PSA question?!
Question: PSA question!?
PSA is used to follow the progression of prostate cancer, yet it is also elevated in BPH!. When a PSA is ordered as a screening test and comes back elevated, is it more likely to be from prostate cancer or BPH!?Www@Answer-Health@Com
Answers:
Now that's the kind of question I expect from a top contributor!
Yes, PSA is elevated in both conditions, along with prostatits!. It's actually not the PSA level that we are worried about, it more of the rate of change of PSA!.
When PSA is elevated, it must be correlated with the physical findings!. If you find a multi-nodular prostate that is soft, then it is most likely from BPH!. If you feel a prostate with a large hard "bump," then prostate cancer is likely and you would need a TURNP (sp) or biopsy to distinguish the difference!.
In 80%+ of the cases, it is most likely BPH!.Www@Answer-Health@Com
Yes, PSA is elevated in both conditions, along with prostatits!. It's actually not the PSA level that we are worried about, it more of the rate of change of PSA!.
When PSA is elevated, it must be correlated with the physical findings!. If you find a multi-nodular prostate that is soft, then it is most likely from BPH!. If you feel a prostate with a large hard "bump," then prostate cancer is likely and you would need a TURNP (sp) or biopsy to distinguish the difference!.
In 80%+ of the cases, it is most likely BPH!.Www@Answer-Health@Com
A single PSA test isn't very helpful!. You really need to plot the reading over a period to get an idea if there is a disease process involved!. Even then, there are so many false positives, this test on it's own is sometimes considered more harmful than helpful!.
There are several new tests being developed that measure markers that are solely associated with cancer!. For the moment, someone with a PSA trending up will be asked to undergo a needle biopsy to determine if there are any cancer cells present!.Www@Answer-Health@Com
There are several new tests being developed that measure markers that are solely associated with cancer!. For the moment, someone with a PSA trending up will be asked to undergo a needle biopsy to determine if there are any cancer cells present!.Www@Answer-Health@Com