AUA Releases Best Practice Policy on PSA Testing

BALTIMORE—Physicians should consider a biopsy to confirm a prostate cancer diagnosis when a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test reading is at least 4.0 ng/mL, the PSA level of a patient significantly increases from one test to the next, or a digital rectal examination is abnormal, according to a Best Practice Policy released by the American Urological Association (AUA).

The policy report, which was developed by a multidisciplinary panel of physicians, appears in the February issue of the journal ONCOLOGY, and is available online at www.cancernetwork.com.

The policy states that decisions regarding PSA testing should be individualized, and benefits and consequences discussed with the patient before testing is performed. Generally, the AUA recommendation is that all men with at least a 10-year life expectancy should be offered regular PSA testing beginning at age 50, and earlier in high-risk men.