It’s well known that the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test used to screen for prostate cancer is imprecise. Elevations in PSA levels may signal prostate cancer, but they also may be due to nonmalignant prostate conditions. Further complicating the screening process is that several medications and a number of other modifiable … Read More
An impacted bowel is one of the more unpleasant digestive issues you can experience. Bowel obstruction symptoms occur when a mass of dry, hard stool will not pass out of the colon or rectum. Bowel impaction can become a serious issue if not treated, and in extreme cases may even … Read More
PSA is prostate specific antigen, a protein made by prostate cells that shows up in your blood with a PSA blood test. PSA levels increase with prostate cancer, so PSA has been used as a screening test for prostate cancer for many years. A cancer screening test is a test … Read More
If your doctor has determined that you’re experiencing prostate cancer symptoms and that your otherwise normal PSA levels are elevated, he likely will order a biopsy of tissue from the prostate gland. Your doctor may elect to biopsy your prostate based on whether or not you have possible symptoms of … Read More
Despite the fact that there are roughly 221,000 new cases of prostate cancer diagnosed in American men each year, many of them have no prostate cancer symptoms. In these asymptomatic men, prostate cancer is often detected during routine screening with tests such as a digital rectal exam, urinalysis, and possibly … Read More
The vast majority of prostate cancers originate in the glandular cells of the prostate and are called adenocarcinomas. Prostate cancer is second only to skin cancer as the most common cancer seen in men in the United States. While most men do not die from prostate cancer, it is the … Read More
The term prostatitis describes inflammation of the prostate gland. Unlike other prostatic conditions, prostatitis affects younger and older men alike. It is common, affecting up to 1 in 12 men in their lifetime and keeping urologists busy. If you have symptoms of prostatitis, your physician will want to determine the … Read More
Your appendix is a small, tube-like organ attached to the first part of your large intestine, and located in the lower right part of your abdomen. It has no known function and for many people it causes no problem throughout life. However, if it becomes inflamed from blockage, this can … Read More
In today’s age, the term “digital” may make you think electronic or photographic. But, alas, digital here refers to a finger, so a digital rectal exam (DRE) is an examination of your rectum with the physician’s gloved and lubricated index finger. Both men and women undergo a digital rectal exam, … Read More
Anyone who has been faced with the prospect of prostate cancer will encounter the phrase "Gleason score." And what is the Gleason score? Doctors use it to help them predict the risk of how aggressive a prostate cancer may be and how likely it is to spread beyond the prostate … Read More
