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  5. Questions to ask about testing for prostate cancer

Questions to ask about testing for prostate cancer

  1. Home
  2. Cancer information
  3. Find cancer early
  4. Find prostate cancer
  5. Questions to ask about testing for prostate cancer
Before you talk to your healthcare provider, find out what you can about your family history of prostate cancer. It will help to know if your father, brother or son has had prostate cancer. If yes, at what age were they diagnosed?
Patient asking their doctor questions

Ask your healthcare provider

  • What is my risk of developing prostate cancer?
  • Is there anything I can do to lower my risk?
  • What tests should I have, if any?
  • How often should I be tested?
  • Could I benefit from having a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test and a digital rectal exam (DRE)?
  • Could I be harmed by a PSA test and DRE?
  • What happens if my results are normal?
  • What happens if my results aren’t normal?
  • Do I have to pay for any tests? If yes, how much?
Patient asking their doctor questions

Ask yourself

Your healthcare provider can help by giving you the information you need, but only you can make the decision that is right for you. You may want to ask yourself:

  • What would I choose to do if testing found my PSA level to be high?
  • What would I do if further tests show I have early prostate cancer?
  • Would I be comfortable knowing that I have prostate cancer but that it doesn’t need active treatment (surgery, drugs or radiation) right away? How stressful would I find this?