"Men typically have this test after they turn 50 years old, and it can spot a tumor that may not cause a problem in a man's lifetime if left untreated. It could be more likely that a man will die from heart disease or some other ailment before his prostate cancer would kill him," Torkko said.
"At this point, it is not possible to accurately tell which tumors will be the more aggressive ones with our current screening tests. This means that we may be screening and treating some men unnecessarily," she noted.
More information
The National Cancer Institute has more about prostate cancer screening.
