Prostate Cancer Screening
Source: MedlinePlus Health Topics, U.S. National Library of Medicine
What is cancer screening? Cancer is a disease when the cells of the body grow out of control. Cancer screening is having tests to look for signs of cancer before you have any symptoms. By the time cancer causes symptoms, it may have already spread to other parts of your body. A screening test may help find cancer early, when it may be easier to treat. Cancer screening only tells you whether you might have cancer. It doesn't diagnose cancer. If a screening test shows signs of cancer, you'll need to have other tests to find out if you do have cancer and how serious it may be. What is prostate cancer screening? Prostate cancer screening looks for signs of cancer in the prostate. The prostate is a gland in the male reproductive system. It lies just below the bladder. It makes fluid that is part of semen. Prostate cancer is most common in people over age 50. It usually grows slowly and doesn't cause health problems. In fact, it's possible to live a long life with prostate cancer and never know you have it. But in certain cases, prostate cancer may spread to other parts of the body and can be very serious. The goal of prostate cancer screening is to find prostate cancers that may be more likely to spread so they can be treated early. What tests screen for prostate cancer? Two tests are commonly used to screen for prostate cancer: A prostate-specific antigen test , also called a PSA blood test. PSA is a protein made by your prostate. A high level of PSA in your blood may mean you have prostate cancer, but it's not proof of cancer. That's because many other things may cause high PSA levels, including: Having an enlarged prostate (benign prostatic hyperplasia or BPH) Having other common prostate problems Taking certain medicines In general, the higher your PSA, the more likely it is that you have cancer. But a low PSA blood level isn't a guarantee that you don't have cancer. Digital Rectal Examination (DRE). The DRE is a prostate exam. In this exam, your health care provider