The American Urological Society and the American Cancer Society recommend that all men over age 50 have annual prostate screening. Those at high risk of prostate cancer should begin in their forties.

A regular exam commonly starts with your doctor asking about any family history of prostate cancer. Next your doctor may perform the most basic prostate screening: the digital rectal exam (DRE). The doctor inserts a gloved finger into the rectum to check for enlargement or a lump on the prostate. If there is a problem, he may refer you to an urologist, a doctor who specializes in the male urinary tract and reproductive system.

The urologist might order a PSA test. This simple, inexpensive test measures the amount of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) in your bloodstream. PSA is a protein made only by the prostate. Generally when a test shows higher than normal PSA levels, there's a greater chance of having prostate cancer. The test itself does not diagnose prostate cancer. And there can be a number of reasons other than cancer for PSA levels that are high.

If the PSA and/or DRE results are not normal, your doctor may order an ultrasound and possibly a biopsy. An ultrasound uses sound waves to find any abnormal areas in the prostate. It also helps the doctor measure the size of the prostate and look for malignant tissue. With a biopsy, the doctor uses a needle to remove some prostate cells (often with the help of an ultrasound). The cells are sent to a laboratory where a pathologist estimates the tumor's growth rate.



Posted by: Jessica    Source

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