Medical groups do not agree on screening men for prostate cancer, this is why...
The screening test for prostate cancer is a blood test. The test can be abnormal for several reasons not just prostate cancer.
Talk to your doctor about screening if you are:
- A man age 50 to 75.
- An African American man.
- A man who has a father or brother with prostate cancer.
Men over age 75 should not be screened.
Most prostate cancers found by screening:
- Are small and slow growing.
- May not be fatal.
Some men may have a faster growing prostate cancer and will benefit from early treatment. The only way to know if an abnormal test is due to cancer is to do a biopsy. A biopsy is a minor surgery to get small pieces of the prostate to look at under a microscope. If the biopsy shows there are cancer cells then your doctor will recommend treatment.
Treatment of prostate cancer may include:
- Close monitoring and follow up.
- Radiation.
- Removing the prostate.
Here are some questions you can ask your doctor before you decide to be screened for prostate cancer:
- Am I at a greater risk for prostate cancer?
- At what age should I start to think about screening for prostate cancer?
- If I get my blood test and it is not normal, what other things could I have besided prostate cancer?
- What is a biopsy and how is it done?
- What are the side effects or risks of a biopsy?
- If my biopsy shows some cancer cells, what does that mean for my life expectancy?
- Ask about all treatment options: close monitoring and follow up, radiation, removing the prostate.
- What are the side effects or risks of each treatment?
- If you decide to get screened, it does not mean you have to go on to the next step. You should discuss each step with your doctor.
- Screening for prostate cancer is your decision. You should take all the time you need to think about it.
- If you decide not to get screened now, you can always change your decision at a later date.
For more information, go to www.MedlinePlus.gov and search for "Prostate Cancer Screening."