Wednesday 10 November 2010

Should You be Concerned About A Silent Killer?

What is Prostate Specific Antigen Test and

Risk of prostate cancer in two age groups base... Image via Wikipedia

Why You Must Undergo Such Test?

In today’s fast-paced world, we have so many things to be concerned about.  Special attention should be given relative to our physical condition.  We oftentimes made little or no concern about healthy lifestyle or staying fit and right.

Many times, it is at the end stage of the disease or illness that we made attention to our condition or to those of our loved ones. Those are times when any amount of cure is no longer available.

Thus, a need for early detection of the disease is more helpful.

This is the reason why Prostate Specific Antigen test is being made to analyze its level which might probably lead to Prostate Cancer.

Prostate Specific Antigen Background

PSA was first used to aid authorities in solving rape cases. They looked for substance in seminal fluid from among the suspects.  Today, people from medical area put that kind of test into good use, that is, to detect probability of prostate cancer.

Prostate Specific Antigen is a type of protein which usually produces by the prostate glands among men. The PSA levels are commonly being studied though a blood test and the standard level of PSA should not be over 4 ng/ml. Even though this examination does not give an ultimate analysis for an illness, a higher PSA level may probably be a sign of problem with the prostate.

PSA Test Aids in Prostate Cancer Detection Thus Lowering Death Cases

A yearly screening examination for men ages 40 and up are recommended since they are at high risk of getting higher PSA levels.

Being known to be related to prostate cancer, many men are anxious and worried about having higher PSA prostate levels. Although, many times this is not the case since many factors can also be considered to contribute to such condition like benign prostatic hypertrophy and prostatitis.

Over the years, with this kind of test, deaths related cases due to prostate cancer went down by  44% among those underwent the test, in contrast with those who haven’t underwent the said test.

More likely, members of the screened group have their cancer diagnosed and treated while it was in an early stage.

Said testing detects prostate cancer in its early stage.  With this, many lives were saved instead of dying of the said disease.

PSA Results are not final

PSA findings can sometimes be not as reliable as it can be for cases such as when the patient often rides a motorcycle or when a person, 2 days before the examination, was not involved in masturbating activity.  You must therefore consider a second opinion from another doctor or perform another test after it whenever you have results of higher prostate levels.

Commonly done, a PSA examination is associated with a digital rectal exam to physically study the presence of a tumor. However, to have a factual test of prostate cancer, it is recommended to have a biopsy.

An Ounce of Prevention is Better than a Pound of Cure!

Early detection of the disease means early treatment can be made.  Never rely on myths when it comes to your health.  Always make your future actions based on truthful evidence especially on factual and precise matter.

After all, everything will still truly depend on you.  On how you react and what actions should you take. Get Help on PSA!


View the original article here

No comments:

Post a Comment