Durham, N.C. - PSA screening is a blood test commonly done to help detect prostate cancer. An elevated PSA reading may indicate cancer, but not necessarily, so it's important to talk with your physician and learn what the screening results mean. One expert says this knowledge will help each patient make the best decision for himself.

Testing for prostate cancer is a less-than-perfect procedure. Standard tests include a digital rectal exam and a blood test called PSA screening. In some cases, a biopsy may also be done. Dr. Richard Liebowitz, medical director of the Duke Center for Integrative Medicine, says an inaccurate PSA screening result can potentially lead to pain, anxiety and even unnecessary surgery.

"If we could identify when the cancer is going to be aggressive, then surgical intervention would seem to be a lot easier in terms of recommendations. At this point in time, we can't identify that subgroup, so many people who get surgery probably would never have any real-life impact based on their prostate cancer."

Unless a man has a family history of prostate cancer or belongs to another at-risk group, Liebowitz says explaining what screening results can mean helps each patient to weigh the risks and benefits of surgical intervention.

"What we think is important is having patients involved and going through what we consider an informed-consent process. Let patients know what the pros and cons of screening are and then make decisions based on a patient's own particular beliefs."