USPSTF Issues New Recommendation On Prostate Cancer Screening
BOSTON (CBS) -- A leading task force has come out with new recommendations when it comes to prostate cancer screening in men.
The U.S. Preventative Services Task Force (USPSTF) now recommends that men between the ages of 55 and 69 without symptoms be offered a PSA test if they have been educated on the pros and cons of testing.
The USPSTF also recommends against PSA screening in men aged 70 and older.
The PSA test is a simple blood test that attempts to identify men at risk of prostate cancer, but false-positive results can lead to over-diagnosis and unwanted side effects like incontinence and erectile dysfunction.
Recently, the USPSTF, which makes recommendations about a variety of screening tests, advised against routine screening, but now it says the decision to screen should be left up to an individual patient after he has learned the risks and benefits or screening.
