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Weymouth Bay Medical Practice
FacebookPSA Testing: What you need to know
What is the prostate gland?
The prostate gland lies below the bladder in men. It produces fluid that, together with sperm cells from the testicles and fluids from other glands, makes up semen.
It gets bigger as men get older and can become cancerous in some men.
It produces a protein called prostate-specific antigen (PSA). A blood test can measure the level of PSA.
Prostate Cancer
Prostate cancer is caused when the cells of the prostate gland grow uncontrollably. It is the most common cancer in men in the UK and mostly affects men over the age of 50. The risk increases with age, if you’re Black, or have family history of prostate cancer.
Symptoms
In the early stage, Prostate cancers may not cause any symptoms.
If you notice urinary symptoms, you should speak to your GP.
PSA blood test
Possible advantages:
- It may help pick up prostate cancer before you have any symptoms.
- It may help pick up fast-growing cancer at an early stage when treatment could stop it from spreading or causing significant symptoms.
Possible disadvantages:
- Some individuals may have a raised PSA level but do not have prostate cancer.
- It can miss prostate cancer. A small proportion of men who have a low PSA will later be found to have prostate cancer.
- If your PSA level is raised, you may need a biopsy. This can cause side effects, such as pain, infection and bleeding. Not all men will need to have a biopsy.
- You may be diagnosed with a slow-growing cancer that would never have caused any problems or shortened your life. Being diagnosed with cancer could make you worry, and you might decide to have treatment you do not need. Cancer treatments may also cause urinary, bowel and erection problems.
Should I have a prostate blood test?
Having a PSA test on its own is not enough to ensure that the prostate gland is healthy. This is why you should speak with your GP about your risk of prostate cancer and discuss the advantages and disadvantages of the test. You will also need an examination of the prostate gland.