Prostate Cancerscreening - Chapter 8 Prostate Cancer: Cancer
Content provided by the Faculty of the Harvard Medical School
Prostate cancer-Screening
Prostate cancer screening is controversial. The American Cancer Society recommends that health care professionals offer prostate cancer screening beginning at age 50 to men with a life expectancy of 10 or more years. Men at high risk (African-American men and men with a strong family of one or more first-degree relatives [father, brothers] diagnosed before age 65) should begin testing at age 45. Men at even higher risk, due to multiple first-degree relatives affected at an early age, could begin testing at age 40. Screening consists of a yearly blood test for prostate specific antigen (PSA) and a digital rectal exam. Men should become fully informed of the benefits and risks of screening prior to pursuing it.
The PSA blood test, which measures the level of an antigen manufactured exclusively by the prostate, does not provide definite proof of prostate cancer. Indeed, elevated PSA levels can be associated with benign prostatic hyperplasia and other noncancerous prostate conditions. Talk with your healthcare provider to determine the screening schedule that is best for you.
| Last updated: | May 01, 2008 |
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Medical content reviewed by the Faculty of the Harvard Medical School. Harvard Health Publications, Copyright © 2007 by President and Fellows of Harvard College. All rights reserved. Used with permission of StayWell.
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