Going Beyond “Grade C”: An Updated Rubric for Prostate Cancer Screening in the Primary Care Setting

Going Beyond “Grade C”: An Updated Rubric for Prostate Cancer Screening in the Primary Care Setting

Prostate cancer screening remains one of the most challenging areas of preventive care, requiring clinicians to balance the potential benefits of early cancer detection against the risks of unnecessary testing, biopsy, and treatment. As advances in prostate imaging and risk assessment reshape clinical practice, primary care clinicians need practical approaches for evaluating elevated PSA levels and counseling patients about their options.

This activity examines how the prostate cancer screening landscape has evolved in the era of prostate MRI and active surveillance. Faculty will discuss emerging approaches that help distinguish clinically significant prostate cancer from benign conditions that commonly affect aging men, while highlighting strategies to reduce unnecessary interventions without compromising patient outcomes.

Through a review of contemporary evidence and real-world clinical scenarios, participants will gain greater confidence in navigating screening conversations, interpreting diagnostic findings, and making patient-centered decisions that reflect current standards of care.

Faculty
H.J. Rayala, MD, PhD
Urologic Surgeon, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
Assistant Professor, Harvard Medical School

David J. Einstein, MD
Medical Oncology
Assistant Professor, Harvard Medical School New Systems

Intended Audience
This activity is designed for primary care physicians, family medicine clinicians, urologists and oncologists.

Course Objectives
Upon completion of this activity, learners should be able to:

• Describe modern paradigms that reduce overdiagnosis and overtreatment in prostate cancer screening, including MRI-based biopsy triage and active surveillance for low-risk disease
• Interpret PSA values in the clinical context of prostate size, benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), and other benign causes of PSA elevation to guide appropriate evaluation and referral
• Summarize updated evidence from major prostate cancer screening trials, including the risks and benefits of screening
• Apply practical strategies to communicate the risks and benefits of prostate cancer screening and management options, including active surveillance, with patients

Accreditation & Credit Information
Accreditation Statement  
This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the accreditation requirements and policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) through the joint providership of the Massachusetts Medical Society and the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. The Massachusetts Medical Society is accredited by the ACCME to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

AMA Credit Designation Statement 
The Massachusetts Medical Society designates this enduring material for a maximum of 1.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

This activity meets the criteria of the Massachusetts Board of Registration in Medicine for risk management study.

National Commission on Certification of Physicians Assistant (NCCPA)
Physician Assistants may claim a maximum of 1.00 Category 1 credit for completing this activity. NCCPA accepts AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ from organizations accredited by ACCME or a recognized state medical society.

Exam/Assessment: A score of 70% or higher is required to receive AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™.

Course Fees:
Massachusetts Medical Society (MMS) Physician Member: FREE
MMS Resident/Student Member: FREE
Non-Member Physician: FREE
Non-Members Resident/Student: FREE
Allied Health Professional/Other: FREE

Activity Term:
Original Release Date: July 7, 2026
Review Date(s): N/A 
Termination Date: July 7, 2029

Format and Estimated Time to Complete: This activity features a 45 minute video recording, resources, an exam, and an evaluation.

System Requirements
Desktops/Laptops
Windows 10
Mac OSX 10.6 higher

Most modern browsers including
IE 11+
Firefox 18.0+
Chrome latest version
Safari 12+

Mobile/Tablet
iOS devices beginning with OS version 10 or higher (includes, iPhone, iPad and iTouch devices)

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Contact Us
Contact us at nejmcust@mms.org  or (800) 843-6356. Massachusetts Medical Society, 860 Winter Street, Waltham, MA 02451.