Prostate screens not for men 75 and older

PHILADELPHIA, Aug. 4 (UPI) -- A U.S. panel of experts recommends against routine prostate cancer screening for men over age 75.

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, updating its 2002 report, said more evidence is needed to determine whether men under 75 could benefit from screening.

Previously, the task force concluded there was insufficient scientific evidence to recommend screening for all men, and found inconclusive evidence that early detection improves health outcomes.

"We carefully reviewed the available evidence to measure the benefits and harms of screening for prostate cancer and could not find adequate proof that early detection leads to fewer men dying of the disease," task force chairman Dr. Ned Calonge, chief medical officer for the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, said in a statement.

"At this point, we recommend that men concerned about prostate cancer talk with their healthcare providers to make a decision based on their individual risk factors and personal preference."

The updated recommendations appear in the Aug. 5, 2008, issue of Annals of Internal Medicine, the American College of Physicians' flagship journal, and are available online at www.annals.org.