What is one of the potential harms of PSA testing?

One of the potential harms of PSA testing is overtreatment. This refers to the scenario in which patients are diagnosed with prostate cancer based on elevated PSA levels, but may not require aggressive treatment. Elevated PSA can lead to the identification of slow-growing cancers that may not pose a significant risk to the patient’s health or longevity.

As a consequence, many men diagnosed through PSA screening may undergo unnecessary treatments, such as surgery, radiation, or hormone therapy, which can lead to significant side effects including incontinence, sexual dysfunction, and other complications. Recognizing overtreatment as a harm underscores the importance of balancing the benefits of cancer detection with the potential negative impacts of unnecessary medical interventions, thereby emphasizing a more nuanced approach to screening and management decisions in oncology.