Most men should not routinely get a widely used blood test to check for prostate cancer because the exam does not save lives and leads to too much unnecessary anxiety, surgery and complications, a federal task force has concluded.
The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, which triggered a firestorm of controversy in 2009 when it raised questions about routine mammography for breast cancer, will propose downgrading its recommendations for prostate-specific antigen (PSA) testing for prostate cancer Tuesday, wading into what is perhaps the most controversial and important issue in men's health.
The task force based its draft recommendations on an exhaustive review of the latest scientific evidence, which concluded that even for younger men, the risks appeared to outweigh the benefits for those showing no signs of the disease.
The 16-member independent panel is organized by the Health and Human Services Department to regularly assess preventive medical care.
People are also reading…
Its recommendations have a widespread impact, especially on what services Medicare and private insurers pay for. The group's influence was enhanced by the new federal health-care law, which will base some of its requirements for coverage on the group's ratings.
The proposed recommendations come as doctors, researchers and policymakers are increasingly questioning whether many tests, drugs and procedures are being overused, unnecessarily driving up health-care costs and exposing patients to the risks of unneeded treatment.
Although prostate cancer can be detected with a physical examination of the prostate, PSA testing has become the most common way a diagnosis is made.
