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Out of every eight males, one exhibits symptoms of prostate cancer. Prostate cancer is, therefore, a much crucial topic of concern. While national screening programmes are there to detect other forms of cancer, options for detecting prostate cancer is quite rare. For instance, you can easily detect breast cancer from identification of lumps. But it is not that easy to recognise prostate cancer. Read on the blog further to identify potential options for your prostate cancer check. You can explore methods and tests for prostate cancer check, and find out when and how to get them with this blog.
Know the Prostate Cancer Symptoms
Prostate cancer check detects some common symptoms like:
- Difficulty in urination with a slow and a weak flow
- Sudden and frequent urge to urinate
- Urine infection
- Abnormal discharge of blood in your semen or urine sample
- Pain in the testicles, pelvis, hip or back
- Unexplained weight loss
Methods for Prostate Cancer Check
If you visit a GP, you will get two basic options for your prostate cancer check:
- PSA test
- Digital Rectal Examination (DRE)
These diagnostic tests are helpful in detecting and ruling out the risks of prostate cancer.
PSA Testing
PSA stands for prostate specific antigen, a type of protein occurring in your prostate gland. This method of prostate cancer check looks at your PSA levels circulating in your body.
Both the normal as well as cancerous cells in your prostate gland produce PSA in your body. In fact, cancerous cells produce higher PSA amounts at times. If you get a higher PSA score with your blood test, you are more likely progressing towards prostate cancer.
For a self prostate cancer check, you may use an online kit for testing your PSA levels. However, this does not always provide accurate reading. You must consult a healthcare professional and seek medical guidance for your prostate cancer check.
Factors Determining Your PSA Levels
PSA testing method is not that simple. PSA is present in the bloodstream of all male individuals. In fact, the amount of PSA varies from one male to the other. In fact, the PSA production in your body increases with your advancing age.
Other conditions like prostatitis may also be responsible for the rise in the PSA scores. In fact, these PSA scores may changes on a daily basis. This fluctuation in the PSA scores basically results due to:
- Ejaculation within last 2 days (48 hours)
- Taking a digital rectal exam prior to your blood test
- Vigorous activities like physical exercise from 48 hours prior to the blood test
- Undertaking a prostate biopsy within the last 6 weeks of the test
However, further complications suggest that you may have prostate cancer despite having normal PSA levels. Overall, a higher PSA score is a stringent indicator of prostate problems. This is, however, not the only parameter to diagnose prostate cancer. In fact, this uncertainty of the PSA test is a major cause of the absence of any national screening programme for prostate cancer.
Without considering other factors, an unnecessary PSA test may lead to stress and anxiety and negatively impact your health and wellbeing. Along with keeping a track of PSA levels, doctors often recommend MRI scans.
Digital Rectal Examination (DRE)
The main process of the digital rectal examination is to look for any changes in your prostate with the help of a digit or finger at your bottom. Remember that it is not possible to check your own prostate. As the prostate lies in between your rectum and the bladder, a medical professional will examine your prostate. Your posture should be lying on the side along with your knees up.
Do not hesitate or feel awkward while undertaking the exam. Remember that DRE is an essential method of prostate cancer check. An enlarged prostate basically signifies benign prostate hyperplasia or BPH, a prostate problem basically occurring in older males. However, doctors can detect signs of prostate cancer if it feels something lumpy and hard in the prostate. At such circumstances, doctors usually recommend biopsy to test a small piece of your prostate for detecting cancerous cells.
What are the risk factors?
The doctor will enquire your medical history before your prostate cancer check. Some of the common risk factors include:
Age
Your risks of prostate cancer increases with your old age. In fact, males of 75 to 79 years are most likely to develop prostate cancer. Different surveys in the UK suggest that males above 50 years must undertake a PSA test. However, males in their 30s or 40s need not undertake prostate cancer checks unless they observe any symptoms.
History
You might be more prone to risks of prostate cancer if you have a past record of any family member experiencing prostate cancer. In fact, males carrying BRCA2 gene are 5 time more likely to developing the risks of prostate cancer.
Ethnicity
Even the racial background is a major determining factor of the degree of risks of prostate cancer. For instance, black African or black Caribbean males are more likely to develop prostate cancer in comparison to males from Asian region.
Weight
A body mass index (BMI) around 25 to 30 or more indicates that you have higher risks of prostate cancer development. If you are suspecting symptoms of cancer, work on losing some weight.
How can I check my prostate?
Although it is not possible to check your prostate cancer yourself, you must be well aware of your risk factors. Try to observe the occurrence of any kind of symptom and immediately consult a healthcare professional if you suspect any risk of cancer growth.
You can approach private GPs to arrange prostate cancer checks. You must seek the guidance of a healthcare professional if you need to undertake a PSA test or digital rectal examinations.
Key Takeaways
The most common form of cancer occurring in the male population of the UK is prostate cancer. Prostate cancer check is, therefore, the most effective process to managing the symptoms and risks of prostate cancer.
