The news: The American Cancer Society (ACS) updated its prostate cancer screening guidelines, recommending a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test every two years for average-risk men ages 50 to 69. It now advises Black men and those with a strong family history of the disease to get screened annually starting at age 45. Previous guidance, last updated in 2010, simply encouraged men to discuss screening with their doctors.

Why it matters: The stronger guidance comes as more prostate cancers are being diagnosed at advanced stages—encouraging men to get screened remains a challenge. Distant-stage diagnoses are rising nearly 3% annually among men younger than 55 and 6% among those 55 and older, per ACS 2025 statistics.

Misconceptions about what screening involves are one barrier to uptake. Sixty percent of men mistakenly believe prostate screening involves an invasive digital rectal exam, per ACS research cited by Novartis. Novartis made that misconception the focus of its Super Bowl ad this year, using humor to show that initial screening involves a simple blood test.

Correcting misconceptions alone won’t be enough to increase screenings. Forty-two percent of men skipped or delayed recommended healthcare in the past year, citing reasons including cost concerns, dislike of doctor visits, and fear of bad news, per a May eHealth survey.

Implications for healthcare marketers: The updated guidelines let marketers build on awareness efforts like Novartis' Super Bowl campaign and turn that awareness into screenings. Campaigns should pair education about PSA testing with clear cost information, since some preventive screenings are free for insured patients and others are not. They should also point men toward convenient testing options, including online ordering. Highlighting the higher survival rates associated with early-stage detection can help men weigh the benefits of screening against their fears about a possible diagnosis.

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