Urology group cautions on prostate cancer screenings

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WASHINGTON, May 4 (UPI) -- A leading medical group said it has backed off its longstanding recommendation men over 40 should get routine prostate cancer screenings.

The American Urological Association said new evidence suggests the routine tests aren't necessary for many of the men it previously urged to get tested.

The new research suggests men under 55 don't need the test. Men 55-to-69 should consult with their doctor about the test's risks and rewards. Men 70 and over who are expected to live between 10 and 15 more years also don't need to be screened, USA Today said Friday.

Many forms of prostate cancer are slow-moving, meaning treatment may be worse for a patient's health than leaving the cancerous tissue alone.

"The idea that screening delivers benefits may have been over-exaggerated," said urologist H. Ballentine Carter, the doctor who chaired the panel that wrote the new recommendations.

Those at highest risk for prostate cancer are black men and those with a strong family history of the disease.