PSA Test – An Introduction
PSA test for prostate cancer is a type of blood test that can help diagnose prostate related issues. It is also one of the major tests done for diagnosing prostate cancer.
Here’s a detailed info on PSA test to help you know what happens if you get a test, and what PSA results may indicate:
What is the PSA test?
This is a blood test aimed at measuring the exact amount of prostate specific antigen (PSA) in your blood. PSA is actually a protein produced by healthy cells present in the prostate. This protein may also be produced by prostate cancer cells.
It is quite normal to have a small amount of PSA in blood. This amount may rises to some extent as one gets older and with enlarging size of prostate. Rise in PSA level may indicate a problem with prostate. However, this does not necessarily mean cancer.
Your general practitioner must discuss about this test with you in detail.
Am I a Candidate for PSA test?
You are a candidate if you are the 50 years of age. In case, you are over 45 years of age and having higher risk of prostate cancer, (African American or having a family history of the condition), you may discuss about having a test with your GP (general practitioner).
A PSA test is not recommended to you if you don’t show any symptoms. Some men may be offered a PSA test as an integral part of a general check-up.
What does the PSA test indicate?
Rise in PSA level can indicate a problem with prostate. This may be due to the following:
- An enlarged prostate
- Prostatitis
- Prostate cancer
A number of other things may also result in rise in PSA levels. Hence, it is natural if your GP asks you to go for other tests to find out the exact cause.
Pros and Cons of the PSA Test
It is very important to know about varied pros and cons of getting PSA test. Here’s what you need to know:
Pros
- The test can help detect prostate cancer even before you observe any symptoms.
- The test will help detect fast-growing cancer at an early stage. At this stage, treatment will stop cancer from spreading and causing problems.
- This test is more helpful for men at higher risk of prostate cancer. It will help detect any changes in PSA level and decide on the best treatment for prostate cancer.
Disadvantages
You may have some concerns about rise in PSA level. However, the PSA test can miss detecting prostate cancer.
In case, your PSA level is raised once, you may need more tests, including a biopsy. Biopsy may lead to side effects, such as blood in semen/urine, pain, and infection.
You may be diagnosed with a slow-growing prostate cancer. Such type of cancers may never cause any problems to the patient. This may also not affect the life span of patient. However, being diagnosed with cancer can cause unnecessary stress. You may decide to have treatment even if you don’t need.
Treatments for prostate cancer have some severe side effects on patients that can affect their daily life. These may include issues with bowel and urinary tract. Erection problems are also common among prostate cancer patients.
Baseline PSA Test
This test involves having a PSA test even when your risk of getting it is low. It is aimed at helping experts understand your risk of getting prostate cancer in future. For instance, if a man’s PSA level is slightly higher in his 40s, he may have a higher risk of getting prostate cancer in the future.