Federal Task Force Softens Opposition To Routine Prostate Cancer Screening
The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force proposes each man decide with his doctor whether to undergo routine PSA testing, citing recent evidence of benefits and ways to minimize downsides of screening.
An influential federal task force is relaxing its controversial opposition to routine screening for prostate cancer.
In the proposed revised guidelines released Tuesday, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force says men ages 55 to 69 should decide individually with their doctors whether and when to undergo prostate-specific antigen (PSA) testing.
The task force would continue to recommend against PSA testing for men age 70 and older, saying the potential harms continue to outweigh benefits of routine screening in this age group.
The proposal, which isn't yet final, pending input from the public, comes five years after the task forcethe routine use of the commonly used blood test. That 2012 guidance prompted a significant drop in PSA testing.
