Former President Joe Biden’s recent diagnosis of aggressive, metastatic prostate cancer is a stark reminder that the disease remains a significant threat to all men’s health. The Prostate Health Education Network (PHEN) urges men, especially those at higher risk, to talk with their doctors now about prostate-cancer screening and the latest early-detection guidelines.
A common disease with unequal impact
Prostate cancer is the second-deadliest cancer among American men. The American Cancer Society projects 313,780 new U.S. cases and 35,770 deaths in 2025. About one in eight men will develop the disease during their lifetime. The burden is heavier on Black men: they are approximately 70 percent more likely to be diagnosed and more than twice as likely to die from prostate cancer as white men. Roughly one in six Black men will confront the disease.
Why early detection matters
When prostate cancer is found while it is still inside the prostate, the five-year survival rate approaches 100 percent. Once the cancer spreads to distant organs or bone, survival drops sharply; only about 37 percent of men live five years, and fewer than one in five survive ten years. President Biden’s advanced case underscores how much difference timing can make. However, with the increasing number of therapeutic options, men with metastatic prostate cancer are living more than a decade.
What the new NCCN guidelines say
The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) updated its guidance in 2025:
- Start the conversation early. Men at average risk should begin discussing PSA screening by age 45. Black men, men with a strong family history, and those who carry high-risk genetic mutations should start by age 40.
- Screen through age 75. Routine screening is recommended up to age 75 for men who expect to live at least ten more years.
- After 75, personalize the plan. Healthy men who meet the ten-year life-expectancy mark should decide with their physicians whether to keep testing.
- Use shared decision-making. The PSA blood test saves lives, but it can also lead to unnecessary biopsies and treatment. A frank discussion of benefits and risks helps each man choose the right path.
PHEN has compiled NCCN, American Cancer Society, and other major recommendations into a single, clear table here.
Four steps men should take now
- Know your risk. Consider your age, race, and any family history of prostate, breast, ovarian, pancreatic, colorectal, or endometrial cancer.
- Ask for the PSA talk. If you are 40 or older and at higher risk—or 45 and at average risk, schedule a visit and ask about PSA testing.
- Follow an agreed schedule. If you and your doctor choose screening, stick to the timetable and follow-up tests that fit your risk.
- Spread the word. Encourage fathers, brothers, sons, friends, and church members to get informed and get screened.
“Early detection screening is still the best defense against prostate cancer,” which now confronts President Biden, said PHEN founder Thomas A. Farrington, a 25-year prostate cancer survivor. “By staying informed and proactive, men can protect their health and save lives in our communities.”
About PHEN
The Prostate Health Education Network is a Boston-based nonprofit founded in 2003 to eliminate the racial disparity in prostate cancer outcomes. Through church partnerships, survivor networks, and national education programs, PHEN delivers timely and trusted information to the men who need it most. Learn more at www.PHENpsa.com.
