Recommended Preventative Tests for a 55-Year-Old Healthy Male
As a 55-year-old healthy male, you should undergo colorectal cancer screening and have a discussion about prostate cancer screening with your healthcare provider this year. 1
Colorectal Cancer Screening
Colorectal cancer screening is strongly recommended for all adults beginning at age 45-50, with several evidence-based options:
- Colonoscopy every 10 years (allows for direct visualization and removal of precancerous polyps) 1
- Annual fecal immunochemical test (FIT) or high-sensitivity guaiac-based fecal occult blood test (FOBT) 1
- Multitarget stool DNA test every 3 years 1
- CT colonography every 5 years 1
- Flexible sigmoidoscopy every 5 years 1
- Annual FOBT plus flexible sigmoidoscopy every 5 years (this combination provides greater accuracy than either test alone) 1
The choice between these options should be based on your personal preferences, risk factors, and test availability. All positive results on non-colonoscopy screening tests should be followed up with a timely colonoscopy 1.
Prostate Cancer Screening
For prostate cancer screening, current guidelines recommend:
- A discussion with your healthcare provider about the potential benefits, limitations, and harms of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) testing 1
- The US Preventive Services Task Force (2018) recommends providing information about potential benefits and harms of screening for men aged 55-69 years 1
- If you choose screening after this discussion, it would include a PSA blood test and possibly a digital rectal examination (DRE) 1
- The American Urological Association strongly recommends shared decision-making for men age 55-69 years 1
The benefit of PSA screening includes a potential reduction in prostate cancer mortality (approximately 1 death prevented per 1,000 men screened over 10 years), while harms include false positives, overdiagnosis, and potential treatment complications such as erectile dysfunction and urinary incontinence 2.
Other Important Considerations
- A routine screening interval of two years or more may be preferred over annual PSA screening to reduce harms while maintaining most benefits 1
- African-American men or those with a family history of prostate cancer diagnosed before age 65 are at higher risk and may benefit from earlier or more frequent screening 1
- Research shows that in practice, men are often more likely to receive prostate cancer screening than colorectal cancer screening, despite stronger evidence supporting the latter 3, 4
General Health Screening
In addition to cancer screening, your annual health check-up should include:
- Blood pressure measurement 1
- Lipid profile assessment (cholesterol screening) 1
- Diabetes screening, particularly if you have risk factors such as obesity or family history 1
- Discussion about healthy lifestyle choices including diet, exercise, smoking cessation (if applicable), and alcohol consumption 1
Remember that these recommendations are for average-risk individuals. If you have specific risk factors such as a family history of colorectal cancer or inflammatory bowel disease, more intensive surveillance may be recommended 1.