Top 10 Cancers Causing Death in Men
Going To Screenings May Lower Death Risk From Prostate Cancer By 23%
Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among men in 112 countries, and its prevalence is projected to double by 2040.
Nationally implemented screening programs that measure prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels in the blood could offer men earlier access to treatment, improving their chances of a cure and reducing the need for expensive treatments linked to advanced-stage disease.
Long-term data consistently show that PSA screening can lower the risk of dying from prostate cancer by 20%.
In this new research, from the world's largest prostate cancer screening study, however, researchers looked at 20 years of data to see how often saying no to prostate cancer screening affects the chances of dying from the disease.
Based on 20 years of data from over 160,000 men across seven European countries, the study highlighted a high-risk group often overlooked in national screening efforts: appointment avoiders.
The study's findings showed that over 12,400 people skipped their prostate screening appointments, leading to a 45% higher risk of death from prostate cancer compared to those who did attend their screenings.
Choosing not to take part in screening may stem from a complex combination of factors, according to the study's lead author, Renée Leenen, MD, and PhD researcher in Professor Monique Roobol's team at the Erasmus MC Cancer Institute.
"The European Randomized study of Screening for Prostate Cancer (ERSPC) was initiated in the early 1990s to assess the effect of prostate-specific antigen (PSA)-based screening on prostate cancer (PCa) mortality at a population level. In this secondary analysis, we aimed to get insight into the risk of dying of PCa in screening non-attenders using long-term data from the ERSPC," Leenen told Medical News Today.
"In the ERSPC, men were randomized to either a screening arm (invited for screening/PSA test) or control arm (not offered screening/PSA test)," Leenen continued.
"Of the 72,460 men randomized to the SA, 12,401 (17%) did not attend any of the screening rounds offered. We found that men who were offered screening (randomised to the screening arm) but did not attend population-based screening (screening arm non-attenders) are at 39% higher risk of dying from PCa compared to men that were not offered screening (in the control arm)."
— Renée Leenen, MD
"As a consequence, non-attendance may be the biggest counteracting factor to the successful implementation of population-based screening programs for (prostate) cancer," Leenen explained.
Nilesh Vora, MD, board-certified hematologist and medical oncologist and medical director of the MemorialCare Todd Cancer Institute at Long Beach Medical Center in Long Beach, CA, not involved in this research, described these new findings as "fascinating."
Lower death risk by attending screenings
"There has long been controversy over whether PSA screening is helpful in a disease that we've long labeled as 'one that most patients will die with, rather than die from,' but this study seems to suggest a 23% decrease in mortality specifically from prostate cancer in men who engage in screening."
— Nilesh Vora, MD
"The age of the population at hand — 55-69 represents one that are candidates for aggressive treatments if prostate cancer is found and thus, should be the target for prostate cancer screening in future studies that could validate this trial," Vora noted.
Although these results are yet to be peer-reviewed, Vora is looking forward to the full results being published later this year.
"For any screening program to be effective, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that 70% of the population needs to be exposed to the screening test," Leenen pointed out.
"Nevertheless, current cancer screening programs low and declining participation rates," he noted.
Non-attendance may also be one of the biggest counteracting factors when it comes to successful screening for prostate cancer.
"We found that men who were offered screening but did not attend population-based screening are at higher risk of dying from PCa compared to men that were not offered screening. Consequently, non-attendance may be the biggest counteracting factor to the successful implementation of population-based screening programmes for (prostate) cancer."
— Renée Leenen, MD
"Hence, there is an urgent need for further qualitative research to explore screening non-attenders and understand why, although being offered screening, they opted not to attend population-based screening," Leenen explained.
"This could inform tailored intervention to address awareness, informed participation and inequalities in access," Dr. Leened added.
In 2012, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force discouraged people from undergoing prostate-specific antigen (PSA)-based prostate cancer screening due to overteratment and overdiagnosis from the years before. However, later data showed that lower screening rates were linked to an increase in advanced cancers.
Ramkishen Narayanan, MD, board certified urologist and urologic oncologist and Director of the Center for Urologic Health at The Roy and Patricia Disney Family Cancer Center at Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center in Burbank, CA, who was also not involved told MNT, said that "the European Randomized study of Screening for Prostate Cancer (ERSPC) has been a touchstone for the importance of prostate cancer screening in the U.S. For over 10 years now."
