Prostate cancer is the most common non-skin cancer among men in the U.S.
Prostate cancer is found mainly in older men. Although many men can be diagnosed with the disease, most men with this disease do not die from it.
Scientists from the National Cancer Institute say that prostate cancer tests are used to screen for the disease when a person does not have symptoms.
There is no standard or routine screening test for prostate cancer, but usually, there are three ways to detect the disease.
The first is the prostate-specific antigen test. A prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test is a test that measures the level of PSA in the blood.
PSA is a substance made mostly by the prostate that may be found in an increased amount in the blood of men who have prostate cancer.
The level of PSA may also be high in men who have an infection or inflammation of the prostate or benign prostatic hyperplasia, which is an enlarged, but noncancerous, prostate.
This test can help detect prostate cancer at an early stage. Recent research has shown that PSA testing more accurate for early cancer detection than other tests.
The second is the digital rectal exam. It is an exam of the rectum.
The doctor or nurse inserts a lubricated, gloved finger into the lower part of the rectum to feel the prostate for lumps or anything else that seems unusual.
This test can help detect prostate cancer at an early stage, too.
The third is the prostate cancer gene 3 (PCA3) RNA test.
a prostate cancer gene 3 (PCA3) RNA test may be helpful if a man had a high PSA level and a biopsy of the prostate did not show cancer and the PSA level remains high after the biopsy.
This test measures the amount of PCA3 RNA in the urine after a DRE. If the PCA3 RNA level is higher than normal, another biopsy may be used to diagnose prostate cancer.
Researchers also suggest that there may be some health risks from screening.
For example, finding prostate cancer may not improve health or help a man live longer. Some screening tests may require follow-up tests, such as a biopsy.
People may also get false-negative test results or false-positive test results.
It is important to talk to your doctor to select the best screening method.
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