The Test Is Often Not Needed
Most men with high PSAs dont have prostate cancer. Their high PSAs might be due to:
- An enlarged prostate gland.
- Recent sexual activity.
- A recent, long bike ride.
Up to 25% of men with high PSAs may have prostate cancer, depending on age and PSA level. But most of these cancers do not cause problems. It is common for older men to have some cancer cells in their prostate glands. These cancers are usually slow to grow. They are not likely to spread beyond the prostate. They usually dont cause symptoms, or death.
Studies show that routine PSA tests of 1,000 men ages 55 to 69 prevent one prostate cancer death. But the PSA also has risks.
Risk Factors For Prostate Cancer
Some risk factors have been linked to prostate cancer. A risk factor is something that can raise your chance of developing a disease. Having one or more risk factors doesnât mean that you will get prostate cancer. It just means that your risk of the disease is greater.
- Age. Men who are 50 or older have a higher risk of prostate cancer.
- Race. African-American men have the highest risk of prostate cancerâthe disease tends to start at younger ages and grows faster than in men of other races. After African-American men, prostate cancer is most common among white men, followed by Hispanic and Native American men. Asian-American men have the lowest rates of prostate cancer.
- Family history. Men whose fathers or brothers have had prostate cancer have a 2 to 3 times higher risk of prostate cancer than men who do not have a family history of the disease. A man who has 3 immediate family members with prostate cancer has about 10 times the risk of a man who does not have a family history of prostate cancer. The younger a manâs relatives are when they have prostate cancer, the greater his risk for developing the disease. Prostate cancer risk also appears to be slightly higher for men from families with a history of breast cancer.
- Diet. The risk of prostate cancer may be higher for men who eat high-fat diets.
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Weighing Your Options For Treatment
If you test positive for prostate cancer, you have some options as to what youd like to do about it. Until recently, nearly everyone opted for surgery or radiation, while some patients choose not to undergo treatment, instead opting for active surveillance, during which the cancers are left alone but regularly monitored to be certain that theyre not growing.
Certainly, screening can lead to earlier prostate cancer detection, and with earlier detection, youre eligible for multiple different treatments or active surveillance, said Sia Daneshmand, MD, director of urologic oncology at USC Urology of Keck Medicine of USC and associate professor of urology at Keck School of Medicine of USC. So we encourage patients who are candidates for screening to discuss it with their urologist and/or primary care physician so that we can determine whats the best course of treatment for them.
There also is a new option for those seeking prostate cancer treatment. Its called High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound , which uses ultrasound beams to non-surgically destroy prostate tumors.
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What Are Clinical Trials And Are They Right For You
Clinical trials are part of clinical research and at the heart of all medical advances. Clinical trials look at new ways to prevent, detect, or treat disease. Researchers also use clinical trials to look at other aspects of care, such as improving the quality of life for people with chronic illnesses. Find out if clinical trials are right for you.
Take A Look At What Makes Us Different
The overall service form start to finish was excellent. The speed in the delivery of the testing kit to the results being issued makes such a difference, thank you very much.
From booking the tests to receiving my results the whole process has been smooth and slick. Excellent communication and detailed information sent on receiving results. In all an excellent service, thank you.
Prompt and efficient service. Fast notification of results.
Received my results in a matter of days. The test is very easy to use and I will get my grown up children to apply for the test as it gives you piece of mind.
Great service, quick results and I feel reassured. Thank you.
From booking the tests to receiving my results the whole process has been smooth and slick. Excellent communication and detailed information sent on receiving results. In all an excellent service, thank you.
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What If My Test Results Are Abnormal
If the results of the PSA test or the DRE suggest that you might have prostate cancer, your doctor will conduct further testing. The PSA test may be repeated, or you may be sent to a specialist for more tests such as a biopsy.
Detecting prostate cancer early gives you the best chance of living longer. In fact, when it is caught early, the 5-year survival rate is over 99 percent.
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What Do You Want Men To Know About Prostate Cancer
The important thing to know is that, if you live long enough, you will probably get prostate cancer. If you live into your 80s, about 80 percent of men have some sort of prostate cancer. That doesnt mean theyre going to die from prostate cancer because, as a percentage, very few men die from prostate cancer. It means its important to be aware of it and consider screening early, so if its a high-grade type, we can identify it and treat it.
