Guidance

Prostate specific antigen testing: summary guidance for GPs

This information aims to support GPs to give clear and balanced advice to men without symptoms of prostate disease who ask about PSA testing.

From:
Office for Health Improvement and Disparities
Published
1 January 2009
Last updated
1312 MayDecember 20222024 — See all updates

Documents

Advising men without symptoms of prostate disease who ask about the PSA test

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Details

This prostate cancer risk management programme (PCRMP) document helps GPs give clear and balanced information to men without symptoms of prostate disease who ask about prostate specific antigen (PSA) testing.

The PSA test is available free to anymen man aged 50 and over who requestsrequest it.it, It is available to anyone with a prostate, including trans women and non-binary people.

GPs should not proactively raise the issue of PSA testing with asymptomatic individuals. Prostate cancer is common and may not cause symptoms or shorten life.

GPs should follow NICE guideline [NG12] Suspected cancer: recognition and referral when managing men who have symptoms of prostate disease.

Updates to this page

Published 1 January 2009
Last updated 1312 MayDecember 20222024 + show all updates

  1. Clarification that PSA tests are not exclusively available only to men aged 50 and over.

  2. Guidance updated to align with latest evidence, NICE guidance and updated PCRMP information for asymptomatic men aged 50 and over.

  3. Updated guidance.

  4. This summary information sheet for GPs is updated as part of the revised prostate cancer risk management programme materials published in March 2016

  5. First published.

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