Should I Be Screened For Prostate Cancer?
Every Man Should Know about Prostate Cancer Screening
Should I or shouldn’t I? That’s the question that men face when it comes to being tested for prostate cancer. What should men know about the benefits, concerns and risk of prostate cancer early detection before they make a decision about screening?
What is PSA?
PSA is a substance produced by normal and cancerous prostate cells.
When prostate cancer grows or when prostate diseases are present, the amount of PSA in the blood often increases. PCEC experts believe the normal PSA range is most commonly considered to be 0-1.5ng/mL. It is important to track how your PSA level changes over time. If your PSA level is rising, regardless of the result value, your doctor may recommend a prostate biopsy.
Because there are no early warning signs for prostate cancer men may choose to undergo a screening for the disease. Screening for
prostate cancer does not provide a diagnosis, it provides valuable information to aid in finding the disease early.
New tests or markers under development may aid in the detection of prostate cancer. A biomarker is a biological molecule found in blood, body fluids, or tissues that is a sign of a normal or abnormal condition or disease. Markers may also be used to see how the body responds to a treatment for a disease.
