New guidelines lower prostate screening age for Black men

(NewsNation) — New recommendations from the Prostate Cancer Foundation would lower the screening age for Black men due to an increased risk of cancer.

According to the foundation, lowering the age for baseline prostate-specific antigen (PSA) could reduce prostate cancer deaths by roughly 30%.

Screening should begin between ages 40 and 45, the recommendations say. The screenings should be followed by annual screenings until at least 70, according to a panel of multidisciplinary experts.

Current guidelines recommend PSA screening starting at age 55. That guideline, set by the U.S. Preventative Services Taskforce, determines insurance coverage for screening. The task force does acknowledge that Black men could benefit from earlier screening but does not explicitly recommend it.

The panel reached the new guidelines because of higher risks for Black men and suggested PSA testing should be the first-line screening option for prostate cancer. The foundation recommends a baseline PSA test done between 40 and 45, with annual screening based on PSA values and an individual’s health history.

For those over 70, the panel suggested individual patients work with their doctors to decide on whether or not to continue annual screening.

Black men who have a higher risk based on family history or those who are known carriers of high-risk genetic variants should begin screening as early as 40.

The recommendations come as 2024 is projected to be a record year for cancer diagnosis, with at least two million cancer cases predicted to be diagnosed.

Cancer rates are rising specifically for those under 50, with the American Cancer Society warning that missed screenings during the COVID-19 pandemic could also be contributing to more cancers being diagnosed at a late stage.