Beginning at age 40, men should begin a conversation with their doctors about the benefits and limitations of prostate cancer screening tests, particularly the PSA (prostate-specific antigen in one’s blood).
Should you choose prostate cancer screenings, you should get a PSA test somewhere between the ages of 45-50. If you are African American or have a family history (father, uncles, brother, son), you should strongly consider getting tested (PSA, optional digital rectal exam) at or before age 45.
We recommend regular screenings between the ages of 50-75 at intervals decided upon by men and their doctors, based on test results and monitoring year-to-year increases in ng/mL values.
Between the ages of 76-85, men should continue their dialogues with their GPs and urologists to decide on a testing regimen for those years. Most healthcare websites discourage PSA testing for men over the age of 85.
