What Blood Test Is For Prostate

What Is The First Test For Detecting Prostate Problems

The first test for detecting prostate problems is a blood test to measure prostate-specific antigen , a protein made only by the prostate gland. This test is often included in routine physical exams for men older than age 50. Because African American men have higher rates of getting, and dying from, prostate cancer than men of other racial or ethnic groups in the United States, medical organizations recommend a PSA blood test be given starting at age 40 for African American men. Medical organizations also recommend a PSA blood test be given starting at age 40 for men with a family history of prostate cancer. Some medical organizations even recommend a PSA blood test be given to all men starting at age 40.

If urination problems are present or if a PSA blood test indicates a problem, additional tests may be ordered. These tests may require a patient to change his diet or fluid intake or to stop taking medications. If the tests involve inserting instruments into the urethra or rectum, antibiotics may be given before and after the test to prevent infection.

When Is A Psa Test Needed

If you are age 50 to 74, you should discuss the PSA test with your doctor. Ask about the possible risks and benefits.

Men under 50 or over 75 rarely need a PSA test, unless they have a high risk for prostate cancer.

• You are more likely to get prostate cancer if you have a family history of prostate cancer, especially in a close relative such as a parent or sibling.
• Your risks are higher if your relative got prostate cancer before age 60 or died from it before age 75. These early cancers are more likely to grow faster.
• If you have these risks, you may want to ask your doctor about getting the PSA test before age 50.

This report is for you to use when talking with your healthcare provider. It is not a substitute for medical advice and treatment. Use of this report is at your own risk.

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Normal Psa Levels By Age Chart

We mentioned earlier in this article that PSA levels increase with age due to age related growth of the prostate gland. A doctor will therefore take into account an age-adjusted PSA level when discussing your prostate health:

Although there are normal PSA levels by age range, it is still important to screen routinely to ensure these normal levels are not rising.

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How Is Prostate Cancer Detected

There is no single test to detect prostate cancer. The two most common tests are the prostate specific antigen blood test and the digital rectal examination .

The PSA test measures the level of PSA in your blood. It does not specifically test for cancer. Virtually all PSA is produced by the prostate gland. The normal range depends on your age. A PSA above the typical range may indicate the possibility of prostate cancer. However, two-thirds of cases of elevated PSA are due to noncancerous conditions such as prostatitis and BPH.

A DRE is generally conducted by a urologist to feel the prostate. While DRE is no longer recommended as a routine test for men who do not have symptoms of prostate cancer, it may be used to check for any changes in the prostate before doing a biopsy.

If either of these tests suggest an abnormality, other tests are necessary to confirm a diagnosis of prostate cancer, usually a magnetic resonance imaging scan and transrectal ultrasound biopsy.

Who Can Have The Psa Test

If you are over 50, you can ask your GP for a PSA test. GPs do not routinely offer PSA testing as part of a general health check, or if you do not have any symptoms.

If you ask for a PSA test, your GP will advise you to think carefully about the benefits and disadvantages.

If you have a higher risk of prostate cancer, it is important to talk to your GP about your personal risk. This is even if you do not have any symptoms. Early prostate cancer does not usually cause symptoms.

Talking to your GP can help you to make an informed decision about having a PSA test.

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What Are The Advantages Of Prostate Health Index Test

Because PHI has a better predictive ability, it has been recommended by the NCCN as a test to be used in men at risk for prostate cancer. the Prostate Health Index test is superior to total PSA, as well as free PSA to total PSA ratio when it comes to predicting the risk of having prostate cancer in men with PSA level under 10.

The PHI test is also superior to the PCA3 test in predicting whether a man has prostate cancer.

The PHI test can be used to choose men who need a prostate biopsy. The Prostate Health Index test can also be used to choose men who are unlikely to have prostate cancer and thus can avoid a biopsy.

Psa Test For Prostate Cancer

The prostate gland makes a protein called prostate specific antigen . This protein helps to nourish sperm. Normally, only tiny amounts of it enter the bloodstream.

Cancer cells in the prostate interfere with proper functioning and can cause large amounts of PSA to enter the bloodstream. Therefore, when high levels of PSA are detected in the bloodstream, this may indicate cancer.

Early prostate cancer often has no symptoms. However, high PSA levels can occur five to 10 years before the onset of prostate cancer symptoms. In such circumstances, the PSA test can help to indicate the presence of cancer at an early stage.

Other tests are needed to confirm a diagnosis because an abnormal PSA test can be due to non-cancerous causes. Equally, it is possible for a man to have a normal PSA level when cancer is present.

