08/10/2026
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Prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers in men, but attitudes towards screening have been mixed, as the risk of overdiagnosis and overtreatment remains a key issue.
A newly updated Cochrane review, analyzing data from nearly 800,000 men, finds that PSA (prostate-specific antigen) blood tests likely reduce the risk of dying from prostate cancer.
For every 1,000 men screened, approximately two deaths are prevented. That said, the findings are not a straightforward case for universal screening. Around 36 additional cancers are detected per thousand men screened. These are usually low-grade cancers that may never have caused symptoms or harm during a man's lifetime, meaning identifying them can cause anxiety and unnecessarily aggressive treatment.
This is a significant shift from the 2013 version of this review, which found insufficient evidence of a mortality benefit.
“With new data now available, we can now say with moderate certainty that PSA screening reduces prostate cancer deaths in men with a sufficient life expectancy,” says Dr Philipp Dahm, senior author from University of Minnesota. “This suggests that for the right patient – someone who is well-informed, has a good life expectancy, and understands the full implications of screening – there is now a reasonable evidence base to support a conversation about PSA screening.”
The decision to screen should always be made between a patient and their doctor, weighing up the benefits and risks.
Read more about the review’s findings here: https://www.cochrane.org/about-us/news/screening-modestly-reduces-prostate-cancer-deaths