What is prostate-specific antigen (PSA)?
Prostate-specific antigen (or PSA) is a type of protein produced by both the normal cells in your prostate and also by prostate cancer cells.
What is prostate-specific antigen (PSA) testing?
PSA testing involves a blood test; it measures the total PSA level in your blood.
If you present with a high PSA level, it can be indicative of having prostate cancer. However, sometimes those men with normal PSA levels can actually have prostate cancer.
Your IPSA Medical PSA consultation
During your full-length IPSA Medical PSA consultation in our professional, confidential and calm IPSA Medical clinic, your IPSA Medical clinician will treat you in a person-centred, holistic manner, and before having your PSA blood test, to ascertain your risk for prostate cancer, he will discuss any of your prostate symptoms with you, explain the pros/cons of PSA testing and then he will examine your prostate. At your IPSA Medical clinic, your privacy is our goal, and we work with you at all times, explaining simply and clearly both your results and our findings, and offering future guidance depending on the PSA test and consultation outcome. Your IPSA Medical clinician will offer you immediate treatment to reduce your symptoms (e.g. urinary flow issues, or problems with urgency and frequency). You will be seen at once for your PSA consultation, with a time slot that fits in with your busy schedule.
What can affect my PSA level?
Both your age and having a current urine infection can affect your PSA level.
What can cause me to have an enlarged prostate?
Ejaculation, prostatitis, extreme exercising, prostate cancer and having a biopsy can all lead to an enlarged prostate. In the 6 weeks prior to your PSA test, having a prostate biopsy, having a catheter inserted, or having an operation on either your bladder or prostate can also affect your results.
What do the PSA results mean?
Your PSA test result alone is not used for prostate cancer diagnosis, because PSA levels naturally increase when you get older because your prostate gland also gets bigger as you age. Even though having a high PSA level for your particular age might be indicative of prostate cancer, it can be because of other factors.
Men’s health: Advantages of the IPSA Medical PSA test
The IPSA Medical PSA test can help in picking up more aggressive forms of cancer earlier, when treatment can quite often prevent your prostate cancer from developing further.
Although having regular PSA tests might be beneficial for men presenting with higher risk factors for prostate cancer, more evidence concerning the best way to do this is still required.
To book your full-length IPSA Medical PSA consultation today, simply call us or book online for our same-day PSA service.
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