Many people will have heard of the prostate specific antigen test (or more commonly PSA test) for prostate cancer, but do you know just what it is and whether or not it is something which you should consider having?
The PSA test was considered a major breakthrough when it was approved for use by the FDA in the mid 1980s and today it remains one of the best tests available for detecting the possible presence of prostate cancer.
PSA testing is quick and easy as it is a simple blood test looking for the presence in the blood of a specific protein produced by the prostate gland. In a normal prostate gland the quantity of this protein produces a level in the blood of about 4 nanograms per milliliter and this is assigned a normal PSA score of 4. As with most things of course this level will vary from one individual to another and so a slightly higher or lower level is not necessarily an indication of a problem and many men will have a normal PSA score of as high as 8 or 9.
In the presence of cancer production of this protein rises and, as the cancer progresses, so the […]
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About one in every six men will develop prostate cancer which, apart from skin cancer, is the number one cause of cancer deaths in men. For this reason it is vitally important for men to monitor the health of their prostate with regular testing. Some of the prostate health tests available today include:
The Digital Rectal Exam (DRE). The digital rectal exam has been the benchmark of testing for both benign prostate enlargement and prostate cancer for many years and is a simple examination in which your physician can feel the prostate gland with a gloved finger to assess its size and condition.
The Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) Test. The PSA blood test was approved for use by the FDA in the mid 1980s and is now widely in use. This test looks for the presence of a prostate specific protein in the blood and it is recommended that all men over the age of 50, together with ‘at risk’ men over the age of 40, have an annual PSA test.
Urine Testing. Urine testing can not only check for diabetes and liver and kidney disease but can also check the condition of the prostate by looking for signs of infection in the […]
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Although there are a number of excellent tests to indicate the possible presence of prostate cancer, such as the digital rectal examination and the prostate specific antigen (PSA) blood test, the only certain way to diagnose the presence of prostate cancer is to carry out a prostate biopsy.
A biopsy will normally be conducted by a urologist and can be done as an ‘office’ procedure. There are various different ways in which a biopsy can be taken but it is common to start by taking a transrectal ultrasound. Here an instrument is inserted through the rectum and sound waves are used to produce a computer image of the prostate gland. With this image to hand the doctor can then use a hollow needle to take several small samples of tissue from the prostate for examination under the microscope. Most patients would say that the biopsy is not an especially painful procedure, but you will probably feel a stinging sensation.
The areas from which samples are taken, and the number of samples removed for testing, will depend upon the reason for the biopsy. For example, if the biopsy is simply in response to rising PSA levels then half a dozen or more samples […]
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