Prostate Cancer Screening: Men Under 55 Can Skip Annual PSA Exam, American Urological Association Says

Routine prostate cancer screening is no longer recommended for healthy men under the age of 55, according to new guidelines set by the American Urological Association.

The new recommendation from the medical group also says that men between the ages of 55 and 69 should talk to their doctor before undergoing the prostate-specific antigen test, or PSA.

The guidelines from the UAU, announced Friday, are a departure from the organization's history of recommending that the test be administered to healthy men age 40 and up.

Urologist Ballentine Carter, who chaired the panel that created the new guidelines, says that authors "learned very quickly that there really was no high-level evidence supporting the use of screening with PSA."

But the new guidelines may be met with opposition. According to Carter, men and their doctors may not want to stop screening.

"The public is very enthusiastic about screening, partly because of our messaging," said Carter.

"The idea that screening delivers benefits may have been overexaggerated."

Carter added that "if a physician and patient sit down and the patient really, really understands the risks and benefits, then it's been absolutely proven that a substantial minority will not choose to be screened."

The urology group also does not recommend the PSA test to men over the age of 70 who are expected to live less than 10 to 15 years because of the minimal benefits associated with the PSA test, combined with risks that come along with cancer treatment.

But the group still encourages men who experience prostate pain or other issues to talk to their doctors about their symptoms.

Men in certain risk groups, including younger men at high risk for prostate cancer, African Americans and those with a family history of the disease, should consult their doctor about receiving the test, Carter said.

The new guidelines are based strictly on medical evidence collected from clinical trials, Carter added.

Read more here about the PSA test, including its risks and benefits, from the National Cancer Institute.