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Surgical procedures to remove the diseased prostate are usually necessary. Surgical procedures are not always necessary. If the disease is caused by bacterial infections, a doctor can treat the symptoms using alpha-blockers or surgery. Physical therapy, relaxation exercises, and warm baths are all recommended. A physician may also prescribe antibiotics to cure the infection. A bacterial infection can also cause a recurrence of the condition.

An enlarged prostate can be uncomfortable for both men and women. Some of the symptoms of an enlarged male reproductive organ include a weakened urine stream, urgent need to urinate, and urinary tract infections. BPH can also cause damage to the kidneys. A sudden inability to urinate can be life-threatening, as it can lead to bladder and kidney damage. Unfortunately, most men with enlarged prostrates put up with the symptoms for years before they seek treatment. However, many of the men with symptoms finally decide to go to a doctor for proper gynecological evaluation and to begin enlarged prostatic therapy.

Prostate Cancer Screening Ages 40 To 54

The PSA test is a blood test that measures how much of a particular protein is in your blood. Its been the standardfor prostate cancer screening for 30 years.

Your doctor will consider many factors before suggesting when to startprostate cancer screening. But hell probably start by recommending the PSAtest.

While the general guidelines recommend starting at age 55, you may need PSAscreening between the ages of 40 and 54 if you:

• Have at least one first-degree relative who has had prostate cancer
• Have at least two extended family members who have had prostate cancer
• Are African-American, an ethnicity that has a higher risk of developing more aggressive cancers

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I Have High Psa Levels: How Do I Find Out If I Have Prostate Cancer

Prostate cancer is the most common form of cancer in men. The first test most doctors use to screen for prostate cancer is the PSA test. A high PSA level can indicate the presence of cancer. But other factors besides cancer can cause an elevated PSA level. If your PSA level is rising, learn more about your options for finding out if you have prostate cancer.

What Is A Dangerous Psa Level

PSA levels are measured as a number of nanograms in each milliliter of fluid tested. This is written as ng/mL.

• PSA level 2.5 ng/mL or lower: This is a normal PSA level for those under age 60, but in some cases, prostate cancer may still be present.
• PSA level between 2.5 and 4 ng/mL: This is a normal PSA level for most people.
• PSA level between 4 and 10 ng/mL: This indicates that prostate cancer might be present. At this level, there is about a 25% chance that you have prostate cancer.
• PSA level 10 ng/mL or above: There is a 50 percent chance that prostate cancer is present. The higher the PSA rises above 10 ng/mL, the greater the chance that you have prostate cancer.

Your doctor may also monitor your PSA velocity, or doubling time, which means recording your baseline PSA the level at your very first PSA test and seeing how fast the PSA level increases over time. Rapid increases in PSA readings can suggest cancer. If your PSA is slightly high, you and your doctor may decide to keep an eye on your levels on a regular basis to look for any change in the PSA velocity.

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What Is The Psa Test

Prostate-specific antigen, or PSA, is a protein produced by normal, as well as malignant, cells of the prostate gland. The PSA test measures the level of PSA in the blood. For this test, a blood sample is sent to a laboratory for analysis. The results are usually reported as nanograms of PSA per milliliter of blood.

The blood level of PSA is often elevated in people with prostate cancer, and the PSA test was originally approved by the FDA in 1986 to monitor the progression of prostate cancer in men who had already been diagnosed with the disease. In 1994, FDA approved the PSA test to be used in conjunction with a digital rectal exam to aid in the detection of prostate cancer in men 50 years and older. Until about 2008, many doctors and professional organizations had encouraged yearly PSA screening for prostate cancer beginning at age 50.

PSA testing is also often used by health care providers for individuals who report prostate symptoms to help determine the nature of the problem.

In addition to prostate cancer, several benign conditions can cause a persons PSA level to rise, particularly prostatitis and benign prostatic hyperplasia . There is no evidence that either condition leads to prostate cancer, but someone can have one or both of these conditions and develop prostate cancer as well.

What Is The Controversy Surrounding Psa Screening

In recent years, there has been some controversy surrounding the PSA test. In 2012, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force assigned the PSA test a D rating. This meant that the USPSTF concluded the harms that resulted from PSA testing, such as unnecessary biopsies and negative treatment side effects, outweighed the benefits of finding and managing the disease early. This recommendation did not include exceptions for men at increased risk of developing the disease, such as African American men, those with a family history of the disease, and those with BRCA gene mutations. The USPSTF recommendation is important as it guides primary care physicians in preventive care and can impact insurance coverage and reimbursement for screening. Prior to its D rating, the PSA test had an I rating, meaning the USPSTF concluded there was insufficient evidence to assess the pros and cons of testing.

