Stop PSA Screening for Men Over 75 with a Low PSA

By Geoff Michaels, June 10th, 2013 | Health | 0 Comments

While testing for prostate specific antigen (PSA) is a useful prostate cancer screening tool, a study supports discontinuation of routine PSA screening in men over the age of 75, but only those who already have low PSA levels .

Researchers from the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine conducted a study involving 849 men, 122 of whom developed prostate cancer. The researchers analyzed serial PSA measurements and found that, among men over 75 with PSA levels of less than 3 ng/ml, none died of prostate cancer and only one developed a high-risk prostate cancer. In contrast, all men with a PSA greater than 3 ng/ml had a continually rising probability of dying from prostate cancer.

In up to 30% of cases, PSA screening detects prostate cancers that never become life-threatening. Last year, the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) made a similar, but even broader, recommendation to stop screening in all men aged 75 or older. Discontinuation of routine PSA screening in low-risk groups could potentially avoid unnecessary treatments and reduce healthcare costs.