Prostate-Specific Antigen or PSA is a material that the cells of prostate are producing. It is found mostly in semen, but a tiny bit of it can be found in the blood. Elevated degree of this substance may or may not be an indication that there is a prostate cancer or an enlargement of prostate called prostatitis on the man individual.
Most of the healthy men’s PSA level is actually under four nanogram/milliliter of blood. This figure has been used like a cutoff period; any changes in this level would mean a possible trouble with the prostate gland. Meaning the chance of having a prostate cancer increases as the PSA level goes up. PSA level may also be used by the doctor for screening purposes. This is one way of testing the presence of the cancer even when there aren’t any symptoms projected.
There are reviews that men with below 4 PSA have a cancer whenever biopsy. When the PSA level is in the borderline range which means between 4 and Ten, you have about one in four chance of having cancer. When it is more than 10, 50% is your chance of having a cancer. This test isn’t 100%sure though. You need to undergo another test like the digital rectal exam or DRE for the physician to make certain whether indeed prostate cancer is present or not. If both tests are used and resulted to some positive prostate cancer, it is most likely at the early stage and is treatable. This is the benefit of individual who have undergone series of tests.
PSA test can help you spot the presence of possible prostate cancer, but it could not tell how dangerous the cancer is actually. The good thing about this test is that, an elevated PSA level would give the individual an opportunity to treat as early a potential the cancer that they never would have known they have. Treatment can be plan with the doctor before it becomes serious and untreatable which would lead to death. Surgery or radiation is the possible treatment of the cancer depending on the severity of the disease.
Other reasons why there is an increase in the actual PSA level includes: an enlarge prostate gland as the men grow older, as the men grows old, the actual PSA level also increases even if there is no abnormality in their prostate, Infection of the prostate gland called prostatitis and through ejaculation which happens only for a short time. Whatever the reason for the rise in the level of PSA above or below normal, a need to see your doctor is a must enemy further testing. This is also for your peace of mind which you must undergo. For more details, just simply visit this site http://www.PSALevels.org.
Tags: prostate cancer, PSA level, psa test