PSA testing put back on the table by cancer doctors

Prostate cancer screening for those with at least 10 years to live should be considered, says the largest society of cancer doctors.

Contradicting a recent warning against regular prostate screening by the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), the American Society of Clinical Oncology said that men should have the option of being tested.

"Screening should be discussed with men who have a longer life expectancy, so that men can make an informed decision," said Dr. Ethan Basch, a prostate cancer expert and co-chair of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) panel, said Reuters.

The USPSTF’s note on prostate cancer screening last May sparked controversy among many specialists.

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Urologists and cancer experts said the move could condemn many men to death who could otherwise be screened and treated, said ABC News.

USPSTF said that the PSA test is a public health disaster, costing the health care system while having mixed results in terms of cancer survival rates, reported Reuters.

ASCO used the same data as USPSTF and found that in the European study that was conducted, PSA tests actually did cut cancer deaths.

The new advice was published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.