"This updated study from our European colleagues continues to highlight the importance of prostate cancer screening in preventing prostate cancer-related deaths," he said.
"The initial ERSPC study (Schröder et al., 2014) informed us that if you perform a PSA screening blood test in about 1,000 men, you will end up diagnosing and treating 37 men to prevent one prostate cancer-related death," Narayanan explained.
"Taken at face value this may not appear very impressive and historically there was over-treatment of prostate cancer in the U.S., specifically men diagnosed with low risk prostate cancer getting surgery or radiation and 'suffering in silence' with expected treatment effects on urination and sexual function," Narayan said.
"The concern over potentially unnecessary surgery or radiation led to an over-correction where prostate cancer screening was discouraged in the U.S. From 2012 to 2017 by the United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF). We know that the reduction in prostate cancer screening during that time period led to prostate cancer getting diagnosed at higher grades and stages," he continued.
"In this updated, ERSPC study, the take-home point is that the over 12,000 men who effectively did not follow any recommended screening guidelines, had a nearly a 40% higher risk of death related to prostate cancer. The study reinforces the fact that prostate cancer screening reduces the risk of dying from prostate cancer."
— Ramkishen Narayanan, MD
"What is still left up to interpretation is the best practical application of PSA screening for the average man. The urologic community in the United States has adopted a shared decision-making pathway with patients about prostate cancer screening, namely, allowing patients to feel empowered to start and stop PSA screening with the guidance of their trusted physician," Narayanan noted.
Why you shouldn't skip a screening
"Prostate cancer screening trials and population-based screening programs/events were utilized in the U.S. In the past but fell out of favor due to the undisciplined management of results and subsequent treatment. In the contemporary era, where patients are more informed to the point of being inundated with recommendations, I believe the study here sends a clear signal through the noise — ignoring prostate cancer screening will significantly increase a man's risk of dying from prostate cancer."
— Ramkishen Narayanan, MD
Men Who Skip Prostate Cancer Screens Have 45% Higher Chance Of Dying Study Finds
Prev NextIn today's Health Alert, a new study identified a group of men at much higher risk of dying from prostate cancer. Researchers found that skipping appointments could increase the risk of death by 45%.
(WXYZ) — In today's Health Alert, a new study identified a group of men at much higher risk of dying from prostate cancer. Researchers found that skipping appointments could increase the risk of death by 45%.
This is a wake-up call. The European study invited over 72,000 men to be screened for prostate cancer. Surprisingly, about one in six never showed up. Those who skipped screenings had a 45% higher chance of dying from prostate cancer compared to those who did get checked. Researchers also compared them to men who were never invited to screenings. The results? Non-attenders had a 39% higher risk of death than those in the control group. Unfortunately, men who consistently skip screenings are much more likely to die from the disease.
So why are some men avoiding screenings? It could be fear, lack of awareness, or simply not making health a priority. In my practice, I often hear men say, "I feel fine. I don't need a doctor." But that mindset can lead to a later diagnosis—when treatment is harder, and survival rates drop.
Prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers in American men and the second-deadliest. About 1 in 8 will be diagnosed, and 1 in 44 will die from it.
However, these numbers could be much lower if more men were regularly screened. The PSA test is a blood test that measures PSA, a substance made by the prostate. High levels could be a sign of cancer. There is also a digital rectal exam – this is when a doctor checks the prostate for anything unusual.
Now, at what age should men get screened? The CDC recommends that men at average or increased risk between the ages of 55 and 69 talk to their doctor and decide when screening is right for them. But high-risk men—like African American men or those with a family history—should consider screening as early as 45. If you're 70 and older, routine screening is not usually recommended.
The point of screening is to look for cancer before symptoms appear. Prostate cancer often has no early symptoms. But when it does, they can include:
Many men skip screenings for various reasons—but it's important to talk to your doctor. Catching it early could save your life.
Copyright 2025 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
An At-home Spit Test Could Help Diagnose Prostate Cancer — And It's More Accurate Than A Blood Test
A new at-home saliva test could help identify men with a high risk of prostate cancer more accurately than blood tests, leading to earlier diagnosis and more successful treatment.
