I’m having a PSA test next week. I’m not scared, I’m just wondering what this test will discover.
I can’t remember when I first heard about the prostate cancer and PSA test. But it was likely in my late forties. At that time, I was working at a high-tech company and all the guys around me were getting their first PSA tests.
The one thing that stuck with me from those conversations was the fear of side effects from surgery related to prostate removal. It seemed that many doctors were recommending radiation treatment as an alternative to surgery because the side effects can be much less serious.
Over the years, I continued to hear about men getting their PSA tests, but now it was becoming more about whether or not to get a PSA test and almost never about side effects of prostate removal.
It made me think of other things in life we are advised to do based on statistics, only to find out later that our individual risk may be much different than the average person’s risk. For example, many people have had strokes and heart attacks who really weren’t at high risk based on average statistics , but they weren’t paying attention to what their particular risks might have been based on family history or lifestyle.
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Prostate cancer is the most common cancer among men in the United States. According to statistics from the American Cancer Society, an estimated 238,590 new cases of prostate cancer will be diagnosed in 2016, and about 28,430 men will die of the disease. It is estimated that one man in six will be diagnosed with this cancer during his lifetime.
The PSA test, or prostate specific antigen test, measures the level of a protein produced by the prostate gland. Prostate cancer can sometimes elevate PSA levels in the blood. A high PSA level does not necessarily mean that a man has prostate cancer; his doctor can use other information to help determine if further testing is necessary.
Treatment varies depending on the stage or grade of the cancer and may include surgery, radiation therapy or chemotherapy.
Prostate cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer among men. It is estimated that 1 out of every 6 men will develop prostate cancer over his lifetime. Prostate cancer is a malignant tumor that begins in the prostate gland and can spread to other organs. There are many different types of prostate tumors, but the two most common are adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma.
Treatment for prostate cancer depends on several factors and may include surgery, radiation treatment, hormone therapy (for example, with luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone), chemotherapy, or watchful waiting. Prostate cancer may be found by accident when a man has a PSA blood test or digital rectal exam for another reason, or it may be found because the man or his doctor notices symptoms.
The prostate specific antigen (PSA) test is used to check for signs of prostate cancer in men. PSA is produced by cells in the lining of the prostate gland and released into the bloodstream. The amount of PSA in the blood can be measured with a simple blood test. High levels of PSA may mean that you have prostate cancer or an enlarged prostate or prostatitis (inflammation of the prostate). Low levels may mean that you have benign prostatic
There are many different kinds of flowers, and they vary widely in color, size, and shape. Many of them have delicate petals that make them appear soft and beautiful. But the truth is that not all flowers are beautiful. In fact there are many species of flowers that grow inside the body which are ugly and can actually be harmful.
Tumors on the other hand grow inside the body and start out as a lump or mass of tissue that usually grows larger over time. Tumors can also be cancerous if they spread to surrounding tissues and organs.
The best approach to preventing prostate cancer is to be sure to perform regular PSA tests, which detect the disease early before it spreads. The PSA test measures the levels of prostate specific antigen (a protein produced by cells in the prostate) in the blood. Any sudden changes or abnormal levels may indicate prostate cancer, or at least abnormal conditions associated with it.
Treatment for prostate cancer depends on many factors including age, health status, type and stage of cancer as well as patient preference. Generally prostate cancer is treated with some combination of surgery, radiation therapy or hormone therapy depending on its severity and location within the gland.
In most cases successful treatment will result in a cure for this disease with minimal
Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men [1]. In 2005, an estimated 217,730 new cases of prostate cancer will be diagnosed in the United States and about 30,000 men will die from this disease. Although prostate cancer is less common than breast cancer in women, it is more deadly. Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in American men, only exceeded by lung cancer.
Recommendations for screening are controversial due to a lack of evidence that early detection saves lives. The PSA test has a high rate of false positives and overdiagnosis. However, it can still find aggressive cancers at an earlier stage where treatment may save lives. PSA levels are not reliable and do not necessarily reflect the severity or stage of the cancer. Other tests such as DRE or digital rectal exam are recommended before undergoing a biopsy.”
The PSA test is the most widely used screening test for prostate cancer. The test measures blood levels of prostate-specific antigen (PSA), a protein produced by the prostate.
If you have an elevated PSA level, it is usually followed by a biopsy to determine if you have prostate cancer. Prostate cancer can be found in men who have no symptoms and may never cause any problems.
The PSA test can help find some cancers at an early stage when treatment may be more effective. However, it may also find tumors that will not cause health problems for years or even decades. If a man with an elevated PSA level does not have prostate cancer, then he may be subjected to unnecessary anxiety and perhaps more invasive testing and treatment.
Treatment for prostate cancer often has side effects that affect quality of life, such as sexual problems or urinary incontinence. And treatments can sometimes make matters worse by spreading the cancer to other parts of the body or causing other serious health problems.
