American Cancer Society Revises Prostate Cancer Screening Guidance
According to a November 12, 2026, New York Times report, the American Cancer Society has issued new guidelines recommending prostate cancer screening every two years for all men ages 50 to 69. The recommendations represent a shift from earlier guidance emphasizing decisions made jointly by patients and physicians.
The guidelines recommend annual screening beginning at age 45 for Black men and men with a strong family history of prostate cancer. Screening uses a blood test measuring prostate specific antigen, commonly known as PSA. These groups have a different recommended schedule from the broader population.
Routine prostate cancer screening has long been debated because potential benefits must be considered alongside the consequences of diagnosis and treatment. The report states that prostate cancer accounts for about 2.5 percent of all deaths among men in the United States. It also describes evidence supporting the benefits of regular PSA testing as somewhat limited.
Many prostate cancers grow slowly and may never cause problems during a patient's lifetime. Identifying and treating every cancer can therefore expose some men to harms without addressing disease that would otherwise affect them. The excerpt notes that harms associated with diagnosis and treatment are well documented.
Previously, recommendations called for patients and doctors to weigh screening's risks and benefits together, incorporating individual preferences and values into the decision. Dr. Philipp Dahm, a University of Minnesota urology professor who was not involved in developing the guidelines, described the change as a reversal of the earlier approach.
The American Cancer Society attributed its update to new evidence and changes in how physicians monitor and treat prostate cancer. The available article excerpt does not identify that evidence in detail or explain which changes in clinical practice informed the recommendation. Its central development is the move toward routine screening for these specified age groups.