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What Do My Psa Test Results Mean
Once your test results are back, your healthcare provider will let you know if any additional testing is recommended. PSA levels can vary over time for several reasons unrelated to prostate cancer . So, if you have a borderline PSA, your provider may simply recommend another PSA test in six months or so.
What Is The Chance Of A Diagnosis Of Prostate Cancer
Around 17,000 new cases of prostate cancer are diagnosed each year in Australia. It affects mostly men in older age groups and is rare in men under 50 years of age.
The chance of developing prostate cancer is significantly higher in men who have a close relative with prostate cancer the risks are higher if the relative was diagnosed before the age of 60.
If you have a family history of prostate cancer, talk to your doctor.
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How Can You Screen For Prostate Cancer From Home
01.May.2020
Prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers among American men about 1 in 9 men will be diagnosed with it during their lifetime. Although common, prostate cancer can be successfully treated when diagnosed early which is what makes regular screening crucial.
Although a doctors visit is always recommended for a full examination, you can screen for signs of prostate cancer from home by using an at-home lab test.
Symptoms Of Prostate Cancer
When this happens, you may notice things like:
- an increased need to pee
- straining while you pee
- a feeling that your bladder has not fully emptied
These symptoms should not be ignored, but they do not mean you have prostate cancer.
It’s more likely they’re caused by something else, such as prostate enlargement.
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Should I Have A Psa Test
If you have no symptoms of prostate cancer and are thinking about having a PSA test, you should ask your doctor about the risks and benefits.
While some studies suggest PSA reduces mortality on a population basis, the test picks up large numbers of cancers that would have caused no symptoms or harm in the patient. This is known as overdiagnosis. Overdiagnosis of prostate cancer can lead to unnecessary treatments that have side effects such as sexual impotence, urinary incontinence and bowel problems.
It is important to balance the potential benefit of detecting a prostate cancer early against the risk that detection and treatment may not be necessary. Treatment may affect your lifestyle but it may also save your life.
Make your own decision about whether to be tested after a discussion with your doctor. Ensure you get good quality information to make an informed decision.
Screening tests for breast, bowel and cervical cancer can save lives, but there is still confusion around PSA testing for prostate cancer. Find more information here.
Remember, if you have any concerns or questions, please contact your doctor.
What Is A Prostate Ultrasound Used For
A prostate ultrasound is used to check your prostate gland using ultrasound imagery. The procedure provides your doctor with black-and-white images of your prostate and the surrounding tissues. Your doctor usually wont do this as part of a physical examination, but they may recommend it if:
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Living With Prostate Cancer
As prostate cancer usually progresses very slowly, you can live for decades without symptoms or needing treatment.
Nevertheless, it can affect your life. As well as the possible side effects of treatment, a diagnosis of prostate cancer can understandably make you feel anxious or depressed.
You may find it beneficial to talk about the condition with your family, friends, a GP and other people with prostate cancer.
Financial support is also available if prostate cancer reduces your ability to work.
How Accurate Is A Prostate Ultrasound
A prostate ultrasound is more accurate than an X-ray. This is because your technician can see the images as the transducer moves through your rectum rather than having to take a snapshot and develop the images. Ultrasound tests are also safer than X-rays because they dont produce any dangerous radiation.
A prostate ultrasound is also faster than a computed tomography test, which provides 3-D images of your prostate and the areas around it. CT scans require more preparation and time for testing, and they dont provide real-time images.
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Further Testing For Advanced Cancer
If theres a significant chance the cancer has spread from your prostate to other parts of the body, further tests may be recommended.
These include:
- an MRI scan, CT scan or PET scan these scans build a detailed picture of the inside of your body
- an isotope bone scan, which can tell if the cancer has spread to your bones a small amount of radiation dye is injected into the vein and then collects in parts of the bone where there are any abnormalities
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How To Test For Prostate Cancer At Home
First of all, it is highly unrecommended to reach a diagnosis without being in the care of a doctor. Self-diagnosis can lead to false conclusions and treatments that are ineffective.
In case of suspicions of prostate cancer, a doctor is the only specialist who can identify and confirm the nature of an illness. However, men can check for prostate cancer at home by remaining watchful around any sign of symptoms.
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Examination Of Your Prostate Gland
When your doctor examines you, it might include feeling your prostate gland. To do this your doctor puts a gloved finger into your back passage to check for abnormal signs. They feel for any lumps or your prostate feeling larger than it should for your age. Doctors call this a digital rectal examination .
Its normal to feel anxious about this test and it might be uncomfortable. But it usually only lasts a few minutes.
