Who Should Get a Digital Rectal Exam?
Not all medical institutions agree on when men should begin screening (routine testing) for prostate cancer. But, as is the case with most other types of cancer, early detection often means more treatment options are available and less extensive treatment is necessary to be successful. To help detect prostate cancer in its early stages, the American Cancer Society advises offering annual screening starting at age 50 to men who have at least a 10 year life expectancy. They encourage men who are at high risk, such as African-American men and men with a family history of prostate cancer, to begin screening at age 45. Men at an even higher risk, such as having several relatives with a history of prostate cancer at an early age, could begin testing at age 40. The American Urological Association agrees that annual screening should begin at age 50 but encourages men in high risk groups, such as African-Americans or those with a family history, to begin screening at age 40 as opposed to 45. Th