In May 2018, the USPSTF updated their recommendation on PSA screening. In response to new research demonstrating the benefits of PSA screening , an increase in the number of men choosing active surveillance, and advocacy efforts, the USPSTF released a draft recommendation in April 2017 that assigns the PSA test a C rating for men ages 55 to 69 . This rating has now been certified official by the task force.

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Kscore: A Better Mousetrap

4KScore provides the key to what was missing with the PSA test alone. It allows us to separate men who are at high risk for high-risk, aggressive prostate cancer from those who may never experience symptoms of prostate cancer.

#4KScore is a simple blood test. 4KScore is actually a combination of PSA test with a hK2 and a few other related tests .

4KScore can be used in combination with PHI to gain a better understanding of the risks associated with prostate cancer.

In our practice, we recommend the 4KScore test to all our patients who are at risk for prostate cancer. New York Urology Specialists is the first practice in the New York Metro area to offer 4KScore tests to our patients.

If you have any questions, to schedule a consultation or if you need a second opinion, pleasecontact us or call:

We see patients from all parts of New York City , Long Island, Westchester and New Jersey as well as other parts of the USA. We also see from Canada, Japan, South America, Russia, Asia, Europe, Middle East, Africa, the Caribbean and other parts of the world.

Repeating The Psa Test

A mans blood PSA level can vary over time , so some doctors recommend repeating the test after a month or so if the initial PSA result is abnormal. This is most likely to be a reasonable option if the PSA level is on the lower end of the borderline range . For higher PSA levels, doctors are more likely to recommend getting other tests, or going straight to a prostate biopsy.

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Getting A Prostate Biopsy

For some men, getting a prostate biopsy might be the best option, especially if the initial PSA level is high. A biopsy is a procedure in which small samples of the prostate are removed and then looked at under a microscope. This test is the only way to know for sure if a man has prostate cancer. If prostate cancer is found on a biopsy, this test can also help tell how likely it is that the cancer will grow and spread quickly.

For more details on the prostate biopsy and how it is done, see Tests to Diagnose and Stage Prostate Cancer.

For more information about the possible results of a prostate biopsy, see the Prostate Pathology section of our website.

When Is It Time To Stop Being Checked For Prostate Cancer

The answer depends on your current health and your level of concern about cancer.

Routine PSA testing to check for prostate cancer is no longer recommended for most men. But despite what the experts suggest, many men continue to opt for annual PSA tests. This includes a surprisingly large number of men in their 70s. In a recent study in the journal Cancer, more than half of a group of men 75 and older had PSA tests and biopsies.

These men have placed their hope in the value of early diagnosis and treatment, yet stand to gain less from PSA testing than younger men. Across all ages, routine PSA screening leads to life-saving treatment for cancer in about one in every 1,000 men screened.

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What Is The Phi Test

The PHI or Prostate Health Index test is a blood test that is used to predict the risk of having prostate cancer in men. The PHI test is used instead of the traditional PSA test. The Prostate Health Index test is actually derived from the PSA test. The PHI test is a combination of the free PSA, total PSA, and the proPSA isoform of free PSA. These 3 tests are mathematically combined in a formula that results in a Prostate Health Index or PHI score. The PHI score is a better predictor of prostate cancer than the total PSA test alone or the free PSA test alone. The Prostate Health Index is also a better predictor of prostate cancer risk than the free PSA to total PSA ratio or the free PSA ratio.

The PHI test offers better sensitivity as well as better sensitivity for prostate cancer. This means that men with a low score are less likely to have prostate cancer and those with a higher score are much more likely to have prostate cancer.

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What Does It Mean

A normal PSA level is less than 3-4 ng/mL. Higher PSA levels mean the risk of prostate cancer is increased. Heres how your PSA relates to cancer risk:

• Less than 3-4 ng/mL: The likelihood of prostate cancer is lower if your PSA level is less than 4 ng/mL. But this level doesnt completely rule out cancer. Around 1 in 7 people with normal PSA levels are discovered to have prostate cancer when more testing is done .

• Between 3 and 10 ng/mL: This means the risk of prostate cancer is about 1 in 4.

• Higher than 10 ng/mL: At this level, there is about a 50% chance that you have prostate cancer.

When interpreting your PSA level, its important to know if you have any other condition that could affect your PSA level. This way youll know whether you are at risk for having a low PSA level when cancer is present. Or a high level when there is no cancer.

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