Prostate cancer is the second most common form of cancer among men, after skin cancer.
Currently, there is no standard test to screen for prostate cancer. A doctor may draw blood for a prostate-specific antigen test (PSA) or perform a rectal exam, but both of these types of screenings require follow-ups before a diagnosis can be made.
PSA blood tests measure the level of a specific molecule produced by the prostate. Yet diagnostic accuracy is compromised as an elevated PSA level can indicate a prostate issue but not necessarily prostate cancer.
The new saliva tests analyze DNA, looking for a range of small genetic changes linked to prostate cancer. Shotmedia – stock.Adobe.ComIn contrast, the new saliva tests analyze DNA, looking for a range of small genetic changes linked to prostate cancer.
Trials show this approach is more effective, and men who are categorized as high-risk because of these changes are more likely to have prostate cancer than men with elevated PSA levels.
Additionally, the spit test, which is not commercially available, falsely identified prostate cancer fewer times than the PSA test and detected a higher number of aggressive cancers that are fast-growing and more likely to spread.
"Right now, there's no reliable method to detect aggressive prostate cancer, but this study brings us a step closer to finding the disease sooner in those people who need treatment," said Naser Turabi, director of Evidence and Implementation Cancer Research UK.
"It's encouraging to see that genetic testing might help to guide a more targeted approach to screening based on someone's risk of developing prostate cancer. More research is now needed to confirm if this tool can save lives from the disease so that it can be rolled out to improve diagnosis."
When the cancer is localized to the prostate, it is often curable. The five-year survival rate of prostate cancer, when it is detected early, is over 99%, according to the Prostate Cancer Foundation.
However, if prostate cancer spreads to other parts of the body, it can become deadly. When it metastasizes, prostate cancer commonly moves to the bones, lungs, lymph nodes, liver or brain, making early detection critical.
In the study of 6,000 European men between 55 and 69, spit samples were collected to calculate polygenic risk scores (PRSs). These PRSs were based on 130 genetic variations associated with prostate cancer.
When detected early, the five-year survival rate for prostate cancer is over 99%. Peakstock – stock.Adobe.ComAs with most types of cancer, certain groups are more at risk for prostate cancer. The average age of diagnosis is 67, and prostate cancer is considered rare in men who are under 40. African American men and Caribbean men of African ancestry are also more at risk for the disease.
Other risk factors for the disease include obesity, family history of cancer, plus factors like high blood pressure, lack of exercise and being taller than average, according to the NIH.
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In this latest study, men with the highest risk scores were referred for further screening.
Following an MRI and prostate biopsy, 40% were diagnosed with prostate cancer. Meanwhile, 78% of the men diagnosed as a result of the saliva test had a "normal" PSA level, a result that would typically indicate that no further screening is required.
Of the 187 cancers detected, 55% were aggressive cancers, compared with 36% of those identified by a PSA test in a recent study.
"With this test, it could be possible to turn the tide on prostate cancer," said Ros Eeles, a professor at the Institute of Cancer Research and a consultant at the Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, which jointly led the research.
Risk factors for prostate cancer include obesity, family history of cancer, plus factors like high blood pressure, lack of exercise and being taller than average. Ratirath – stock.Adobe.Com"We have shown that a simple, cheap spit test to identify men at higher risk due to their genetic makeup is an effective tool to catch the cancer early."
Treatment for prostate cancer includes several options, depending on the specific diagnosis. Patients may undergo surgery, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, radiation or targeted drug therapy.
In addition to the early detection and treatment of prostate cancer, researchers are hopeful the saliva test will eliminate unnecessary medical intervention in low-risk patients.
PSA tests do not differentiate between aggressive or nonaggressive tumors, leading many men to be diagnosed with cancers that would not hurt them in the long run and/or being referred for unnecessary MRI scans, invasive biopsies and other treatments.
"Building on decades of research into the genetic markers of prostate cancer, our study shows that the theory does work in practice — we can identify men at risk of aggressive cancers who need further tests and spare the men who are at lower risk from unnecessary treatments," said Eeles.
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