What’s your take on the PSA? My father has been living with prostate cancer for 15 years and I’m not sure if I should be doing the PSA test, which my doctor says is not recommended for most men any more.
Dr. Hibberd's answer:
PSA can be a marker of prostate cancer, but also other conditions. It has been overused as a screening tool. While it's no longer routinely recommended, it is often used to track treatment response of prostate cancer.
The treatment of asymptomatic elevations in PSA has led to overly aggressive and unnecessary surgery and treatments, and this is the reason why routine use of PSA has been discouraged in general health evaluations of low-risk populations of patients, but can be a useful tool in men who face increased risks. You should discuss the pros and cons of having a PSA test with your doctor.
Keep in mind that PSA elevations are also seen with prostate inflammation and infection. Some cancers of prostate do not produce PSA, so normal PSAs do not exclude malignancy or infection.
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