It is Movember, which means prostate cancer, testicular cancer and men’s mental health get a month of attention they do not get for the other eleven. This year there is something specific to talk about.
In May 2026, the National Health and Medical Research Council approved new guidelines for the early detection of prostate cancer. They replace guidance that had stood since 2016. If you have had a PSA test before, or have been putting one off, what your GP will suggest has changed.
What actually changed
The headline point is that PSA testing is now framed around age and personal risk, with a clearer interval.
- Ages 50 to 69. Testing is offered every two years, after a conversation with your GP about the benefits and the drawbacks. The level that prompts a repeat test is 3.0 micrograms per litre.
- Ages 45 to 49. Routine testing is not recommended unless your risk is higher than average. An initial test can be offered if you are interested in your prostate health. A result under 1.0 means no further testing is needed until you turn 50.
- Ages 70 and over. Testing depends on a clinical assessment rather than age alone, and is generally not recommended where life expectancy is seven years or less.
- Higher risk, from age 45. Testing every two years, with lower action levels than the general population.
You are considered at higher risk if you have a brother who has been diagnosed with prostate cancer, a father diagnosed before 65, two or more second-degree relatives such as uncles or grandfathers with prostate cancer, sub-Saharan African ancestry, or a known BRCA2 mutation.
One change is worth saying plainly, because it keeps men away from the GP. The new guidelines conditionally recommend against routinely performing a digital rectal examination in general practice alongside PSA testing and risk assessment. It remains part of a specialist assessment before any biopsy is considered. If the examination is the reason you have not booked, that reason is weaker than it was.
This is a decision, not a screening program
There is no national prostate screening program in Australia, and the 2026 guidelines do not create one. They are built around individual informed decision making. Nobody is going to post you an invitation, and no reputable clinic should tell you that every man over 50 must have a PSA test.
That is because the test is not straightforward. A raised PSA can be caused by things other than cancer, a single high reading does not mean you have prostate cancer, and investigating a raised result has its own downsides. Equally, some prostate cancers found through testing would never have caused harm, while others benefit significantly from being found early.
The point of the appointment is to work out which of those trade-offs matter for you, given your age, your family history and your own view. A GP’s job here is to give you an honest account of both sides and then support the decision you make, including a decision not to test.
The other checks worth knowing about
Prostate testing is the one in the news, but it is not the only thing on the list for men in their forties and beyond.
Bowel screening starts at 45. The National Bowel Cancer Screening Program covers ages 45 to 74. Kits are posted automatically from 50, but if you are between 45 and 49 you need to request your first one, which you can do yourself online. It is free with a Medicare card, done at home, and repeated every two years.
A heart health check. A Medicare-funded heart health check is available to men from 45, and from 30 for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men, where a heart condition has not already been diagnosed. It covers blood pressure, cholesterol, blood glucose and your overall cardiovascular risk. Our team can confirm your eligibility when you book. If heart disease is already part of your history, our cardiology clinic and diabetes clinic work alongside your GP.
Skin. Queensland has the highest skin cancer rates in the world, and men over 40 are among those who most benefit from knowing their own risk. We have written separately about who benefits from a scheduled skin check.
Testicular cancer. This one runs against the grain of the others, because it is most common in younger men, broadly between 15 and 40. Getting to know what is normal for you matters more than any scheduled test. A lump, swelling, a change in firmness, or a persistent ache should be looked at promptly rather than monitored at home.
Two symptoms men routinely leave out
Erectile difficulties. Worth raising, and not for the reason most men assume. The small blood vessels involved are often affected before the larger ones, so erectile difficulty can be an early signal of a wider cardiovascular problem, and sometimes of diabetes. Men tend to treat it as an isolated embarrassment. Clinically it is a reason to check your blood pressure, cholesterol and blood glucose.
How you are actually going. Men are less likely than women to raise low mood, poor sleep, irritability, drinking more than they used to, or the feeling that everything has become harder than it should be. These are reasons to make an appointment, not signs of weakness, and a GP appointment is a normal place to start. Our mental health services page sets out what support looks like here.
If you need to talk to someone now, Lifeline is available on 13 11 14, and MensLine Australia on 1300 78 99 78. Both operate 24 hours a day.
What to do with Movember
If you want to get involved, Movember runs its own fundraising and awareness activity through November.
If you would rather do something practical, the useful version is shorter. Work out which group you are in for prostate testing. Request a bowel screening kit if you are 45 or over and do not have one. Book the appointment you have been deferring, and bring the thing you were planning not to mention.
Book an appointment with Carrara Family Practice. Call (07) 5594 4118 or book online. Bulk billing available. Ask our team about billing when you book.
See our men’s health services for what we cover.