In guidelines newly proposed by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, younger men are being encouraged to talk with their doctor about prostate cancer screening. This is an abrupt turnaround from the group, which just five years ago opposed screening for men in this age group.
Read MoreEvery disease has its myths and misconceptions about them. Prostate cancer is no different. The confusion surrounding the disease is often fueled by bad advice from well-meaning friends and the fact that many men often avoid talking about their condition. Few men sit around discussing prostate cancer and if it is brought up, after a few wisecracks are made the topic is usually abruptly changed.
Read MoreProstate specific antigen (PSA) is a protein produced by cells of the prostate gland in men. A man may have a PSA blood test measuring the level of PSA in a man’s blood with the results reported as nanograms of PSA per milliliter (ng/ml) of blood. A normal PSA level is considered to be between 1.0 and 4.0 ng/ml. If the number is above 4.0, the level is considered abnormal or elevated.
Read MoreBiopsies from any area of the body can always make one nervous. The waiting and wondering of what the results will reveal can be worrisome to say the least. For men, just the thought of having a prostate needle biopsy can be anxiety driven due to the location of the body.
Read MoreTwo new studies published on Tuesday in The Journal of the American Medical Association highlight that likely in accordance to USPSTF recommendations against screening, fewer men are being screened for prostate cancer and fewer cases of early state prostate cancer are being detected. The question is, if decreased screening is leading to a lower rate of diagnosis, what does this mean for the future of prostate cancer patients?
Read MoreTreatment for a high, or elevated PSA depends on the underlying condition that is causing the PSA to elevate. There are a number of conditions that can cause the PSA to elevate. If you have a high PSA as a result of prostatitis, treatment includes a course of antibiotics. 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.
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 MoreWhat is prostatitis? Quite simply, it is a prostate infection. This condition involves inflammation of the prostate, the small walnut shaped male gland that produces seminal fluid. The direct causes of prostatitis are not fully known by the medical community, but some of the theories include past bacterial infections, irritation from urine back up, lower urinary tract issues, parasites, or viruses.
Read MoreThe enlarging of the prostate gland occurs naturally as men age. Unfortunately, this process can press on the urethra and result in nuisance side effects including urination and bladder problems. The good news is that an enlarged prostate is benign (not cancerous) nor will it increase your risk of prostate cancer; for these reasons it is often referred to as benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) or benign prostatic hypertrophy.
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