Why More Men Need to Know About This Simple Blood Test That Could Save Their Lives

A simple blood test could be the difference between life and death for millions of men, yet nearly half don't even know it exists. The prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test can detect prostate cancer early when it's 99% curable, but alarming new data shows that both advanced-stage diagnoses and deaths from prostate cancer are climbing year over year.

What Makes This Blood Test So Critical?

The PSA test screens for prostate cancer by measuring levels of a protein produced by the prostate gland. When prostate cancer is caught early through this screening, the cure rate reaches 99%. However, when the disease progresses to distant-stage cancer, the 5-year survival rate drops dramatically to just 38%.

Recent data from the American Cancer Society reveals troubling trends. Prostate cancer incidence rates have been climbing by 3% annually since 2014, with advanced-stage diagnoses rising even faster at 4.6% to 4.8% per year. Meanwhile, the progress in reducing deaths has slowed significantly, from 3% to 4% annual decreases in the 1990s and 2000s to just 0.6% per year over the past decade.

Why Aren't More Men Getting Screened?

A new survey commissioned by the Prostate Cancer Foundation found startling gaps in awareness and action among men. The findings reveal several concerning patterns:

• Knowledge Gap: Nearly 48% of men didn't know that a simple blood test can screen for prostate cancer
• Screening Rates: 50% of men over 45 had not been screened for prostate cancer
• Age-Specific Concerns: 72% of men between ages 40 and 49 reported they had never been screened

"Early detection is the single most powerful tool we have to beat prostate cancer," said Dr. Phillip Koo, Chief Medical Officer of the Prostate Cancer Foundation. "All men should begin annual PSA screenings at age 45, and men with a family history or Black men should start as early as age 40."

Who Faces the Highest Risk?

The data reveals significant disparities in both cancer rates and outcomes. Black men face a 67% higher incidence rate and are twice as likely to die from prostate cancer compared to White men. Native American men have a 12% higher prostate cancer mortality rate despite having a 13% lower incidence rate, and they're the most likely to be diagnosed with distant-stage disease at 12% compared to 8% among White men.

Prostate cancer affects 1 in 8 men in the United States during their lifetime, a risk comparable to the 1 in 8 women who will face breast cancer. In 2025, an estimated 313,780 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer, and 35,770 are projected to die from the disease.

"Too many fathers, brothers, and sons are lost because they were never screened," explained Gina Carithers, CEO and President of the Prostate Cancer Foundation. The organization emphasizes that prostate cancer often has no symptoms until the disease is advanced, making regular screening essential for early detection when treatment options are most effective.

The Prostate Cancer Foundation has helped fund research for 14 FDA-approved treatments that extend and improve lives for men with advanced disease. However, the key to benefiting from these medical advances lies in changing attitudes about prostate health and making regular PSA screening as routine as annual breast cancer screening for women.