For prostate cancer, screening saves lives, family history can matter a lot, but you should also understand that leading doctors in the field debate when men actually need screening.
“It’s estimated that five to ten percent of prostate cancer can run in families,” says Dr. James Brooks, Chief of Urologic Oncology at Stanford Medicine. If you have a close relative who has had prostate cancer, such as a brother or father, the risk you will develop prostate cancer in your lifetime is almost double. Men with a family history tend to get prostate cancer at a younger age, so Dr. Brooks recommends getting screenedin some cases as early as age 45by having a PSA test. Early detection can help reduce the risk of cancer spreading to other organs. The National Comprehensive Cancer Network also recommends germline genetic testing for men with high-risk prostate cancer.
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