Prostate-specific antigen: how to advise patients as the screening debate continues.

There is still no consensus on whether prostate-specific antigen (PSA) measurement should be used as a screening test for prostate cancer, but patients have the right to be informed about its risks and possible benefits. PSA testing is more likely to be beneficial in relatively young men and men at higher risk (ie, African Americans and men with a family history of prostate cancer). A possible schedule is to test at age 40, age 45, and every 2 to 3 years from age 50 until about age 75.