TOPSHAM – The American Cancer Society recommends men make an informed decision with their health care provider about whether or not to be screened for prostate cancer – after learning about the uncertainties, risks and potential benefits of screening – typically starting at age 50. Higher-risk men may need to have this discussion with their doctor earlier. Because prostate cancer often grows slowly, the society recommends men who are asymptomatic and have less than a 10-year life expectancy not be offered prostate cancer screening since they are not likely to benefit from treatment.

If a screening test can help find cancer early, why would someone choose not to have it? While prostate cancer is the second-leading cause of cancer death among men, there are potential harms associated with screening for the disease and treatment that men should be aware of, including over-diagnosis and over-treatment.

For example, some prostate cancers are slow-growing and may never pose a health threat. Yet, “for most men who are told that they have prostate cancer, the first question is: ‘How soon can we get rid of it?’” said Dr. Durado Brooks, director of prostate and colorectal cancers at the American Cancer Society.

But “getting rid of it” isn’t always the best choice. Men could suffer side effects and complications from treating a cancer that would not have caused them harm if it went untreated or undiscovered. Yet each individual situation is different. The cancer could grow quickly and need treatment, making it important for men to make an informed decision about screening and treatment.

Men can learn the facts about prostate cancer screening and treatment from their health care provider. The American Cancer Society’s website, cancer.org, offers detailed information and decision guides as well as a video, “Prostate Cancer: Informed Decision Making,” on the American Cancer Society YouTube channel. For more information contact 1-800-227-2345 or visit cancer.org.