Here are the absolute basics on testing to catch prostate cancer. Today's guidelines for prostate cancer call for men to start screening at age 55 and continue until age 70. Prostate cancer, even when aggressive, is typically slow-growing. So the possibility that it could become fatal past the age of 70 is quite low. Still, whether you continue to screen past age 70 is completely up to you and your doctor. In prostate cancer, there are sometimes differing viewpoints and this is one of those times.
However, if you are at high-risk (meaning you have a family history or are African-American) many doctors say you should have an initial screening well before 50some recommend starting at age 40because the risk is about two to three times higher than average.
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