Prostate Screening No Longer Recommended for Men Over 75

For years, the medical community has assumed that the early detection of prostate cancer by PSA testing improved health outcomes of all men tested. Now, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends against routine cancer screening for men over 75. PSA tests do dectect the disease, but more harm than good can be done with treatment, starting with prostate biopsy and perhaps surgery and or radiation and chemotherapy.

The recommendation is based on the fact that the average 75 year old American male will live less than 10 additional years and probably die of causes other than prostate cancer, So why risk the emotional and physical trauma of current treatment methods. Of course the decision to test or not is an individual one. For example, a 75 year old male in excellent health should live considerably longer than the average and will probably want to continue with PSA testing.