Many men have long feared prostate cancer screenings, worrying they could lead to life-changing side effects like impotence or incontinence. But a new study shows that those fears may no longer be necessary.
Thanks to better diagnosis and smarter decision-making, unnecessary surgeries for low-risk prostate cancer have dropped significantly across the United States.
Surgery Rates for Low-Risk Cancer Have Plummeted
According to a study published in JAMA Oncology, the number of men undergoing surgery for the lowest-risk prostate cancers has fallen by more than 75% in just 10 years.
In 2010, about one-third of prostate cancer surgeries were for low-risk cases. By 2020, that number had dropped to less than 1 in 10.
Data from Michigan also showed a similar trend: surgeries for low-risk prostate cancer dropped from nearly 21% in 2012 to just 3% in 2024.
Active Surveillance is the New Normal
Doctors are now more likely to recommend “active surveillance” instead of surgery for low-risk prostate cancer. This means watching the cancer closely with regular tests, but only treating it if it begins to grow or change.
“The decrease in surgeries shows that active surveillance is working,” said Dr. Steven Monda, the lead researcher from the University of Michigan.
Better tools like PSA blood tests, MRIs, and targeted biopsies help doctors spot which cancers are safe to watch and which need treatment.
Prostate Cancer is Often Slow-Growing
Prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers in men. Nearly 300,000 new cases were expected in 2024 in the United States.
However, most prostate cancers grow so slowly that they don’t pose a serious risk—especially for older men.
Dr. Monda explained that in the past, even low-risk cancers were often treated with surgery or radiation. This led to unnecessary side effects and fear of screening.
Why Some Men Still Skip Screening
Back in 2012, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force advised against routine PSA screenings due to concerns about overtreatment. That led many doctors to stop offering screenings, even for men at higher risk.
The guidelines were updated in 2018 to say that men could choose to be screened after talking to their doctor. But many physicians never went back to recommending it.
“As a result, some men who could benefit from screening—like African American men or those with a family history—are still being overlooked,” said Dr. Tudor Borza, a senior researcher on the study.
Better Screening Means Better Choices
Researchers looked at the cases of over 180,000 men who had prostate surgery between 2010 and 2024. Their main focus was on low-risk cases, which are often better managed without surgery.
In 2010, one out of every three surgeries was likely unnecessary for these low-risk cases. By 2020, fewer than 1 in 10 surgeries fell into that category.
“These results show real progress in how we treat prostate cancer,” said Dr. Monda. “Men should feel more confident in getting screened and having thoughtful conversations with their doctors.”
Key Points to Remember:
Unnecessary surgeries are way down thanks to better screening and use of active surveillance.
Prostate cancer often grows slowly, and low-risk cases usually don’t need immediate treatment.
New tools like MRIs and PSA testing help doctors make smarter decisions.
Men should talk to their doctors about the pros and cons of screening—especially if they’re at higher risk.
