Have you ever wondered what the PSA blood test meant after reading your doctor’s prescription? I am sure there are quite a few who would like to know more about the test especially its name and what it meant. There are some tests that you should definitely opt for once you have crossed 50 years of age, especially men. Cancer, especially prostate cancer has the highest number of cases each year and it’s been rising steadily each year.
According to the Cancer India Organization, the prostate is among the top 10 areas of cancer in India based on Globocan 2012. It is the second-leading type of cancer among men in cities like Delhi, Pune, Kolkata, and Thiruvananthapuram, while it is the third leading cause of cancer in Mumbai and Bengaluru. The rates of incidence for this cancer are increasing every day and are projected to double by the year 2020.
The survival rate of patients in India varies with age, though the average 5-year survival rate is 64 percent. For patients below 55 years of age, it is 55 percent, those between 60-69 years is 74 percent and for patients above 70 years it falls down to 52 percent. Prostate cancer that is detected early when it is still in the prostate gland, has better chances of being treated successfully.
Early detection is possible through a screening test known as the PSA test i.e. the Prostate- Specific Antigen Blood Test. A substance produced by the prostate gland is known as Prostate specific antigen(PSA). The PSA Blood Test is done to check the levels of the same, where PSA blood test results may indicate prostate cancer, or conditions like prostatitis which is non-cancerous, or even an enlarged prostate. Another test that can also be used to check for cancer is the digital rectal exam. If the test results prove to be inconclusive then further tests are recommended to check for cancer.
Let’s understand the PSA test better.
A test which measures the quantity of prostate-specific antigen in your blood. The PSA is the protein that is produced by both the normal as well as the cancerous cells in the prostate. All men have some amount of PSA in their blood which could increase as they age. An increase in the level of PSA in the blood can indicate a problem with the gland, which may or may not be cancer.
All men above 50 years of age should get this test done once they have understood the advantages and drawbacks of it. Those who are above 45 years of age, but have a higher risk of developing prostate cancer may want to discuss with their doctors and get the test.
A high PSA level may be a mark of an issue with your prostate. They could mean.
There could be a number of reasons for the increase in the PSA levels. Quite a few times those with higher PSA levels do not suffer from prostate cancer, while those with a normal level may suffer from cancer. You may suffer from cancer if
The level of PSA in blood considered to be normal depends on your age. If you are
If your PSA is considered to be high, then the doctor may ask for further investigations. If you have normal PSA levels despite your age, then it requires no further investigations.
You would need to understand the whole gamut of the tests and how it may affect you before you make a decision to take the test.
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