Screening guidelines for people at increased risk for prostate cancer

Abstract

Individuals at increased risk for prostate cancer (PCa) are inconsistently defined in national and international guidelines. The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) defines people at increased risk for PCa to include those with a concerning family history, Black/African American individuals, and those who have germline mutations in known PCa-related genes. Recommendations for screening are also inconsistently defined in national and international guidelines. The NCCN and American Urological Association state individuals at increased risk for PCa be screened with prostate-specific antigen and digital rectal exam starting at age 40. Defining increased risk groups and defining lifetime risk is an ongoing academic process that can be facilitated through patient-registries of these cohorts at academic centers.