Prostate Restored
Photo by Rodolfo Clix Pexels Logo Photo: Rodolfo Clix

What is the most common test for prostate cancer?

If your doctor determines you should undergo screening, he or she will most likely recommend the PSA test. For more than 30 years, the PSA test has been the gold standard in prostate cancer screening. This simple blood test measures how much prostate-specific antigen is in your blood.

How much cinnamon should I take daily to lower my blood pressure?
How much cinnamon should I take daily to lower my blood pressure?

An analysis from 2020 found that supplementing with at least 2 g of cinnamon per day could significantly lower both systolic and diastolic blood...

Read More »
Does zinc lower blood pressure?
Does zinc lower blood pressure?

The researchers found that zinc affects the muscles, endothelial cells, and sensory nerves together, reducing the amount of calcium in the muscles...

Read More »

Reviewed By:

What you may not know: There are several options when it comes to prostate cancer screening . After considering multiple factors, your doctor may recommend the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test, and/or one of the newer screening tests that are now available. You may know that prostate cancer is one of the most common cancer types in men. The good news is that there are many treatment and management options, even if the cancer is caught at a later stage.

PSA Test: The Current Prostate Screening Standard

Before recommending when you should be screened for prostate cancer, your doctor will consider many factors, such as:

Age

Family history, particularly whether any of your family members have had prostate cancer

Race, as African-American men have a higher risk of developing prostate cancer

If your doctor determines you should undergo screening, he or she will most likely recommend the PSA test. For more than 30 years, the PSA test has been the gold standard in prostate cancer screening. This simple blood test measures how much prostate-specific antigen is in your blood.

New Prostate Cancer Blood Test

If you have an abnormal PSA score, your doctor may recommend another newer test that gives a better sense of your prostate cancer risk . The prostate health index (PHI) is one such test that is a more accurate blood test and measures your risk for having prostate cancer. It’s approved by the FDA for men who have PSA scores between 4 and 10.

What are the benefits of the PHI test?

Fewer unnecessary biopsies: Some men who have elevated PSA scores are unsure about getting an invasive biopsy. This tool can be used to better determine whether your risk is high enough to warrant a biopsy. Some men who have elevated PSA scores are unsure about getting an invasive biopsy. This tool can be used to better determine whether your risk is high enough to warrant a biopsy. More accurate: This test is better at detecting prostate cancer. It can also detect whether you have a more aggressive type of cancer. This information can guide doctors to a more targeted treatment plan for you. If you score low on the PHI test, your doctor may recommend monitoring you over time to see if your levels rise enough to cause concern.

How do you get hard after prostate cancer?
How do you get hard after prostate cancer?

Medical Treatments Medications: Well-known drugs like sildenafil (Revatio, Viagra), tadalafil (Adcirca, Cialis), and vardenafil (Levitra, Staxyn)...

Read More »
Does DHT change face?
Does DHT change face?

Women with too much dihydrotestosterone may develop increased body, facial and pubic hair growth (called hirsutism), stopping of menstrual periods...

Read More »

Prostate Cancer Urine Test

This test detects the gene PCA3 in your urine and can also help your doctor better assess your prostate cancer risk. PCA3 is a prostate-specific noncoding RNA. It’s a gene that’s only in your prostate. If the gene is “overexpressed” (meaning there are too many copies of it), then there’s a greater chance you have prostate cancer. Like PSA and PHI tests, this isn’t definitive, either. But data suggest that when cancer is present, the PCA3 will be positive 80 percent of the time. This test can also help your doctor determine whether a biopsy is necessary. Both of these new tests are more accurate than the PSA test. Your doctor may recommend one or more than one, based on the specifics of your case.

Prostate Biopsy Changes

To definitively confirm a prostate cancer diagnosis, you’ll need to have a biopsy, which is when doctors remove a tissue sample from the prostate. Advancements here, too, are ensuring more accuracy, so there is less risk of misdiagnosis. In a prostate biopsy, doctors have traditionally taken eight to 12 needle biopsies along the prostate, in a random sample. It’s a good, but not perfect, picture of prostate cancer. Due to imaging improvements, doctors can now use MRI imaging technology before a biopsy to look for areas in the prostate that are suspicious for cancer. Newly available technology can fuse MRI images with real time ultrasound to help guide the prostate needle biopsies to any areas of specific concern.

Can a urologist diagnose prostatitis?
Can a urologist diagnose prostatitis?

Prostatitis is the most common condition urologists deal with in men under 50 years of age, but it is one of the most challenging conditions to...

Read More »
What 3 foods do cardiologists say to avoid?
What 3 foods do cardiologists say to avoid?

“Avoid any foods that have the words 'trans,' 'hydrogenated,' or 'partially hydrogenated' on the label [indicating bad fats], often found in...

Read More »
What food helps with brain fog?
What food helps with brain fog?

Eating foods such as fatty fish rich in omega-3, nuts, and leafy greens – as well as a hearty cup of coffee – can boost your cognitive functions....

Read More »
Do surgeons sit during surgery?
Do surgeons sit during surgery?

Although intraoperative decision making is critical to performing surgery, executing an operation is a physically demanding task. Surgeons stand or...

Read More »