Articles
Prostate cancer screening: Should you get a PSA test?
Simple test, not-so-simple decision
When elevated PSA isn't cancer
When prostate cancer doesn't increase PSA
Digital rectal examination
Think about your risk factors for prostate cancer
Consider the varying viewpoints: What are the recommendations?
How does it add up?
Content
What is PSA?
What increases the risk of prostate cancer?
What are the pros and cons of prostate cancer screening?
What's the advantage of a PSA test?
What's risky about a PSA test?
What do experts recommend?
What's the advantage of a PSA test?
Detecting certain types of prostate cancer early can be critical. Elevated PSA results may reveal prostate cancer that's likely to spread to other parts of your body (metastasize), or they may reveal a quick-growing cancer that's likely to cause other problems.
Early treatment can help catch the cancer before it becomes life-threatening or causes serious symptoms. In some cases, identifying cancer early means you will need less aggressive treatment — thus reducing your risk of certain side effects, such as erectile dysfunction and incontinence.
