Question: Dr. Hibberd, thank you for your advice. I value your column. At what age to do you think it becomes unproductive to have PSA tests for prostate cancer?

Dr. Hibberd's answer:
Whether to test healthy men with no prostate symptoms for prostate cancer is a personal decision to be made by you and your physician. The guidelines for this are somewhat permissive to say the least. There is concern that some men may receive unnecessarily aggressive treatment options, and guidelines for PSA measurement have been revised. I believe a PSA is like any other test; it needs to be interpreted in conjunction with a general health appraisal in order to decide what treatment, if any, is recommended. Many medical insurance companies do not agree on the issue of screening for early cancer detection and some debate its benefits. Most professionals recommend men consider prostate cancer screening in their 40s, or sooner for men who have risk factors for prostate cancer. Getting a PSA test may not be necessary for some men, especially men 75 and older who are not symptomatic and have normal prostate glands on digital rectal examination. Organizations that do recommend PSA screening generally encourage the test in men between the ages of 40 and 75, and in men with an increased risk of prostate cancer. Ultimately, whether you have a PSA test is something you should decide after discussing it with your doctor