Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 9, 2026
A New Technique for Treating Low-risk Prostate Cancer—Super Active Surveillance
Published on: November 7, 2025
Brief report: physicians and their personal prostate cancer-screening practices with prostate-specific antigen. A
Evelyn C Y Chan1, Michael J Barry, Sally W Vernon
1Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, The University of Texas-Houston Medical School, Houston, TX 77030, USA. Evelyn.C.Chan@uth.tmc.edu
Background:
There is inconclusive evidence that prostate cancer screening with prostate-specific antigen (PSA) reduces mortality. Although PSA testing is widespread, it is unknown how many physicians have taken the PSA test themselves.
Objective:
To determine the prevalence of PSA testing among physicians.
Design:
Cross-sectional survey.
Subjects:
A nationwide stratified random sample of urologists (response rate 61%, n=247), Internists (response rate 51%, n=273), and family physicians (response rate 64%, n=249) were surveyed by mail in 2000. After excluding female respondents and men who either reported a positive history of prostate cancer or did not respond to that query, there were 146 urologists, 96 Internists, and 118 family physicians.
Measurements:
Whether physicians had undergone prostate cancer screening with PSA.
Results:
Eighty-seven percent (155/178) of male physicians aged, 50 and older and 21% (31/150) of white male physicians under age 50 reported having had a PSA test. More urologists than nonurologists in both age groups reported having had a screening PSA test.
Conclusion:
Most physicians aged 50 and older report undergoing PSA testing. This may reflect a belief in its efficacy and contribute to its widespread use.
