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When deciding whether or not to move forward with prostate cancer screening, it’s important to know the risks and benefits.

Here's some information to help you decide whether prostate cancer screening is right for you. To discuss your screening options with a Color clinician, click “Schedule a Virtual Visit” from your <a href="http://home.color.com/care/home" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">dashboard</a>.

PSA screening may help to detect prostate cancer early, when it’s easier to treat or monitor and before it’s spread to other parts of the body. 

Some people prefer to have more information about their health. Knowing your PSA level may help to make an informed decision about diagnostic tests and treatments.

The number of deaths from prostate cancer has gone down since PSA testing became available. One reason for this is that PSA tests can be fairly good at detecting aggressive prostate cancers. 

- PSA screening may help to detect prostate cancer early, when it’s easier to treat or monitor and before it’s spread to other parts of the body. 
- Some people prefer to have more information about their health. Knowing your PSA level may help to make an informed decision about diagnostic tests and treatments.
- The number of deaths from prostate cancer has gone down since PSA testing became available. One reason for this is that PSA tests can be fairly good at detecting aggressive prostate cancers. 

PSA levels can be higher or lower for reasons other than cancer, such as inflammation or some medications. False-positive tests can cause anxiety and distress.

Because PSA levels may be high or low for other reasons, 2 out of every 3 positive PSA tests are false positives. 

A high PSA level may result in additional testing and follow-up, such as a biopsy, which can be harmful.

Even if prostate cancer is present, it often progresses slowly over many years. A slow-growing prostate cancer may never cause symptoms, need treatment, or be deadly within a person’s lifespan.

Knowing you have prostate cancer, but are not recommended to have treatment, could cause anxiety and distress. 

PSA testing has lowered the number of deaths due to prostate cancer, but the number may not be substantial enough to justify the cost and possibility of harm to the person undergoing the testing.

- PSA levels can be higher or lower for reasons other than cancer, such as inflammation or some medications. False-positive tests can cause anxiety and distress.
- Because PSA levels may be high or low for other reasons, 2 out of every 3 positive PSA tests are false positives. 
- A high PSA level may result in additional testing and follow-up, such as a biopsy, which can be harmful.
- Even if prostate cancer is present, it often progresses slowly over many years. A slow-growing prostate cancer may never cause symptoms, need treatment, or be deadly within a person’s lifespan.
- Knowing you have prostate cancer, but are not recommended to have treatment, could cause anxiety and distress. 
- PSA testing has lowered the number of deaths due to prostate cancer, but the number may not be substantial enough to justify the cost and possibility of harm to the person undergoing the testing.