Cost Calculator: Prostate-Specific Antigen
Prostate-Specific Antigen
Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men and the third-leading cause of cancer death in men in the United States. Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) is widely used in screening programs for men over age 50. However, PSA screening has not been demonstrated to reduce mortality in men over 75, and the biopsies and prostatectomies that could follow screening have significant associated morbidity.
According to the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, there is insufficient evidence to recommend for or against PSA screening in men between the ages of 50 and 75. It specifically recommends against screening in men over the age of 75 or in and men who have an estimated life expectancy of of fewer than 10 years.
Results
PSA Test Information
References
US Preventive Services Task Force recommendation statement on screening for prostate cancer
Jackson BR, Roberts WL. Brief report: free prostate-specific antigen test utilization. Consistency with guidelines. J Gen Intern Med 2005;20(9):859–61. PMID: 16117757
Poteat HT, et al. Appropriateness of prostate-specific antigen testing. Am J Clin Pathol 2000;113(3):421–8. PMID: 10705824
Krahn MD, Coombs A, Levy IG. Current and projected annual direct costs of screening asymptomatic men for prostate cancer using prostate-specific antigen. CMAJ 1999;160(1):49–57. PMID: 9934343
Walter LC, Bertenthal D, Lindquist K, Konety BR. PSA screening among elderly men with limited life expectancies. JAMA 2006;296(19):2336–42. PMID: 17105796
Gilligan T. The new data on prostate cancer screening: what should we do now? Cleve Clin J Med 2009;76(8):446–8. PMID: 19652037
Klein EA. What's new in prostate cancer screening and prevention? Cleve Clin J Med 2009 Aug;76(8):439–45. PMID: 19652036
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