Explained: PSA or Prostate-Specific Antigen and levels

What is PSA?

PSA is also known as the prostate-specific antigen, is made by the prostate gland which, when rises in terms of level, may be a sign of prostate cancer which is a noncancerous condition such as prostatitis – or an enlarged prostate gland.

What is the available alternative PSA testing?

In the medical industry, newer PSA tests are coming up, which is helping the doctors decide if you need a biopsy. Here are the alternative testing options:

1.      Percent-free PSA – PSA takes two major forms in the blood: first, attached to blood patients; second, moves around freely. PSA, which is percent-free shows how much PSA moves freely compared to the total PSA level.

2.      PSA velocity – The velocity is not a separate test. Instead, it’s a measure of the change in your PSA levels over time.

3.      Urine PCA3 test – The urine test looks for a mix of genes that shows up in 50% of PSA-tested men with prostate cancer, which is another tool to decide if you need a biopsy.

With every test, there comes a challenge or a set of problems, so in this case,

                                                                         PSA

What are the problems with the PSA test?

1.      Finding PC doesn’t always protect you – The test results in finding small, slow-growing tumors that are not life-threatening. If the patient decides to treat them through surgery or radiation, it can expose them to harmful side effects and complications.

2.      The results are not always accurate – In case of a high-level PSA, you need not have cancer, the results can create a lot of worries and lead to medical procedures, you don’t need.

If you want more information about PSA or looking for a more effective way of reducing the PSA  level in your body, visit our official website now!