Non-Recommended PSA-Based Screening in Older Men (PSA)

The percentage of men 70 years and older who were screened unnecessarily for prostate cancer using prostate-specific antigen (PSA)-based screening. 

Why it Matters

The current lifetime risk for a male to develop prostate cancer is 11% and the risk of dying from it is 2.5%. The primary test used to screen for prostate cancer is the PSA blood test, which evaluates the presence of an antigen in a patient’s blood. However, there are a variety of issues associated with PSA-based screening. The PSA test may produce false-positive results, which would lead to unnecessary follow-up treatment and testing. The main harms result from complications due to biopsies and treatment that typically follow abnormal results. False-positive results and complications are more common in older men¹. Prostate cancer is also subject to overdiagnosis, the detection of a condition that would have remained silent and caused no morbidity during a patient’s lifetime. Studies estimate overdiagnosis rates from 20%–50%². 

For this measure, a lower rate indicates better performance. 

*Adapted with financial support from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)

Historical Results – National Averages