30% of Men Over 55 Skip Prostate Cancer Screening, Survey Finds
Columbia, Md. – September 07, 2026 -- A new national survey from MedStar Health finds that 30% of men age 55 and older have never had a prostate exam, and nearly four in ten have skipped the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test, despite prostate cancer being one of the most common cancers in men.
PSA screening is recommended at least every two to four years for average-risk men ages 55 through 69. About one in eight men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during their lifetime.
Doctors say vague early symptoms lead men to delay testing
"Prostate cancer is common, and it may not cause clear symptoms early on," said Jonathan J. Hwang, MD, chair of Urology at MedStar Washington Hospital Center. "These findings show that many men may be putting off screening or may not know what warning signs to watch for."