USPSTF Recommendation Emphasizes Patient Choice for Prostate Cancer Screening

In its final recommendation,

the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends that men aged 55 to 69 make their own decision on whether to be screened periodically for prostate cancer after they have had a conversation with their physician on potential benefits and harms.

The recommendation means more men could be screened, now that the recommendation has been upgraded from its existing D recommendation to a grade C recommendation. In 2012, the task force recommended against prostate-specific antigen (PSA)-based screening for prostate cancer.

For men aged 70 and older, the potential benefits do not outweigh the harms, and they should not be routinely screened, according to the final recommendation, which is in accordance with the 2012 statement.

USPSTF’s statement emphasized the importance of shared-decision making between patients and physicians. “That several guidelines now recommend a shared decision making approach for prostate cancer screening is a strong indication that, for this decision, the available data do not allow the physician to recommend a course of action without further understanding what is important to the patients—which can only happen by spending time in discussion,” according to the statement.

Click to continue reading on The American Journal of Managed Care.