSA levels.

There it is. No specific PSA recommendations, or even whether PSA testing should be considered mandatory.  So start “talking to your doctor” about screening.  Does this sound an awful lot like the burden of screening for Prostate Cancer is being placed back upon the patient? Yeah. It sounds that way to me too.

~Posted by D.M. Schwadron, Esquire