Researchers are developing new screening tests for prostate cancer. Knowing your free PSA level won’t give you a definitive answer about cancer, but it may be useful when considering whether a biopsy is an appropriate next step.
Several studies suggest that men with elevated PSA levels and a very low percentage of free PSA are more likely to have prostate cancer than a benign condition. The PSA protein circulates in the blood in two forms: bound to other proteins or unbound (free). Some doctors also measure the level of free PSA. PSA scores tend to rise more rapidly in men with cancer than in those with BPH, for example.
And most doctors observe how a man’s PSA level changes over time, a measure called PSA velocity, rather than using it as a one-time indicator. For this reason, some experts take a man’s age into account when considering a PSA level. About 20% of men who have cancer also have a normal PSA (less than 4 ng/ml), so the test may give some men a false sense of security. However, many men undergo an ultrasound and prostate biopsy, to be certain.Ĭonversely, the PSA test doesn’t detect all cancers. In fact, studies have shown that about 70% to 80% of men with an elevated PSA who have a biopsy do not have cancer. Noncancerous conditions, including benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), or an enlarged prostate, and prostatitis, can raise PSA levels. How reliable is the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test when it comes to detecting prostate cancer?Īlthough PSA testing can help catch prostate cancer at an early stage, having an elevated PSA (generally considered more than 4 ng/ml) doesn’t necessarily mean that a man has cancer.
0 kommentar(er)
