Cancer of Prostate

Prostate Cancer psa stands for a specific antigen which is a protein produced by the cells of the prostate gland. A PSA test will determine the level of the antigen in the blood and this is one of the tests used to help detect cancer of prostate in men of 50 years or more. The higher the PSA level the higher the likelihood that cancer is present. And though results may not give all the details, like whether the cancer is malignant or benign, it is definitive enough for the doctor to use as a reason to carry out further investigations for prostate cancer.

Why Take the Prostate Test?
Because the PSA , together with the Digital Rectal Exam, will help detect prostate cancer in men who DO NOT have symptoms of the disease. It is also a good way of testing for recurrence in patients who have been treated for prostate cancer. Other risk factors that determine the necessity for testing will be age, a family history of prostate cancer and diet.

If the test shows possible presence of cancer -
Although this test is a good indicator of the probability or risk of a patients predisposition to prostate cancer, elevated PSA levels may not always be indication of the actual presence of the cancer. However discuss the result with your doctor. If cancer is suspected the doctor may then want to carry out a prostate cancer biopsy. It is rare the biopsy will be done or even necessary after one testing. rather, the doctor will want to carry out a series of them to monitor whether there is a true pattern of rising levels of the antigen.

Any limitations of this test method?
This test has been known to give positive results which upon further investigation have shown no cancer was actually present. It has also been known to give false negative results where cancer is actually present because prostate cancer does tend to exist long before any symptoms are manifested. A rise in The antigen may be caused by other factors other than prostate cancer, eg urinary infections, prostatisis ( inflammation of the prostate ), even the carrying out of a biopsy may cause this rise and hence influence the diagnosis negatively.

And lastly:
More needs to be done on the PSA  prostate cancer test as a mode of prostrate screening. It definitely has its benefits, but whereas it will detect small tumors, it may not be as good in identifying aggressive and fast-growing cancers that have probably spread to other areas. While the test continues to be used ( and useful) in the screening of cancer of the prostate, more research is still being done on this Prostate Cancer PSA test to ensure its efficacy in saving lives.