Most prostate cancers grow slowly, and those most likely to benefit from screening are men aged 50 to 65. The American Cancer Society recommends that the PSA test be offered annually, beginning at age 50, to men who have at least a ten-year life expectancy. The American College of Physicians believes that PSA screening should be offered to men on an individual basis, after they've been informed of the potential benefits and known risks. No one has proven that prostate cancer screening actually makes a difference in how long a man will live after his cancer is discovered. What's more, screening can be harmful if it detects small, slow-growing cancers that would never have hurt the patient but lead to treatment that causes the patient to leak urine or lose sexual function.
Many more men have small, slow-growing prostate cancers than deadly ones.
Furthermore, there is no sure way to tell a slow-growing tumor from a deadly one before surgery. However, they also increase the chance of letting an aggressive cancer spread beyond the prostate. If a man finds this waiting too emotionally taxing, he should consider avoiding PSA screening. Keep in mind that even groups who don't recommend widespread screening in all men over a certain age do advocate the test for men with possible symptoms of prostate cancer. Before deciding whether or not to get screened for prostate cancer, be sure you're fully informed of the issues.