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What Are Psa Tests
A first step in testing for prostate cancer is a prostate-specific antigen test. PSA is a protein made by the prostate, the small gland underneath the bladder.
In some cases, an elevated PSA level can be a sign of prostate cancer. However, not all elevated PSA levels is a sign of prostate cancer. PSA is also found in enlargement of the prostate , infections, and inflammation of the prostate .
Since PSA is found in the blood, a PSA test is usually taken with a finger prick.
A PSA test will not provide enough information for a diagnosis, but it may help your doctor decide if cancer is likely and what to do next. While PSA tests once required you to be present in a lab or at your doctors office, you can now administer a test from your own home.
PSA tests can also be used to assess the effectiveness of treatments and monitor progress. The tests could be done to monitor for recurrence of cancer or other conditions.
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Can Prostate Cancer Be Found Early
Screening is testing to find cancer in people before they have symptoms. For some types of cancer, screening can help find cancers at an early stage, when they are likely to be easier to treat.
Prostate cancer can often be found early by testing for prostate-specific antigen levels in a mans blood. Another way to find prostate cancer is the digital rectal exam . For a DRE, the doctor puts a gloved, lubricated finger into the rectum to feel the prostate gland. These tests and the actual process of screening are described in more detail in Screening Tests for Prostate Cancer.
If the results of either of these tests is abnormal, further testing is often done to see if a man has cancer.
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What If You Have Metastatic Castration
This means you have a type of metastatic prostate cancer thatââ¬â¢s able to grow and spread after you had hormone therapy to lower your testosterone levels.
Still, most people with mCRPC stay on androgen deprivation therapy because it might still be effective against some prostate cancer cells.
Your doctor may recommend adding other treatments like:
- Treatments to ease symptoms like pain
You could also find out if a clinical trial might be right for you.
Some people with mCRPC simply choose to try active surveillance or watchful waiting.
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What Tests Might I Have At The Hospital
If youre given an appointment with a hospital specialist, they may do some of the tests you had at the GP surgery again. You may also have other tests, including the tests described below.
Symptom questionnaire
You might be asked to fill in a short questionnaire about your symptoms. This is called the International Prostate Symptom Score and is used to see how bad your symptoms are and how much they are bothering you.
Urine flow test
Youll be asked to urinate into a machine that measures the speed of your urine flow. Men with an enlarged prostate usually have a slower flow than other men. You’ll need a full bladder for the test. The doctor or nurse will tell you how much to drink before you have the test. They may also ask you not to urinate for two to three hours before the test.
Pelvic ultrasound scan
This shows how much urine your bladder can hold, and if it is emptying properly. You may have the scan straight after the urine flow test to see how much urine is left in your bladder after you urinate. You may also have an ultrasound scan to look at your kidneys.
How Do I Find My Prostate From The Outside
If youre not comfortable with the idea of sticking your fingers to your bottom, dont worry. You can also do it from the outside. This is what you should do:
- Even if you dont feel the gland, you may experience a voiding sensation if your bladder is full.
- Some practitioners may also rub the area above the pubic bone to perform a prostate massage from the outside. However, this method is more indirect and may cause intense voiding urgency.
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What To Do If You Are Worried About Prostate Cancer
Talk to your GP if you’re worried about prostate cancer. Or if you have urinary symptoms such as difficulty passing urine. The symptoms don’t mean that you have prostate cancer, but it is important to get them checked.
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Adult screening programme Prostate cancerUK National Screening Committee, Last accessed March 20222
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Screening for prostate cancer. External review against programme appraisal criteria for the UK National Screening CommitteeUK National Screening Committee, October 2020
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Prostate cancer: ESMO clinical practice guidelines for diagnosis, treatment and follow upC Parker and others
Indicators Of Prostate Cancer
As previously mentioned, prostate cancer will often present no symptoms in the early stages. If you have any concerns about prostate cancer, you should talk to your doctor.
If symptoms do occur, they may include:
- An increased need to urinate, especially at night
- A sudden need to urinate
- Feeling like the bladder has not emptied fully
- Difficulty starting or stopping a stream of urine
- Pain in the pelvis, thighs, and back
- Erectile dysfunction
You can screen for prostate cancer from home with LetsGetCheckeds at-home PSA test. This test is a screening tool which can help detect signs of prostate cancer in the blood. A raised PSA level can occur due to non-cancerous enlargement or inflammation of the prostate. These conditions also require further investigation.
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