Health Care · Report · File No. 261112-288
American Cancer Society now urges PSA prostate tests every 2 years for men 50 to 69
The group dropped its 2010 advice that average-risk men merely discuss the blood test with a doctor. The change matters to men over 55, whose advanced prostate cancer diagnoses have been rising.
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The American Cancer Society said Thursday that men at average risk of prostate cancer should get a PSA blood test every two years from age 50 to 69. PSA stands for prostate-specific antigen, a protein made by both normal and cancerous prostate cells. The change is a major shift in the group's guidelines 1.
Since 2010, the society had advised average-risk men only to talk with their doctors about whether to get regular PSA tests 1. The new guidelines, published in the journal CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians, ask doctors to recommend the test more plainly to men in that age group 2.
Who should be tested, and how often
Men at high risk should get a PSA check every year and start at age 45. That group includes Black men and men with a strong family history of the disease 1.
At 70, men should talk with their doctors about whether to continue. NBC News reported that the discussion covers ages 70 to 74 and depends on health and life expectancy 2. The guideline discourages screening for men 80 and older, and for men of any age not expected to live another 10 years because of other health problems 1.
Why the advice changed
The society said it now understands PSA testing's benefits better, and how to reduce its harms. Those steps include repeating a high PSA test to be sure, and adding an MRI scan to help decide who needs a biopsy 1.
NBC News reported that a major European randomized study, now with more than two decades of follow-up, found that screening middle-aged men lowered prostate cancer deaths 2. The same report said the death rate fell by half over three decades but has slowed and leveled off among men 55 to 69 2.
An American Cancer Society study last year found metastatic prostate cancer cases, meaning cancer that has spread, rose about 6% a year among men 55 and older over a decade. Among men diagnosed at a late stage, only about a third live five more years 2.
would increase screening for men at average risk and ultimately lead to a decrease of men with metastatic disease or dying from the disease, while mitigating harm.
The risks have not gone away
PSA levels can be high because of a benign enlarged prostate or a temporary spike from vigorous exercise, not only a tumor 1. Past widespread testing was blamed for overtreating slow-growing tumors and for follow-up tests on men who did not have cancer 1.
NBC News reported that treatment can cause sexual dysfunction, urinary incontinence and bowel problems. Dahut said recent improvements in medical practice have helped reduce those effects 2. Many older men die with prostate cancer but not because of it, the report said 2.
The society estimates more than 333,000 U.S. men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2026, and about 36,000 will die of it 1.
There are more cancer survivors in the United States than ever before in history,
What to watch
The society's advice differs from federal guidance. NBC News reported that in 2012 the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommended against PSA testing for men of any age 2. Former President Joe Biden, 83, announced last year that he had aggressive metastatic prostate cancer. NBC News reported he had followed federal guidelines advising against PSA testing after age 70 2.
That matters because coverage often follows guidelines. Neither report says whether Medicare or private insurers will change what they pay for. Readers should ask their doctor and their plan before assuming a test is free.
The Record
- The FDA approved the PSA test for cancer surveillance 2.
- The American Cancer Society advised average-risk men to talk with their doctors about regular PSA tests 1.
- The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommended against PSA testing for men of any age 2.
- The American Cancer Society urged PSA tests every two years for average-risk men 50 to 69 1.
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Sources
- Courthouse News (AP), “New guideline urges routine prostate cancer screening for middle-aged men” (2026-11-12). courthousenews.com/new-guideline-urges-routine-prostate-canc
- NBC News, “New prostate cancer screening guidelines include regular PSA testing for most older men” (2026-11-12). nbcnews.com/health/cancer/new-prostate-cancer-screening-guid
Found an error? Tell the newsroom. Corrections are noted at the top of the story.
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