The Facts About Prostate Cancer and Specific Antigen Tests

1. Prostate cancer is quiet for many men.

In most men, prostate cancer shows few early symptoms. Urinary symptoms such as decreased urine flow or nocturia (waking up at night because you need to urinate) are common in aging men; however, in general they are not associated with prostate cancer. If prostate cancer has spread, symptoms such as bone pain, blood in the urine, or weight loss may be present.

2. Some men have a greater risk of developing prostate cancer.

All men can develop prostate cancer. However, there are some risk factors that increase your odds. Older men are at higher risk. African-American men and men with one or more close relatives with prostate cancer are also at increased risk. Your risk will also be higher if you have a close relative diagnosed with prostate cancer before age 55.

3. PSA tests do not diagnose prostate cancer.

The PSA test is a blood test primarily used to screen for high levels of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) released by the prostate. It can be upgraded for various reasons. PSA screening remains a controversial topic in the medical community. It's important to note that PSA is not capable of diagnosing prostate cancer, but it is a screening test that helps predict prostate cancer risk.

Because PSA values ​​vary depending on your age and race, there is no universally accepted threshold for total PSA to be considered abnormal.

4. The PSA test has some disadvantages.

The actual PSA test has very few side effects or risks. It requires a simple blood draw for evaluation in the laboratory. However, there are some potential drawbacks once the results are available. These may include:

High PSA levels can have other causes, such as benign prostatic enlargement (benign prostatic hyperplasia) or prostate infection (prostatitis), cancer, or the three can be confused at times.

Some prostate cancers may not produce much PSA. It is possible to have what is known as a false negative. This is a test result that falsely shows that you don't actually have prostate cancer.

Follow-up tests to check for the cause of a high PSA test can be invasive, stressful, expensive, or time-consuming.

Living with a slow-growing prostate cancer that does not require treatment can cause stress and anxiety.