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
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
As is the case with most cancers, the earlier prostate cancer is detected, the greater the odds of a cure. Proponents argue that a PSA screening is the only way to catch prostate cancer at an early stage. They also point to the fact that death rates from prostate cancer … Read More
Before widespread prostate cancer screening began in the late 1980s, many men newly diagnosed with the disease had advanced cancer that had spread beyond the prostate. Today, in the screening era, most men with the disease are diagnosed when their cancer is in an earlier, more curable stage. But, even … Read More
There is no universally accepted "normal" PSA level. In the past, a PSA of 4 nanograms per milliliter of blood (ng/ml) or less was considered normal; however, more recent studies have shown that some men with PSAs below 4 have prostate cancer and some men with PSAs over 4 do … Read More
In the fall of 2016, actor Ben Stiller revealed that he had been treated successfully for prostate cancer in 2014. Stiller credited his physician and the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening test for saving his life. His announcement comes at a time when rates of prostate cancer screening and diagnosis are … Read More
Until now, your prostate has given you little cause for concern. But now that you’re older, it’s commanding attention. You have benign prostatic hyperplasia, and your prostate—normally as small as a walnut—is now the size of a baseball, and it’s wreaking havoc on your lifestyle. You wake up several times … Read More
Three big letters: P-S-A. In the world of urology and men’s health, perhaps no three letters generate more controversy. Since the early 1990s, the prostate-specific antigen (or PSA) blood test has served as the cornerstone of prostate cancer early detection. Today, it remains at the center of a debate over … Read More
