In 2021, a little more than one-third of men ages 55 to 69 had had a PSA (prostate-specific antigen) blood test to check for prostate cancer in the past year. That may be because there's been a lot of confusion about the advantages and risks (of unnecessary treatment) that go along with getting the test.

But data are adding up to indicate that it's a smart step to protect yourself from the complications of prostate cancer.

The most recent study to evaluate the benefits of regular PSA screening looked at 20 years' worth of information on more than 72,000 guys and found that one out of every six men skip all of their PSA screening appointments.

And those "skippers" turned out to have a 45% higher risk of dying from prostate cancer over two decades than those who went to their screenings.

Ask your doctor about making an appointment for a PSA test. Here’s what you should know:

• Get screened at age 40 if you have more than one close relative who had prostate cancer at an early age.

• If your father or brother had prostate cancer before age 65 or you are African American, do so at age 45.

• And if you're at average risk, have the discussion with your doctor at age 50.

Then show up for the test. If it's caught early, prostate cancer is very treatable — the five-year survival rate for early-stage localized or regional prostate cancer is more than 99%.