The prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test is a blood screen for prostate cancer.
When prostate cancer spreads to other parts of the body, such as the bones, the acid phosphatase levels may increase. Acid phosphatase is an enzyme that can be elevated in cases of bone metastasis from prostate cancer, as it is released by prostate cancer cells in the bones. Monitoring acid phosphatase levels can help in assessing the extent of metastasis and response to treatment.
As a general term "cancer" means that some abnormal cells are present in a particular part of your body. All the cells of our body have their own "program" to live, but cancer cells do not follow this program. The same happens with prostate cancer, it is characterized by the presence of abnormal prostate cells (cancer cells), causing the damages to prostate and other symptoms. These cells are capable to multiply very fast, increasing their number and the tumor size. Because of this, the normal prostate cells are suppressed and cannot function properly. When a man has prostate cancer, his PSA (prostate specific antigen) levels will rise. In many cases of prostate cancer, the prostate gland is removed.
Elevated PSA levels can mean different things. It can point to a higher risk of cancer of the prostate or it could point to a more benign enlargement of the prostate. It is important to understand that prostate cancer can occur with normal PSA levels present. Your boyfriend should follow up with his physician to do more tests to determine what is causing the elevated PSA levels.
The prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test is the blood test that measures the level of a protein produced by the prostate gland. It is primarily used to screen for prostate cancer and to monitor the progression of the disease. High PSA levels can indicate several conditions, including prostate cancer, so further testing may be needed for an accurate diagnosis.
prostate cancer
Blood tests are used to measure the amounts of certain protein markers, such as prostate-specific antigen (PSA), found circulating in the blood.
The biologic marker that is elevated is called the PSA (prostatic specific antigen), but this is not a hormone. However, in prostate cancer, it is desirable to lower the levels of a hormone group called androgens (including testosterone, among others).
Women do not classically get prostate cancer as cancer of the prostate is classified as a disease of the prostate gland of the male reproductive system. However, in 2002 the female Skene's Gland was officially renamed the female prostate as it was found to be homologous in function. Both male and female prostates produce Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) and contribute to the ejaculate fluid. Six cases of adenocarcinoma have been observed as originated from the female prostate that strongly resemble that of classical male prostate cancer. Serum tests showed elevated levels of PSA, typical in prostate cancer.
Between 50% and 75% of primary liver cancer patients have abnormally high blood serum levels of a particular protein (alpha-fetoprotein or AFP).
PSA or Prostate-specific antigen is a test that measures the blood level of the PSA which is a protein in the prostate gland. There is no specific normal range. In the past the normal range has been 4.0 ng/mL and lower. Since than doctors have noted patients with levels of 4.0 and below to have cancer while patients with high levels did not.
In men over 40 years of age, is common for doctors performing blood tests on their patients to examine Prostatic Specific Antigen (PSA) levels. PSA is a protein produced by the male prostate gland. If the PSA level is above certain levels, or has shown to be getting progressively higher over a number of tests conducted over a period of time, it serves as a warning sign of either prostate cancer or other noncancerous prostatic diseases. A normal PSA level does not completely rule out the possibility of prostate cancer. Many doctors are of the opinion that any male who lives long enough will eventually develop prostate cancer, but that it may not necessarily be the cause of death. Given the somewhat vague nature of the results supplied by PSA testing, it is also necessary to consider adding a colonoscopy to the equation along with occasional digital prostate exams. The PSA test, however, is a popular diagnostic tool, since it is noninvasive in nature. Knowing normal PSA levels will assist a personal care physician in determining a patient's prostate cancer risk when other factors, such as family history are included. A PSA level of below four ng/ml (nanogram/milliliter) is often used as the basis to eliminate concern about the risk of prostate cancer, even though this level does not completely eliminate the possibility. A PSA level below four combined with a digital examination that indicates normal prostate size means that there is only a 15% chance of prostate cancer being present. This increases to 25% for PSA levels between four and 10. Anything above 10 represents an increase to 67%. Some experts in the area of PSA levels promote using lower numbers, less than 2.5 or 3.0 ng/ml to represent normal values. This is particularly applicable to younger patients who have not experienced the normal prostate gland the enlargement that accompanies advancing age. Equally important to the PSA number is the trend of that number. Is it going up, how quickly, over what period of time? These are questions doctors will consider on a patient by patient basis?