A new study suggests that patients with prostate cancer who have low prostate antigen, or PSA, levels have a higher risk for cancer-specific death compared with patients whose PSA levels are high. A low PSA level was considered less than or equal to 2.5 ng/mL or 2.6 to 4 ng/m, while a high PSA level was considered 10.1 to 20 ng/mL The study was published online in the journal Cancer.
Read MoreProstate cancer is the second most common cancer among men in the United States. African-Americans have the highest risk of developing prostate cancer among any other racial group. Prostate cancer in African-American men also tends to be more aggressive.
Key statistics about African-American men and prostate cancer:
Read MoreAn elevated PSA can mean a number of underlying conditions. Many people often associate an elevated PSA with prostate cancer, but that is not always the case. While prostate cancer is very common among older men, there are other conditions that may be affecting the prostate that could be the reason for developing an elevated PSA.
Read MoreAn elevated PSA can mean a number of underlying conditions. Many people often associate an elevated PSA with prostate cancer, but that is not always the case. While prostate cancer is very common among older men, there are other conditions that may be affecting the prostate that could be the reason for developing an elevated PSA. The PSA elevates in the blood as a result of the prostate cells or gland being disrupted in some way. A “normal” PSA level is generally between 1.0 and 4.0 ng/mL.
Read MoreA “normal” PSA level is generally between 1.0 and 4.0 ng/mL. Anything above 4.0ng/mL is considered “abnormal” or elevated. The PSA level may differ depending on a man’s age. As men age, the prostate gets larger. A larger prostate produces more PSA. Therefore, younger men generally have lower PSA levels while older men tend to have higher PSA levels. These variations in PSA levels are not always associated with a prostate condition, other than an enlarged prostate. The PSA level may also vary depending on the man’s ethnicity or if they have a family history of prostate cancer.
Read MoreA man may have an elevated PSA for a number of reasons. An elevated PSA is a result of the prostate cells or gland being disrupted in some way. The treatment for having an elevated PSA will depend on what is causing the PSA to rise. Let’s take a look as the most common causes of an elevated PSA: Prostatitis. Prostatitis also means a prostate infection, which causes inflammation of the prostate gland. Prostatitis is the most common prostate condition in men younger than 50. It can usually be treated with antibiotics.
Read MoreProstate cancer effects millions of men each year, whether newly diagnosed or living with prostate cancer. Despite the amount of lives this cancer affects, the tools for diagnosis fall short. For this reason it is important to use the tools that we do have to their fullest capacity. The percent free PSA, for instance.
Read MoreA PSA test is a blood test used to measure the level of PSA in the blood. Many have heard the 3 letter abbreviation, especially if you are a man over 50, but what exactly is a PSA? PSA is the abbreviation for Prostate-Specific Antigen, which is a protein produced by the cells of the prostate gland. The PSA is often called a biological or tumor marker because it can be used to detect disease. The disease in this case is prostate cancer. Therefore the PSA test measures the level of PSA in the blood, like we mentioned above, in order to screen for prostate cancer.
Read MoreConsider these facts on prostate cancer. More than 200,000 men will develop prostate cancer this year, making it the #1 cancer in men after skin cancer. Almost 30,000 men will die of prostate cancer, second only to lung cancer. Detecting and treating prostate cancer early is the key to cure. Unfortunately prostate cancer screening guidelines vary among organizations with no universally accepted standard. As a consequence this has created confusion among patients and caregivers alike. The importance of being an educated patient has never been greater.
Read MoreThe U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends against PSA (prostate specific antigen) screening for prostate cancer. The task force currently gives PSA screening a grade D, meaning that there is moderate or high certainty that the PSA test has no benefit or that the harms outweigh the benefits. This recommendation was first issued in 2011.
Read MoreUrologists from the American Urological Association, otherwise known as the AUA, say they do not agree with the US Preventive Services Task Force recommendation against screening for prostate cancer. The task force has argued and continues to argue that there is no good evidence to support screening for prostate cancer using the PSA (prostate-specific antigen) blood test.
Read MorePeter Latos died from prostate cancer at the age of 48. He always said "One simple blood test," could save a man's life. Here's what men need to know.
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