The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) now recommends that men aged 55 to 69 decide for themselves whether to undergo a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test, after talking it over with their doctor.
This blood test looks for a protein produced by the prostate, a small walnut-shaped gland that produces seminal fluid. Cancerous prostate produces higher levels of PSA.
Few men diagnosed with prostate cancer die from the often slow-moving illness. On the other hand, treatment frequently results in erectile dysfunction and urinary incontinence.
New data shows that more men are opting for "active surveillance" not treatment.
Under active surveillance, doctors do not treat the cancer but instead keep a watchful eye on it to make sure it doesn't become aggressive -- sparing patients the harms caused by surgery or radiation therapy.
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