What does PSA mean?
May 3, 2009
PSA stands for “prostate-specific antigen” which is a protein produced by the cells of the prostate gland. The PSA test measures the level of PSA in the blood and is used as a screening test to check for the presence of disease in the prostate gland, specifically prostate cancer. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the PSA test along with a digital rectal exam (DRE) to help detect prostate cancer in men age 50 and older. Several risk factors increase a man’s chances of developing prostate cancer. These factors include:
-
Age (65% of prostate cancer cases occur in men 65 and over)
-
Family history
-
Race (African American men have the highest rate; Asian men have the lowest)
-
Diet (diets high in saturated fat may increase the risk of prostate cancer)
The test results are usually reported in nanograms of PSA per milliliter (ng/ml) of blood. In the past, most doctors considered PSA values below 4.0 as normal, however, recent research has found prostate cancer in men with PSA levels below 4.0. There is no specific normal or abnormal PSA level. The higher a man’s PSA level, the more likely it is that cancer is present. If no other symptoms suggest cancer, the doctor may recommend repeating the DRE and PSA tests regularly to watch for any changes. If a man’s PSA levels have been increasing or if a suspicious lump is detected during the DRE, the doctor may recommend other tests (urine, ultrasound, biopsy) to determine if there is cancer or another problem in the prostate.
Why do I have to worry about my prostate, anyway?
April 12, 2009
Yep, that’s me waterskiing! Today, I would like to take a few moments to discuss the prostate. The prostate is a small gland that encircles the urethra (the tube that carries urine from the bladder). Found only in men, the prostate produces a fluid that comprises a part of the semen. About 60% of men over 50 have an enlarged prostate. This condition is referred to as benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and the exact cause is not known. While a normal, healthy prostate is the size of a walnut, with BPH, the prostate can swell to the size of an orange. When this happens, the flow of urine is restricted causing problems which include: increased frequency, increased urgency, incomplete emptying of the bladder, and occasionally, pain.
Prostate cancer is another major concern for men. More than 30% of men over age 50 may have it. It is usually very slow growing, however all men over 40 should have an annual rectal exam performed by a physician to check for signs of enlargement and/or cancer. Natural supplements containing saw palmetto, stinging nettle, pumpkin seed, pygeum bark, ginger, Maca, Vitamin E, selenium, zinc, and green tea have been clinically shown to help alleviate the symptoms associated with BPH, and may be particularly helpful to overall prostate health, especially when combined with routine examinations from a qualified physician.
If you have not already done so, please take a few moments and read by post from March 11, 2009 entitled: “Is prostate cancer overdiagnosed and overtreated?” For more information about the prostate, visit our Natural Remedies resource library and, until next time, have a naturally healthy day!
Dr. Joe Mix
NaturalHealthMix.com
Is prostate cancer overdiagnosed and overtreated?
March 11, 2009
Hi, Dr. Mix here with some health news for you. I was home sitting in my chair watching Charlie Gibson on ABC News last night, and a report of a new prostate study from the Netherlands caught my attention. The study, and an accompanying editorial by Michael J. Barry and Albert J. Mulley, Jr. of Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, were published in the March 10, 2009 edition of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute (see references below) and suggest that many men who are diagnosed with prostate cancer may have been better off never knowing they had the disease.
In a study of American men that lasted from 1985 to 2000, the researchers found that between 23% and 42% of prostate cancers identified by the PSA test are so slow-growing that they probably would never have posed a health threat. In other words, most of these men would have lived a full life and died from another cause entirely, never knowing they had these slow-growing cancers. Instead, the authors maintain , the men were subjected to unnecessary treatment as well as the psychological trauma that goes along with a cancer diagnosis.
Something to talk to your doctor about, heh?
Dr. Joe Mix
NaturalHealthMix.com
References:
Draisma et al. Lead Time and Overdiagnosis in Prostate-Specific Antigen Screening: Importance of Methods and Context. J Natl Cancer Inst, March 10, 2009;101:374-383.
Barry, MJ and Mulley, AJ. Why Are a High Overdiagnosis Probability and a Long Lead Time for Prostate Cancer Screening So Important?
J Natl Cancer Inst, March 10, 2009;101:362-363.