At 31, should I get yearly PSA tests if my dad died of PC?

Question

Hello doctor,

My father died of prostate cancer a few years ago, and I am 31 years old. After that, I began to wonder if the fact that this condition runs in my family has made me more likely to get it myself.

Right now, I do not have any urinary issues or worries about them, but I would like to take care of my health. I believe that finding problems early on is very important. I want to find problems before they show any signs. Based on your family background, I think you should start getting PSA tests every year at your age, but 31 may be too early to start.

What changes or tests can I get to keep an eye on things or make in my life that might lower my risk or help find the cancer early?

Thank you for your time and advice.

Would really appreciate any recommendations you have.

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com

Since your father had prostate cancer, your risk is a bit higher than average. Of course, even if you have no symptoms, you may want to consider screening and early detection.

But I would not generally recommend obtaining a PSA (prostate-specific antigen) test every year at 31 merely because of family history. Current guidelines suggest that men at a higher risk of developing prostate cancer, such as those with a parent or brother who developed the disease before the age of 65, should discuss screening at around the age of 45.

Men who are at a very high risk, like those whose first-degree cousins got it when they were young, may be screened as early as age 40. From what you have told me so far, I think it is still too early to start regular screening.

I would like to learn more about your family's history, including:

What age was your father when he received his diagnosis?
Have any other relatives had prostate, breast, ovarian, pancreatic, or colorectal cancer?
Is there a known Breast Cancer gene (BRCA) or Lynch syndrome mutation in your family?

If your father was diagnosed at an early age or there is a history of other linked malignancies in the family, you may want to consider speaking with a genetic counselor. There is no current standard guideline for a prostate MRI or specialized blood tests in an otherwise healthy 31-year-old male based on having a father with prostate cancer alone, with regard to extra testing. Screening, when it starts, is usually with a PSA blood test and, in certain cases, a digital rectal examination (DRE).

The best ways to reduce risk are the basics of good health: keeping a healthy weight, getting regular exercise, eating nutritious food, and not smoking tobacco. I would be wary of prostate health items that are promoted on the internet, since there is little proof that they prevent prostate cancer or reduce risk considerably.

Hope this can assist in resolving your question.

Feel free to tell us a little more about your family history.

I would be pleased to give you more advice.