Key questions to ask
Key Questions |
Have PSA testing (every 2 years from 50 to 69 years of age) |
Do not have PSA testing (from 50 to 69 years of age) |
|---|---|---|
| What are my chances of dying from prostate cancer? | 4 out of 1000 men die from prostate cancer. | 5 out of 1000 men die from prostate cancer. |
| What are my chances of being diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer? | 1 out of 1000 men are diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer. | 2 out of 1000 men are diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer. |
| What are my chances of being diagnosed and treated for a prostate cancer that would not have caused harm? | 25 out of 1000 men are diagnosed and put on active surveillance or treated for a prostate cancer that would not have caused harm (over-diagnosis). | Men who do not have PSA testing will not experience over-diagnosis caused by testing. |
| What are the chances I will have a false positive test result that leads to extra testing? | 93 out of 1000 men have a false positive result and extra testing, when they do not have cancer. | Men who do not have PSA testing will not experience a false positive test result. |
| What are the chances I will develop unwanted side effects if I am treated for prostate cancer? | About 20% of men who have a radical prostatectomy have long-term inabilty to hold their urine; About 70% of men who have a radical prostatectomy have long-term difficulty getting an erection; About 50% of men who have radiation therapy have long-term difficulty getting an erection; About 17% of men who have radiation therapy have long-term bowel problems (including bowel urgency and loss of bowel control).1 |
Men who do not have PSA testing will not experience these problems as a result of testing. |
| Can I expect to live long enough (about 7 years or more) to benefit from PSA testing? | Healthy Australian men age 50 to 69 have better than a 94% chance of living another seven years; but men with some health conditions and older men may be less likely to live this long. | Men who do not have testing do not need to know how long they can expect to live. |
| What do I need to do after making my choice? | If you choose to start PSA testing, you should consider another PSA test every 2 years after the first (as per Australian guidelines). Every time you consider having a PSA test you should consider your chances of living another seven years. | If you decide not to start PSA testing now, you can always reconsider starting testing in the future. |
