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."
The survey found 41% of men either know someone diagnosed with prostate cancer or have had it themselves, yet only 6% could identify all the disease's symptoms, which include difficult or frequent urination, blood in urine or semen, fatigue, lower back or hip pain, erectile dysfunction, and unexplained weight loss.
A patient's PSA level was ten times normal before diagnosis
Patient Jack Chungo noticed a drop in energy and unexplained weight loss before doctors found his PSA levels were about ten times higher than normal. He was treated with hormone therapy and CyberKnife radiation at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital and is now cancer free. "If you get prostate cancer, you want your doctors to catch it as early as possible," Chungo said.
Higher-risk men are advised to start screening by age 45
Prostate cancer risk varies with family history, inherited gene changes, and racial background, with Black men facing a higher burden of disease. For men considered at increased risk, screening is recommended to begin between ages 40 and 45.
Stephen Ronson, MD, medical director of Radiation Oncology at MedStar Franklin Square Medical Center, said men should feel comfortable discussing prostate cancer symptoms and personal risk factors with their doctors to determine when screening makes sense.