Should I get tested for prostate cancer?
The prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test can help find prostate cancer early. It’s a blood test that measures PSA, a protein made by prostate cells. If your PSA level is higher than it should be, you will typically be sent for further testing to find out if you have prostate cancer or another health concern impacting the prostate. Other tests, like biopsies, can then be used to detect the cancer and determine how serious it is.
Our recommendation
Talk to your healthcare provider about the PSA test.
Make an informed decision about whether the PSA test is right for you by talking to your healthcare provider about the benefits and limitations of testing, your personal risk, your values and preferences, and what other procedures may follow.
- If you are at average risk of developing prostate cancer, consider testing from age 50.
- If you are at high risk of developing prostate cancer, consider testing from age 45. Black men (including men of African or Caribbean ancestry) and those with a family history of prostate cancer are considered to be at high risk.
Your PSA levels will determine how often you get tested. The decision to stop testing is based on your PSA levels, age and overall health.