Deciding whether to undergo prostate cancer screening involves understanding the benefits and risks. DiRx explains the PSA blood test and digital rectal exam (DRE), highlighting the importance of discussing personal risk factors and screening results with your healthcare provider. Making an informed decision requires considering your age, race, family history, and potential outcomes of screening and treatment.
Screening means checking for a health problem before a person has symptoms. This can sometimes help find diseases, like certain cancers, early. Finding and treating cancer early, when it's small and hasn't spread, may improve the chance that treatment will work better. But it's still not clear exactly how helpful screening is for prostate cancer.
There is no standard test to screen for prostate cancer. However, two tests that are commonly used to screen for prostate cancer are described below.
PSA blood test. A blood test called a prostate specific antigen (PSA) test measures the level of PSA in the blood. PSA is a substance made by the prostate. The levels of PSA in the blood can be higher in men who have prostate cancer. The PSA level may also be elevated in other conditions that affect the prostate.
As a rule, the higher the PSA level in the blood, the more likely a prostate problem is present. But many factors, such as age and race, can affect PSA levels. Some prostate glands make more PSA than others.
PSA levels also can be affected by certain medical procedures, certain medications, an enlarged prostate or a prostate infection.
Because many factors can affect PSA levels, your healthcare provider is the best person to interpret your PSA test results. If the PSA test is abnormal, your doctor may recommend a biopsy to find out if you have prostate cancer.
Digital rectal exam (DRE). In this exam, the healthcare provider puts a lubricated, gloved finger into the rectum to check the size of the prostate and feel for lumps or abnormal areas. Some experts, including the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force does not recommend DRE as a screening test because of lack evidence on the benefits.
There are currently varying recommendations as to whether all men have the same benefits from PSA testing. Most expert medical groups agree that routine prostate cancer screening should not be done for all men. But the advice varies between experts.
Published on: Jul 3, 2024
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