Main roads
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Few men talk to their doctor about a prostate cancer diagnosis
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Only 6% have discussed the examination with a doctor based on their medical records
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They were twice as likely to be investigated when they talked about it
THURSDAY, June 25, 2026 (NewsDay News) — Fewer middle-aged men discuss prostate cancer screening with their doctor even though they are deciding whether to get tested, a new study says.
Only about 6% of men have documented conversations with their primary care physician about prostate cancer screening, although instructions The researchers report recommending this conversation for all men between the ages of 55 and 69 Southern Medical Journal.
“One of the biggest takeaways was the surprisingly low level of collaborative decision-making,” said the lead researcher. Dr. Nicholas Shungua family medicine physician at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC), said in a news release.
“Another key finding was that screening was more likely to occur when these conversations were documented,” he said.
In fact, screening showed better results among men who talked to their doctor about it than those who didn’t.
Unlike a mammogram or colonoscopy, prostate cancer screening The researchers said in a background note that it is not recommended for all middle-aged men.
Instead, the guidelines recommend that men discuss the diagnosis with their doctor and make an informed choice based on their personal preferences.
The PSA (prostate-specific antigen) blood test used for diagnosis is not perfect, the researchers said.
The prostate naturally produces more PSA as men age, which can raise blood levels even if cancer is not present. Some men who do not have cancer may receive unnecessary biopsies because of high PSA levels.
In addition, many prostate cancers grow slowly and never cause symptoms or become life-threatening, researchers say. If these are left untreated, men may face problems like impotence or erectile dysfunction without benefit.
However, the landscape has changed in recent years, Shungu said. Newer tools such as non-invasive prostate MRI can help doctors determine if a patient needs further testing, and many low-risk cancers can be safely managed through active surveillance.
These developments – and recently go up in cases of prostate cancer—meaning it’s more important than ever for men to discuss screening with their doctor.
“We’ve moved away from the idea that everyone should automatically be screened or not,” Shungu said. “The recommendation now is for patients and clinicians to discuss and decide together what is right for that person.”
To see if these conversations were happening, researchers reviewed the medical records of 600 men ages 45 to 69 who were treated at MUSC’s family medicine clinics in 2019 and 2020.
“Different guideline organizations recommend slightly different ages to start discussions, especially for higher-risk groups like black men,” Shungu said. “We wanted to be very broad about what we included to get the people for whom these conversations need to be held.”
The results showed that only 6% of the men had a documented discussion, although the researchers noted that some conversations may have been recorded without a doctor in the medical records.
The researchers found that when there was a discussion, about 72% of all men and 85% of black men received a PSA test.
When men and their doctors didn’t talk, only a third (36%) got a PSA test.
“Once these conversations happened, most men decided they wanted to check them out,” Shungu said. “That tells us that these discussions are really important.”
Men can take the initiative and learn on their own during office visits, he said.
“A lot of people think that if their doctor doesn’t diagnose prostate cancer, it shouldn’t matter. But sometimes there’s not enough time during the visit,” Shungu said. “Patients will always be their own best advocate and should be empowered to ask about it and make sure the conversation is happening so they can make the most informed choices.”
More information
The US Preventive Services Task Force has more information prostate cancer screening guidelines.
Source: Medical University of South Carolina, news release, June 22, 2026
What does this mean for you?
Prostate cancer screening is not recommended for middle-aged men. Ask your healthcare provider if you should have a PSA blood test.
