American Cancer Society Reverses Course to Recommend Prostate Cancer Screening

WASHINGTON, Nov 12 (OPA) — In a major policy reversal announced today, the American Cancer Society urges all men to undergo informed discussions regarding prostate cancer screening risks and benefits. New evidence gathered since 2010 demonstrates that screening effectively reduces mortality while modern diagnostic techniques prevent unnecessary overtreatment.

Under the updated framework, a prostate-specific antigen blood test returning at 3 ng/mL or higher for men under 70, or 6.5 ng/mL or higher for those 70 and older, requires a confirmatory repeat test before proceeding. If elevated levels persist, patients should undergo a prostate MRI or a validated biomarker test to evaluate risk accurately. Direct biopsies are now restricted to cases presenting high suspicion, such as exceptionally elevated PSA results.

For patients formally diagnosed with low-risk prostate cancer, the organization advises active surveillance as the primary management strategy rather than immediate invasive intervention. This approach avoids severe side effects such as erectile dysfunction and urinary incontinence in slow-growing cases that would otherwise remain harmless throughout a patient's lifetime.

“By catching aggressive cancers with a simple PSA blood test, you open the door to highly effective treatments that protect your future,” said Dr. Shanthi Sivendran, interim chief patient officer for the ACS. Prostate cancer remains the second leading cause of cancer death among American men, with approximately 334,000 new diagnoses and 36,320 deaths estimated for 2026.