How is prostate cancer screened?
There are several tests that can be used to detect prostate cancer.
The most common tests are the
digital rectal exam, or DRE, which looks for any unusual features on the
prostate itself, and the
prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test, which measures a protein produced
in the prostate.
According to the American Cancer Society, not all men need to be screened for prostate
cancer. But men over the age of 50 who choose to be tested should include a DRE and PSA test.
The digital rectal exam (DRE).
During this exam, the doctor inserts a gloved and lubricated finger (digit) into
the rectum to feel for any unusual features of the prostate, including hardness,
bumps, or swelling. Although uncomfortable, the procedure is not usually painful.
The PSA test.
This blood test looks at the body’s level of something called prostate-specific
antigen (PSA), a protein produced in the prostate. PSA levels may be high in men
who have prostate cancer. A rise in PSA scores from year to year may also suggest
that the prostate is growing larger.
But a high or low PSA number doesn’t tell a doctor everything. It doesn’t say whether
or not a man will have symptoms, or how long he will live. Many men can have very
high PSA values and feel fine. Then again, some men can have low values but still
experience symptoms. With later stage prostate cancer, it may be more important
to look at how the PSA level is changing, rather than what the actual number is.
How is prostate cancer diagnosed?