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Do Not Screen for Prostate Cancer in Men 75 or Older, USPSTF Advises
Men aged 75 or older should not be screened for prostate cancer, concludes the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force in Annals of Internal Medicine.
The task force has determined that for this age group, there is "moderate certainty" that the risks associated with screening and subsequent treatment outweigh the benefits. The new recommendation applies to all elderly men, including those at increased risk — e.g., black men and those with family histories of prostate cancer.
For men under 75, the USPSTF says evidence is "insufficient" to determine whether the benefits outweigh the risks. Accordingly, before ordering a prostate-specific antigen test for younger men, clinicians should discuss with them the "uncertain benefits and the known harms of prostate cancer screening and treatment."
(This advisory updates the USPSTF's 2002 recommendation, which concluded that evidence was insufficient to recommend for or against routine screening in men of all ages.)
LINK(S):
USPSTF recommendation statement in Annals of Internal Medicine (Free)
USPSTF evidence update in Annals of Internal Medicine (Free)
New York Times story (One-time registration required)
Published in Physician's First Watch August 5, 2008
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