New prostate cancer guidelines urge men to start screening at specific age

The American Cancer Society’s updated guidance recommends regular prostate cancer screening for men at average risk from age 50, changing its previous emphasis on individual choice. The shift matters because prostate cancer is a leading cause of cancer death among US men, while early detection can help identify disease when treatment is more effective.

The guidance calls for a PSA blood test every two years for average-risk men aged 50 to 69. Black men and those with a father, brother or son who had prostate cancer should start at 45; men aged 70 to 74 should discuss continuing screening with a doctor, and routine screening is not recommended from 75. A PSA reading of 3 ng/mL or higher in men under 70 should be retested, since causes other than cancer can raise it; screening can also detect slow-growing cancers that may never cause harm. The Society estimates more than 333,000 US men will be diagnosed in 2026 and about 36,000 will die.