Gay, bisexual and queer men and prostate cancer testing

Gay, bisexual and queer men face barriers to accessing healthcare that make it challenging to get tested for cancer. Barriers that can make participating in cancer testing challenging for men in 2SLGBTQI+ communities include:

• homophobia or biphobia
• misinformation about cancer testing needs
• a lack of 2SLGBTQI+ specific resources
• concerns about physical and emotional safety

If you have a prostate, you should make an informed decision about whether the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test is right for you by talking to your healthcare provider about the benefits and limitations of testing, your personal risk, your values and preferences, and what other procedures may follow.

• If you are at average risk of developing prostate cancer, consider testing from age 50.
• If you are at high risk of developing prostate cancer, consider testing from age 45. Black men (including men of African or Caribbean ancestry) and those with a family history of prostate cancer are considered to be at high risk.

Your PSA levels will determine how often you get tested. The decision to stop testing is based on your PSA levels, age and overall health.

Find out more about prostate cancer testing.