Some doctors think men age 50 and older should have yearly PSA tests; others do not. We know that this test can help detect cancer before it causes symptoms, but we aren’t sure that PSA tests save lives. The PSA test can find small cancers that may not grow or spread. Not all prostate cancers are life-threatening, and treatments can cause side effects. That’s why doctors sometimes prefer “watchful waiting” until there are signs that treatment is needed. Researchers are studying ways to improve the PSA test so that it detects only cancers that need treatment. Medicare will pay for a PSA test every year for men age 50 and older.
Source: National Institute on Aging
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services