J. Jacques Carter, MD, MPH, of Harvard Medical School reviewed the impact of the 2012 and 2018 USPSTF guidelines for prostate cancer screening. “This is one of the most important topics in health,” he said. The 2012 shift away from PSA screening reduced diagnoses, but “higher-risk cancers were not found in time to be localized during the window of curability.” Prostate cancer awareness is crucial, especially given alarming statistics about rising rates among black men. The US Preventive Services Task Force guidelines have sparked controversy over PSA testing, leading to a decline in screenings and more advanced cancer cases. The discussion highlights disparities in outcomes and advocates for tailored screening for high-risk groups, emphasizing the need for earlier screening for African American men to prevent advanced disease.

By 2018, the USPSTF advised men aged 55-69 to discuss PSA testing with their doctor, but, as Dr. Carter noted, “it was too late.” He stressed the need to “grab this screening controversy” and ensure primary care physicians focus on high-risk men, especially African American men, who are at the highest risk and dying at twice the rate.